I lived for 7 years without a car in a big city. I finally moved to a place where cars were practical and will never go back.
No bus is point to point. Generally you need to walk, wait for the bus, take the bus (which is slower than driving because it makes multiple stops), get off the bus, wait for the next bus, and then repeat two or three times.
It can turn in 30 minute journey into a 90 minute one. Then you have to pay for the driver and the gas. If you live in a place where it is freezing cold or constantly raining that 15 minute walk to or from the bus could be a nightmare.
What about transporting things, like groceries? I couldn't carry both a gallon of milk and hardly anything else, let alone any small appliance. I relied heavily on Amazon and peapod, which is really wasteful and expensive.
We need to stop this obsession with public transportation.