The Automobile Kills Livability Americans keep asking me what is, in my opinion, the major difference between life here in the United States as opposed to Europe, from where I came.
Most European cities are still desirable places for people to live and enjoy an urban lifestyle.
I lived in New York for a while myself, and I know what I'm talking about. As a writer working here in the United States on my new book about this society, I feel like a qualified observer of American culture and lifestyle. Two years ago we moved to the Pacific Northwest from the East coast. Eugene seemed to be quite an attractive place for living. Especially after seeing photos of the downtown pedestrian area, including those two nice Willamette Street blocks that are now doomed to destruction.