That is one reason why cars are far more popular than bicycles. Plus, they don't take much effort to get going, they protect you from weather and intruders, they can carry a lot of stuff and go long distances in a short time.
If you can afford to go buy a vehicle, and pay the taxes, registration fees, maintenance, and the fuel costs, then there it is.
Personally, I have nothing against cars, or the people in them, but at the same time most people take their cars for granted, and it seems they can never get there fast enough. Once you have used a bicycle for transportation, you do come to appreciate the use of a motor vehicle, and its convenience. (But every time I drove, I hated it, made me rather grumpy)
Personally for me, biking is for health and fitness, and not having a car motivates me to ride more often, especially if I have to go somewhere. I also in general feel a lot happier about getting somewhere, I talk to a lot of people on the way, and while there have been some dicey situations, they aren't terribly common. If they were common, I likely would be in the same situation as you.
I also used a bike for transportation in NYC. It was a good bike, custom built, quite expensive when it was new but by the time it was given to me, it looked terrible because it had been neglected by the previous owner. I left it looking bad that way, and had a U-lock for it, nobody ever bothered it, not matter where I was. This was the early 80s, though...
I figure, if it works for you, or you don't have the $ for a car, then go car free. If it doesn't work, and you can afford it, then get a car, and ride a bike for enjoyment. Whenever you can.
Bikes have never been an instrument of oppression... not that I know of anyway...
