This is a fair critique and as much as this is a thread written to get out frustrations about cars, we should admit it's the case if it's going to cause tension that might bring the mods down.
From an AH perspective I don't think it follows that people who've never had cars are going to be up in arms when they don't get them- how would they know what they're missing? But we would certainly know, and we should admit that removing the car as a consumer technology is going to make rural areas poorer.
And I agree that land use policy is probably the biggest part of the issue here. A system that discourages car use rather than outlawing it or pricing people out is going to be more fair.
We know we can write such land use policies in theory- inclusive zoning codes that emphasize walkability and transit, that insist on diversity of housing stock in price and form, that promote the active use of shared public spaces, etc.
We've arrived at these by a system of trial and error that has spanned at least the 20th century- and of course they're still being refined.
Having some visionary arrive at modern day conclusions and be taken seriously by the world back in, say, 1880, would be unlikely. The odds would have to be akin to winning the lottery, at least. But is winning the lottery ASB? It happens most every day somewhere in the world, right?
So a world where some modern city planning manifesto comes out over and above the influence of something like the Garden Cities Movement could prime society for "light" car ownership. Cars are still owned by a certain percentage of people and perhaps more easily rentable (or maybe we see the rise of shared ownership) for an even greater percentage. But use is way down. Big shopping trips, family outings, emergencies. Commuting is done by transit, maybe a bigger role for the bicycle here. Neighborhood markets would be a necessary land use policy component and close access to commercial districts.
It's true that in a country like the US, a lot of rural areas would still lose out. There'd be less call for so many excellent roads and highways. And with fewer suburbs and more call for produce closer to cities, more agriculture will take place in what would become OTL suburban and exurban belts. This is good for *those* rural residents, but OTL's far-rural mega farms just might not be quite as viable.
Just some thoughts; may have more later.