OFF TOPIC - The IOC sucks.

[Nitram Draw]

Spoogy,
You are correct that the Europeans and Japanese have better mass transportation systems, particularly rail. A lot of this has to do with how they developed. In the US and Canada most goods are moved long distances by truck and most people get to work by car. There is not an extensive rail network here. Building a rail transportation would be extremely expensive.
I think our best hope is the development of an alternative fuel or engine type, fuel cells or the hybrid motors could do it.