Sitting in a steel box where someone else drives, you get to spend your time semi useful. Either by doing work, reading a book, watching Netflix or playing games.
Yes, living in a country with a good network of big steel boxes, I sometimes also use them to get to my destination. A lot of the times they are rather full so I have to stand and stare into the air.
But mostly I am using my metal bars on two wheels so that I am not protected from nature and reach my destination equally fast, but full of sweat. But safe from people entering my personal space and spitting their illnesses into my face.
I think I once saw a documentary about this, where the introduction featured an average Toyota Corolla driver on their way to work... moving slower than a geriatric using a walker.
I actually in reality live in a really good place for walking and cycling, but I do understand the pain in the ass that is traffic congestion and "just add more lanes, man" mentality.