{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"PREVIEW: Let's Get Political","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/preview-let-s-get-political","audioUrl":"https://pdst.fm/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/waroncars/TWOC_03312026_BONUS_Get_Political.mp3?dest-id=807818","description":"This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars. For a long time, safe streets and transit advocacy organizations have had to play a careful game. While non-profit organizations can advocate for policies and infrastructure changes that protect pedestrians and cyclists and make transit more efficient and accessible, they can't endorse candidates for office or otherwise throw their weight around when another election rolls around. Thankfully, that's changing. There are now a growing number of safe-streets and transit-focused political action committees and lobbying groups that have sprung up to explicitly influence and endorse candidates that they see as friendly to the cause. How did they get started? How have they wielded their influence to elect good people who will enact good policies? Does it take a lot of money to make a difference? If ordinary people want to start their own PAC or lobbying group, where do they begin? We talk to the founders of StreetsPAC in New York, Streets PAC NJ, and the Better Streets Chicago Action Fund to find out how to win elections and influence politicians. Become a Patreon subscriber for full access. Order our new book, Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile. And catch us on tour in 2026: Tickets for live shows are on sale now! TheWarOnCars.org"},"annotations":[{"startTime":160.0,"endTime":168.0,"type":"concept","title":"bike lanes","url":"/glossary/bike-lanes","quote":"And then Eric Adams comes in and promises 300 miles of bike lanes and all kinds of stuff, [167.8s] and he did have good people working for him and all the rest.","canonicalId":"concept:bike-lanes","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Bike lanes are dedicated roadway space for bicycles, usually marked with paint and sometimes protected by curbs or barriers. In political debates, they’re often used as a proxy for broader street-safety and mobility policies.","simplifiedExplanation":"Bike lanes are special lanes on the road just for bicycles. When politicians talk about them, they’re usually talking about making streets safer for cyclists and improving how people get around."}},{"startTime":193.0,"endTime":202.0,"type":"concept","title":"Streets Pack","quote":"...Catherine Garcia really seemed to rise to the top in terms of willingness [197.6s] to tackle the issues that Streets Pack was advocating for.","canonicalId":"concept:streets-pack","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.55,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Streets Pack” appears to be an advocacy group or campaign focused on street design and safety. The transcript frames candidates’ willingness to tackle its issues as a key factor in the election narrative.","simplifiedExplanation":"“Streets Pack” sounds like a group that pushes for safer streets and better street design. The candidates are being judged on whether they’re willing to address what that group wants."}},{"startTime":201.0,"endTime":208.9,"type":"concept","title":"questionnaire responses","url":"/glossary/questionnaire-responses","quote":"We got questionnaire responses from several of the leading candidates for mayor, the majority [207.5s] of the leading candidates for mayor.","canonicalId":"concept:questionnaire-responses","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Questionnaire responses are written answers candidates provide to an organization or voters, often covering policy priorities. In local elections, they can be used to compare candidates’ positions on specific issues.","simplifiedExplanation":"A questionnaire is a set of questions candidates answer. People use those answers to see who agrees with certain goals and who has a clear plan."}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"The War on Cars","role":"host"},{"id":"s2","name":"LLC","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/preview-let-s-get-political/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}