Why do people like trams so much?

Tyler Cowan in Marginal Revolution asks "why do people like streetcars so much?" Actually I have yet to meet anyone who is enthusiastic about the Edinburgh tram project (other than TIE's supremo), although admittedly many of my conversations on this topic were with taxi drivers, who may have vested interests in the matter. One of my colleagues argues that buses simply dominate trams - they are much cheaper and more maneuverable. But it is a mystery why they apparently remain so popular with many people.