The Creation of America's Car Culture
About this episode
Explore the origins of America's car culture through the eyes of historian Peter Norton, who uncovers how the automobile industry strategically reshaped cities and traffic laws to prioritize cars over pedestrians and public transit. The episode highlights early 20th-century protests against car dangers, the defeat of speed governor laws, and the influential partnership between car salesman Paul Hoffman and traffic expert Miller McClintock. Their efforts transformed urban streets into car-centric spaces, laying the foundation for today's automotive dominance and car-dependent cities.
This episode is part of a special series called "Changing American Car Culture" funded with the generous support of The Helen and William Mazer Foundation.
As historian Peter Norton documents in his book, Fighting Traffic, the death and destruction caused by the introduction of automobiles into U.S. cities in the early part of the 20th century caused a lot of people to challenge the notion that such machines would ever become popular. In response, autmobile companies, car dealers, driving enthuisasts, and others went on the offense, creating the culture that gave rise to the mass adoption of cars and the phenomenon of forced car dependence.
In this special episode, producer Ilana Strauss brings us a story that begins with the pushback against automobiles, the fight for speed governors, and the unlikely partnership between a Studebaker dealer and a young academic who manufactured the rules and norms that came to shape American streets at the expense of anyone who isn't in a car.
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This episode was sponsored by Cleverhood. Listen for the latest discount code.
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