Question: if one manages to ban the car, does that mean they ban tractors as well? Or, if someone invents the mechanized tractor, then it's not exactly long until a faster version for transportation arrives.
Heck, even if we were stuck at steam, there were plenty of steam powered automobiles in the early 20th century. And there were a fair few electric vehicles as well. There are plenty of different forms of mechanized locomotion.
I'm sure there would be ways to stymie the spread of the automobile, but I don't see any good way to actually prevent them from becoming even barely as commonplace as they are. What provides the flexibility, the hauling capability, and the speed of the automobile that is available when the user needs it, not when the schedule says it's time?
diminished disposable income (purchase & insurance)
Erm, a horse and buggy are much more bothersome and time-consuming to maintain vs an automobile, have less chances of breaking down, and need to be replaced less frequently. And, in relation to bicycles, automobiles are major time savers, as they allow the driver to reach their destination far more quickly, allowing them to minimize downtime in transit (not to mention not having to physically exert themselves over long trips via bicycle). It also allows the user to minimize housing costs - by forcing residents to remain closer and depend on public transport even more than before, housing prices probably would rise. With an automobile, someone can actually have a larger home, and get more for their money's worth there, vs having to spend more money for less space (but in return getting a shorter commute not requiring a bicycle).
I figured but springs have been used in guns for centuries by the time cars have been invented. So why wouldn't someone think to transfer it from any of the other myriad devices that use springs to cars. I mean springs have been around since almost the beginning of civilization.
Especially as rail cars and buses and similar will also have springs and dampeners on them as well, so it'd be curious why there'd be none on personal transportation besides an odd ban.