Well, the usefulness of 2-meters (and 70cm) depends a bit on where you are at
I understand in some parts of the country it's more or less gone the way of CB
In other parts it's still fairly good, In between.. Is, well..In between.
Alas, till the idiots who run our government figure out that an agent who can write 1,000 in fines for every 100 he gets paid is an INVESTMENT... We are going to continue down hill.
And once they DO figure it out... Count on the person who decries the "CB Like" nature of 2-meters in some parts of the country, and the need for more enforcement, THE LOUDEST!, as the one who gets the first Notice of Violation