This is such a bleak and depressing outlook on life and lifestyle. Is all this driving (and rearranging your life to accommodate the almighty auto) really how the rest of America lives? It sounds like the car is getting the pampered life and the people exist to serve it, instead of the other way around.
I'm a middle aged family guy living in a city, and I've been thinking about all the stuff I've done with my little son recently: listen to a jazz concert, watch a magic show, grab a beer from one of the corner pubs, watch a parade. But here's the kicker- all of that happened yesterday evening (a Thursday) on the three block walk to the grocery store. We don't have to drive for two hours to do stuff, because in the city it comes to us. Sure we do own a car, but I only fill it with gas once a year.
IMAX, stage theaters, shops, hundred of restaurants, hell even the professional sports and museums (we have subscriptions to both) are all within a six block radius. Leave the car at home. City life is family friendly, accessible, and mighty convenient, as long as you aren't on the outside looking in.