City governments keep pouring money into bike lanes and pedestrian plazas, but I think this ignores the reality that most Americans still need a car for work, groceries, and school runs. In my mid-sized town, they installed a protected lane connecting a few trendy blocks, yet rush hour traffic only got worse and downtown shops report fewer customers driving by. Are we designing cities for a fantasy of car-free living while neglecting the actual needs of the majority who depend on roads? Supporting alternatives is fine, but not at the expense of making driving more miserable for those who have no choice.