Where in Brazil do you live. I have heard some detail about the city planning of Sao Paulo and have heard that it is precisely designed as a car culture city where pedestrians can barely walk safely because no one ever planned for pedestrians. Can't remember where I saw it but it was a program on city planning. Of course Sao Paulo might be atypical. And I have read about another city in Brazil...can't remember the name, but it began with a "C" I think...which is planned precisely the opposite: mass transit, very green. Big country and many different people and places, so I am sure there are many cultures.

I never drove routinely, even when I lived in Los Angeles. Biked and bused everywhere, though in LA there are some places you can't get to without about 3 hours on the bus. Biked 5 miles each way to work most days, took the bus otherwise. In Kyoto walked or biked, occasional rapid transit. Traveling in Japan you can reach almost anywhere by train...though one place, Takachiho on Kyushu, I needed a bus. LOVED being able to hop a train anywhere. New York City is, of course, home to a messy rapid transit system I kind of hate but have to admit it makes it possible to get almost anywhere without a car. Barely ever take a bus in NYC, only train, but there is a whole extra layer of rapid transit in the bus. We only use a car when we travel and we try to rent a hybrid when we do. One time, when we visited Los Angeles, we rented an electric car and LOVED it.