I've lived in downtown Portland for eight years and watched our light rail system get praised in planning reports while actual ridership per capita stays flat. But when I visit friends in Tokyo or even Montreal, the difference isn't just infrastructure—it's how people talk about transit as a normal part of life, not a political statement. Does the success of urban public transportation depend more on the physical design of the city or on the social and cultural attitudes that make riding it a default choice? I'm genuinely torn because my own habits changed when I moved near a frequent bus line, yet my colleagues in car-dependent suburbs won't even consider the commute.