Let’s try that here in Minneapolis. See how well that works with several inches of snow cover and sub-zero temps.
I’m def not a “I love cars” kind of person, but a heated and protected pod to transport me, my family and friends, my belongings and anything I purchase is a necessity. Can’t just “pop to the grocery” every day or two in winter conditions even if I didn’t live miles away from any viable store with food.
I grew up in northern Minnesota. Fuck whatever your saying. You absolutely can pop to the grocery. It's disingenuous AF to say this place is inhospitable without automobiles. The Anishinaabe have managed it. I managed it. Litteral millons do.
What you meant to say is "surviving in a place like Minnesota requires planning and community" I'm MN born and raised. I haven't owned an automobile for 15years. It's very possible.
And seeing how there's ten billion souls on this planet, rapidly fucking it up, it would behoove us to live with less resource expenditures. Any way you stack it up, from leaded gasoline to the sleekest EV, the personal automobile is a gluttonous, selfish act. We can live without them, your very existence is proof. Ride the bus, snow shoe, ski, walk bus, fuck.
I like how you included fuck with the modes of transportation. Now I'm imagining some sort of tricycle or quadcycle that harnesses thrusting motion to propel you.
The answer is it would work much better because you wouldn't have the parked cars wasting space and making it difficult for the plows to clean the street quickly.
I walk to my grocer frequently (1-2 per week) in northern ontario and have no difficulties due to snow or ice. I use a small backpack and some cotton bags to carry my grocceries. I have a nice coat and good boots.