NYC is a fantastic city -- high paying jobs, ubiquitous transit, amazing food, support for the arts, beautiful parks, good people...
But compared to other world-class cities they have (had?) this weird car-shaped blind spot where every neighborhood and park was filled with cars and most people don't care.
I'd assume its better than alternatives. People don't just decide to whip their back with a rope every day. They make choices that make sense to them and give them the best individual outcome.
