>Mass transit is operating at a larger scale in europe. But there is a definite cut off point where individual transit is more econimical, even with all the taxes burdened on it over here. And any comparison has to keep the population density in mind, which favors mass transport over here.

Let me try to remember the transportation economics from back home, comparing several cases.

Case 1. Get bread and milk.
Back home: get on a bicycle or just walk half a block. Maybe pick it up returning from the job.
Here: get in the car, drive 2-3 miles to the nearest grocery. There's nothing closer, you live in residential area.

Case 2. Go to work
Back home: walk or take a bicycle - it was always between 1 and 3 miles. Take the car if weather is bad. Depending on where I live, I'd have up to .5 miles to the next bus, which would cost half a beer (grocery price!) and would arrive at least twice an hour; in better places, every three minutes.
Here: get in the car, drive 2 to 40 miles. Buses too rare and far apart; one per hour and usually not going in your direction.

Case 3. Have something to do in nearest larger town
Back home: take a bus early in the morning (around 7 would do), once there use local buses, return late afternoon. If there's someone else going with you, it may be worthwhile to use the car. You save about an hour or two with the car, but you lose that trying to find a place to park the car.
Here: bus is too expensive, slow and unreliable compared to car; next town isn't that close at all. Parking really isn't a problem except downtown.