NSR: I was speaking to transit ($2.75/$2.50 per trip) not taxis in NYC. Sorry to be unclear.
FlyerInHI: cars have already been democratized. Anyone who wants to own a car in the USA can get one. It might be undemocratic in cities, but most residents have other options there, and inner-city residents are a small % of population.
Real cities: DC, Boston, parts of Chicago, SF, even San Diego. You could get away with living without a car in many parts of San Diego or even North County. I knew someone who did for quite a while.
