Burger here, I’ve been living in Yurp for a while now but still haven’t made it to the UK. As a 'mercan I take it with a grain of salt when Euros tell me transit is “bad” anywhere, but I do hear its supposed to be “bad” outside of London.
Do you guys own cars? Is owning a car necessary to live where you are?
It will massively depend on your circumstances. It is possible to live happily in many cities and towns without a car. But even then, if you live in the suburbs, there might not be public transport to service you. I lived without a car until having kids. I really believe a car is essential if you have kids in almost all circumstances.