Have you spent much time in the US? American cities are nothing like Europe. Everything is far more spread out with more empty land in between buildings, so all the distances are longer. And the concept of what we Brits call a "corner shop" hardly seems to exist in 'Murica - you get these huge residential zones where it's nothing but homes, homes, homes for miles and miles with no shops or anything commercial. So if you need to, say, buy a loaf of bread, or do any of the everyday chores of life that require one to leave the house, your destination is never within walking distance. It's my least favourite thing about day-to-day life in America.