The War on Cars
The War on Cars, LLC
Updated 11 days agoThe War on Cars brings you news, commentary and stories about the worldwide battle to undo a century's worth of damage wrought by the automobile.
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Episodes (242)
The Emperor's New Tunnel
Two years after it was first announced, a tunnel project in Las Vegas by Elon Musk's Boring Company was finally revealed to the world. Originally conceived as a way to whisk Las Vegas Convention Center visitors from one side of the sprawling complex to the other in futuristic-looking pods, the $53-million project turned out to just be… just a bunch of Teslas in tunnels. Oh, and there were flashing lights. Nevertheless, in a recent CNBC segment, anchor Shep Smith and reporter Contessa Brewer were tasked with making "a highway underground" sound innovative, thrilling and worth the hype. So how'd they do? Not great. Aaron Gordon — senior reporter at Vice's Motherboard — called the segment, "the most embarrassing news clip in American transportation history." Aaron, not to be confused with the podcast's other Aaron and other Gordon, joins all three The War On Cars hosts to discuss the disappointing project, the embarrassing coverage and whether any of it will make a difference in changing people's perspective on the alleged genius of Elon Musk. This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. To celebrate the arrival of spring, listers of The War on Cars can receive 25% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking. Enter coupon code WARONCARS at checkout. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get cool stickers, access to exclusive bonus episodes and more. SHOW NOTES: Watch CNBC's Shep Smith and Contessa Brewer go giddy for "a highway underground." Aaron Gordon saw the segment and declared, "This Is the Most Embarrassing News Clip In American Transportation History." More from Aaron Gordon at Motherboard, Vice's tech news site. Subscribe to Aaron Gordon's newsletter, Urbababble. Pick up a copy of On Bicycles: A 200-Year History of Cycling in New York City by Evan Friss and other titles at our Bookshop.org page. Get the new "Aaron Napper Sack" tote bag and other great merchandise including coffee mugs, stickers and apparel at our store. Follow us on Apple Podcasts and leave a review. This episode was edited by Doug Gordon. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
It's Finally Infrastructure Week
From "sexy bike lanes" to just what constitutes a "bicycle accident," transportation is making headlines like never before. Aaron, Sarah and Doug are together again to consider the burning questions filling our airwaves and social media feeds right now. Will US DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg force all Americans to ride cargo bikes filled with Dr. Seuss books and dump them in a compost pile, or is that just a Fox News fever dream? Is New York's congestion pricing plan, the first in the nation, finally about to get rolling? And is it really part of a de Blasio/Cuomo/Biden war on cars? What can Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo teach us all about the harms of highway widening? What should be done about e-bike batteries? Plus, is America down with VMT? This episode was sponsored in part by Cleverhood. To celebrate the arrival of spring, War on Cars listers can now receive 25% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking. Enter coupon code WARONCARS at checkout. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get cool stickers, access to exclusive bonus content and more. SHOW NOTES: Industry needs to clean up electric batteries, including the ones that power your e-bike. Shawn Bradley wasn't injured in a "bicycle accident." He was injured when a driver hit him with a car. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo explains everything wrong with expanding highways. The US DOT is using the Civil Rights Act to pause the widening of 1-45 near Houston. A US Congresswoman thinks Bill de Blasio, Andrew Cuomo and Joe Biden are waging a war on cars. Fox News freaks out over "sexy bike lanes." It might be time to use Vehicle Miles Traveled to tax drivers instead of just the gas tax. Secretary Pete appears to walk back a VMT tax. Get the official War on Cars coffee mug, t-shirts and our new "Cars Are Death Machines" sticker at our new store. Plus, check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. Follow us on Apple Podcasts and leave a review. WCAR theme music by Michael Hearst. Sound effects by deleted_user_3544904 at freesound.org. This episode was produced by Aaron Naparstek and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
TEASER: Lessons from Copenhagen with Mikael Colville-Andersen
Mikael Colville-Andersen is an urban designer, TV host and writer whose name is practically synonymous with Copenhagen, bicycling and smart urban design. Doug had a chance to interview him for this special bonus episode. The full interview is available exclusively to Patreon subscribers of The War on Cars. Become a Patreon supporter for access to this episode and all premium content. Staring at just $2/month, you'll also get free stickers and other goodies as well as a discount on merch in our official store.***
Jamelle Bouie Has Seen the Future of Transportation
New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie has been riding an electric-assist bicycle around Charlottesville, Virginia for almost a year now, and he is convinced: E-bikes are the future of transportation. Not only has the e-bike transformed his own personal mobility, it has changed the way he looks at his city and gotten him more deeply involved in local planning and policy-making. In this one-on-one conversation, Jamelle and Aaron start off discussing e-bikes and end up talking about what it's going to take to push America's sclerotic political system to solve increasingly urgent housing and transportation crises in U.S. cities. Plus, Jamelle offers some helpful advice to anyone accused of waging a war on cars or fanning the flames of America's culture wars. This episode was sponsored in part by Cleverhood. To celebrate the arrival of spring, War on Cars listers can now receive 25% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking. Enter coupon code WARONCARS at checkout. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get cool stickers, access to exclusive bonus content and more. SHOW NOTES: Find Jamelle Bouie's New York Times column here, a lot of his photography is here, his Twitter account is here, and his personal web site is here. Feb. 17, 2020: "Our next major household purchase is going to be an e-bike!" Feb. 26, 2021: "seriously i'm convinced that e-bikes are the future of transportation" Why housing in Charlottesville is so expensive. "Ted Cruz's Excellent Adventure" (New York Times) "2020 Shows Why the Electoral College Is Stupid and Immoral" (New York Times) Slate's Jamelle Bouie is also a pretty good street photographer (Washingtonian) Pillsbury Funfetti Cereal, Reviewed (Serious Eats) The Tern GSD e-bike. Get the official War on Cars coffee mug, t-shirts and more at our new store and check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. Rate and review us on iTunes. This episode was produced by Aaron Naparstek and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
The Power of E-Bikes with Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Electric bikes shorten commutes, flatten hills and make cycling accessible to anyone who might need a boost. They're also great tools for replacing car trips and fighting climate change. Unfortunately, they're still a little pricey for some people. That could change thanks to a new bill in Congress: the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment Act. Co-sponsored by Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, the E-BIKE Act would offer a tax credit of 30% of the price of an electric bicycle, something that could bring the joys of e-bike ownership within reach of more Americans. Congressman Blumenauer joins The War on Cars to discuss the bill, why commuter benefits ought to apply to bicycle sharing systems, and the economic, environmental and social benefits of bike commuting in general. (Spoiler alert: cyclists typically don't murder each other over parking.) Plus, he offers his thoughts on Democratic control of the House and Senate and the recent appointment of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. ***This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking — and 30% off their new anorak rain jacket — enter coupon code WARONCARS at checkout.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get cool stickers, access to exclusive bonus content and more. SHOW NOTES: Support the E-BIKE Act by contacting your representative in Congress using this handy tool from PeopleForBikes or look up your congressperson and get in touch directly. Get the full details on the E-BIKE Act via BikePortland.org Learn more about Congressman Earl Blumenauer's life and career. "E-bikes are expensive, but this congressman wants to make them more affordable" (Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge) "E-Bikes for Everyone!" (David Zipper, Slate) Get the official War on Cars coffee mug and other merch at our store. Rate and Review us on iTunes so more people can find The War on Cars. Sign up for our new newsletter, The Dispatch. This episode was produced and edited by Doug Gordon. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Housing for People, Not Cars
What would it be like to walk out of your home and see other people instead of cars? Can you imagine opening your door and letting your kids run around outside independently? Residents of Cully Green — a 23-home community in Portland, Oregon developed specifically to encourage a car-free or car-light way of life — don't have to imagine it. They're living a life more akin to the idealized version of the suburbs of the past than the reality often found across the country today. Why are developments like this so unusual? Because in most of America it's illegal to build thanks to single-family zoning. So is Cully Green the kind of thing that could only work in Portland because, you know… Portland? Or is this a model for building better cities and better communities all across the country? ***This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking — and 30% off their new anorak rain jacket — enter coupon code WARONCARS at checkout.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get cool stickers, access to exclusive bonus content and more. SHOW NOTES: More about living at Cully Green and Cully Grove, including the bees and chickens. 14 urban planners weigh in on the single-family zoning debate. (Sidewalk Talk) Community advocacy group Living Cully works to keep the neighborhood affordable and accessible. Questioning the single-family ideal. (New York Times) Rethinking the American Dream. (Washington Post) Get the official War on Cars coffee mug at our new store and check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. Rate and review us on iTunes. This episode was produced by Sarah Goodyear and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Episode LVIII
The Super Bowl is more than a football game — it's a massive opportunity for the automobile industry to inject slickly produced propaganda directly into the eyeballs of over 100 million television viewers. In these trying times, how did car companies handle the task of making their pitch to the public? What do these ads, dripping with nostalgia, say about America, politics and the future of our planet? What does Will Ferrell have against Norway? What was up with that Bruce Springsteen ad for Jeep? And what about all the ads that weren't directly about cars but had everything to do with car culture? Aaron, Sarah and Doug critique this carnival of capitalism and consumerism. ***This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking — and 30% off their new anorak rain jacket — enter coupon code WARONCARS at check out.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get stickers, access to exclusive bonus content and more. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Get the official War on Cars coffee mug at our new store. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Vulture rounds up all the 2021 Super Bowl Commercials. Emily Atkin of Heated wants to talk about GM's Norway ad. Was it cover for the company's many years of climate denial? Norway had a "56 percent EV market share for sales in 2019 while they were just 2 percent in the US." (Lili Pike at Vox.com) "If Bruce Springsteen's Jeep commercial doesn't bum you out, congrats on the purchase of your new Jeep." (Chris Richards at The Washington Post) This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Design. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Test Driving the 2021 Cadillac Escalade with Andrew Hawkins
If you've ever spent time leafing through a car magazine or, god forbid, watching car reviews on YouTube, then you know that most of what passes for "automotive journalism" is indistinguishable from automobile marketing. That's why it was so refreshing to read journalist Andrew Hawkins' review of the 6,000-pound, 18-foot-long, 2021 Cadillac Escalade in The Verge last October. Rather than simply cooing over the latest high-tech doodads and distractions, Andrew reviewed the $80,000+ luxury truck from the perspective of the people who will be walking, biking, and trying to live their lives on city streets with this gargantuan SUV and its distracted driver in their midst. Aaron chats with Andrew about his stressful test drive of the new Escalade, his confrontation with the product managers at Cadillac, and the role that journalism can (or, perhaps, can't) play in compelling policy makers and the automobile industry to change for the better. This episode was sponsored by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking -- and 30% off on their new anorak rain jacket -- enter coupon code: WARONCARS when you check out. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Get an official War on Cars coffee mug at our new store! And buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Andrew Hawkins' initial tweet with the photo of his three-year-old son in front of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade. "Driving the 2021 Cadillac Escalade was one of the most stressful experiences of my life." By Andrew Hawkins in The Verge. Death on foot: America's love of SUVs is killing pedestrians (Detroit Free Press) Better car design could prevent pedestrian deaths, says NTSB report (Curbed) 2021 Cadillac Escalade Review // "The $100,000 Benchmark For Ballers" (Throttle House) Also check out Episode 48 of The War on Cars: Right of Way with Angie Schmitt and Episode 35: Suburbans in the City. This episode was produced by Aaron Naparstek and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Design. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Humane Streets with Anil Dash
In a sense, cars are a bit like the internet comments section of the real world. Driving, like leaving a reply on a message board or posting something on Twitter, can be done anonymously, dividing people from their fellow human beings and even leading to aggressive behavior… if not the complete corrosion of polite society. With custom details and bumper stickers promoting political ideologies and pithy slogans, cars are also outward expressions of personal identity… just like one's social media presence. To unpack the similarities between the sprawling systems of online communication and personal transportation, Doug talks to Anil Dash, the tech entrepreneur and pioneering blogger who's served as a sharp and thoughtful critic of the industry in which he has spent most of his career. Is a better, more humane internet possible? If so, what lessons can be learned for people who want safer, more humane streets? And what would Prince think? SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Anil Dash, including his love of bike sharing and his belief that, as a New Yorker, "there's never been a better time to walk down the street." Follow Anil on Twitter: @anildash "New York City Fit How I Thought The World Should Work." (TransAlt) This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. Get 20% off your purchase of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking with coupon code WARONCARS. Support The War on Cars on Patreon for exclusive access to bonus episodes and nifty rewards like stickers and more. Get an official War on Cars coffee mug and other goodies at our new online store. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt or sweatshirt at Cotton Bureau and check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. This episode was produced and edited by Doug Gordon. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Questions, comments or suggestions? Send a voice memo of 30 seconds or less to [email protected]. TheWarOnCars.org
Mayor Pete at the Drive-Thru
The best thing you can say about 2020 is that it was the year that, well, was. In this year-end roundup, Aaron, Sarah and Doug take some listener voice memos and respond to the stories that flew across the War on Cars news desk. Is it a Good Thing or a Bad Thing that Mayor Pete Buttigieg has been named the next Transportation Secretary? What will it mean for the future of the "third space" now that fast food restaurants are ditching indoor dining and retooling their parking lots and drive-thrus to cater to online orders? What's the connection between a massive diesel tampering scandal in America and a landmark public health case in the UK? And what will it take to sustain the pandemic-induced bike boom into next year and beyond? SHOW NOTES: Mayor Pete Buttigieg to become Secretary Pete Buttigieg. (New York Times) $14 billion to help stave off transit cuts… for now. (Bloomberg News) Using a Lincoln Aviator not for driving but as a personal sanctuary. (iSpot.TV) How COVID-19 upended the design of fast food restaurants. (CNN) Failing to credit Sarah Goodyear, Ford CEO Bill Ford says "cars and trucks in some ways are the ultimate personal protective equipment." (New York Times) Owners of diesel pickup trucks have been tampering with their vehicles' emissions control technology, "allowing excess emissions equivalent to 9 million extra trucks on the road." (New York Times) Air pollution a cause of 9-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah's death, rules UK court. (CNN) How to keep the bike boom from fizzling out. (Andrew J. Hawkins/Verge) This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. Get 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking with coupon code WARONCARS. Support The War on Cars on Patreon for access to bonus episodes, stickers and more. Get an official War on Cars coffee mug and other goodies at our new online store. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt or sweatshirt at Cotton Bureau and check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. This episode was produced and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Questions, comments or suggestions? Send a voice memo of 30 seconds or less to [email protected]. TheWarOnCars.org
The French Connection
Under the leadership of Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the city of Paris has transformed itself, turning streets that were once clogged with cars into places for people on bikes and on foot. In response to the pandemic, the city quickly installed "coronapistes," temporary bike lanes designed to help Parisians move around safely. (With Hidalgo's recent re-election, approximately 30 miles are now slated to become permanent.) To learn more, Sarah speaks with Deputy Mayor Christophe Najdovski, who's in charge of the city's initiatives to increase green space and biodiversity and previously served as the deputy mayor for transportation. Najdovski explains that while the changes in the French capital are the envy of people all over the world, they haven't been without their share of controversy. Nevertheless, Hidalgo's political will and persistence have paid off. Paris now has cleaner air, less noise, more public space and a balance of street users that is shifting toward women. Plus, we hear an update from friend of the War on Cars and Paris resident, Cécile! SHOW NOTES: Will the bicycle be the vehicle of the 21st century for Parisians? (France 24) Paris' temporary bike lanes to become permanent. (France 24) Paris to cut car parking in half. (Forbes) Bike theft is up as Parisians take to their vélos. (Bloomberg CityLab) Actor and singer Yves Montand performs the song, "La Bicyclette" This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. Get 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for walking and biking with coupon code WARONCARS. Support The War on Cars on Patreon for access to bonus episodes, stickers and more! Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt or sweatshirt at Cotton Bureau. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. This episode was produced by Sarah Goodyear and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Questions, comments or suggestions? Send a voice memo of 30 seconds or less to [email protected]. TheWarOnCars.org
Cars and the Law with Greg Shill
On Friday, October 30th, just days before the U.S. presidential election, a Biden-Harris campaign bus on I-35 in Texas was followed and surrounded by a "Trump Train," a caravan of SUVs and large pickups displaying "Make America Great Again" flags and other pro-Trump signs. In video posted online, one vehicle can be seen crashing into a white SUV which was said to be transporting members of the Biden-Harris team. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. While neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris were on the bus, other candidates for office were and the incident motivated Texas Democrats to cancel three campaign events due to safety concerns. Beyond that, it marked a frightening escalation in the use of vehicles as instruments of political violence, something that seems to be occurring with increasing frequency in this country. To make sense of it all, Doug talked to Greg Shill, an associate professor at the University of Iowa College of Law. Greg has written extensively on the ways in which the right to drive at the expense of nearly all other forms of transportation is written into America's legal system. (Read his longer paper on the subject here.) On Election Day, The Atlantic published his take on the Texas incident and why the drivers in the "Trump Train" had every reason to expect immunity. SHOW NOTES: This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for bicycle commuters, enter coupon code WARONCARS when you check out. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt or sweatshirt at Cotton Bureau. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: This episode was produced and edited by Doug Gordon. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Questions, comments or suggestions? Send a voice memo of 30 seconds or less to [email protected]. TheWarOnCars.org
Honk If You Loved 2020
Automobiles played an oversized role in the news this year, from the country's response to the pandemic to the strange twists and turns of the presidential election. In fact, some might say 2020 was the year of the car. Beyond the growth of drive-thru COVID testing and importance of curbside voting, there was the president's weird virus-infected limousine ride around Walter Reed, flag-flying "Trump Trains" shutting down highways and the strange spectacle of watching President-elect Joe Biden deliver his victory speech before supporters in parked cars who expressed their excitement and enthusiasm by honking. What does it mean for the future of democracy that most of our interactions with our fellow citizens now happen from behind a windshield? Are we destined to duke it out, road-rage style, until society collapses? Or is there an off-ramp from all this madness? Plus, is there really a parking angle to the Four Seasons Total Landscaping story? You bet there is. Aaron, Sarah and Doug are together again to discuss it all. ***This episode was sponsored in part by our friends at Cleverhood. Receive 20% off your purchase of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for bicycling and walking. Enter coupon code WARONCARS when you check out.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon starting at just $2/month to get stickers and unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Buy a "buttery soft" War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Purchase books by authors who've appeared on the podcast at Bookshop.org. Help people find us by reviewing the podcast on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: How "Trump Trains" became a political weapon. (The Atlantic) What was with the red, white and blue Jeeps at Biden's victory speech? (Jalopnik) The owner of the adult novelty store next to Four Seasons Total Landscaping was annoyed that his customers couldn't find parking. (Slate) "Petro-masculinity" was on display at Trump highway rallies. (Gizmodo) Drive-thru voting survives challenge in Harris County, Texas. (Texas Tribune) Trump rally gets ugly in Marin City, California. (KTVU) Long lines for COVID testing at Dodger Stadium. (ABC 7) Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Getting the Car Out of Carbon Emissions
It appears that the long-awaited electric car revolution is finally upon us. Are you ready? Are you excited? Last week, General Motors officially launched the electric version of the Hummer. The Hummer, of course, is the purposely intimidating sport utility vehicle based on the U.S. military's HumVee. Popularized during America's turn-of-the-century oil wars, the Hummer has long been one the personal vehicles that is most like a gigantic middle finger on four wheels. Weighing almost two tons, with 1,000 horsepower, and 0 to 60 m.p.h. acceleration in three seconds, the 2022 Hummer E.V. begs the question: Are we simply going to try to replicate the toxic male, energy-intensive, automobile-centric, 20th century "American way of life" on electricity rather than gas? Or can we imagine and build something better? This episode was sponsored by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for bicycle commuters, enter coupon code: WARONCARS when you check out. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Listen to Tom Bodett's fantastic personal story, "Inside Passage," on The Moth. You can find more on his "strange, fascinating career" right here. How fast could we transition our transportation system to electricity if we really wanted to? Subscribe to Andrew Salzberg's newsletter, Decarbonizing Transportation and find out. What 'net-zero carbon' really means for cities. And how the City of London is planning to get there by 2050, in part, via Ultra Low Emission Zones. (BBC) The EV Bummer: The Hummer EV may be the "quiet revolution" that GMC's promising — but for all the wrong reasons. (Streetsblog) Tom is also a co-founder of the non-profit HatchSpace, dedicated to sharpening an appreciation for the work of human hands through the learning, practice, and teaching of woodworking. (Seven Days) This episode was produced by Aaron Naparstek and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Design. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
America's Love Affair With Cars
It's often said that Americans have a "love affair" with cars and driving. Where did this oddly specific expression come from? Most people probably assume it was something that developed organically, like so many common sayings. But Peter Norton, the author of Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City, credits a little-known 1961 NBC TV documentary starring Groucho Marx for popularizing this famous phrase. It's a fascinating story that finds the wisecracking comedian pitted against anti-automobile activists such as Jane Jacobs and proves that America's so-called "love affair" with cars is more like an arranged marriage. ***This episode was sponsored by our friends at Cleverhood. Receive 20% off your purchase of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for bicycling and walking. Enter coupon code WARONCARS when you check out.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and we'll send you stickers and give you exclusive access to bonus episodes. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Purchase Peter Norton's book Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City as well as titles by all the authors who've appeared on the podcast at the official War on Cars page on Bookshop.org. Watch NBC's Merrily We Roll Along, which originally aired on NBC on October 21st, 1961 (Part 1 & Part 2). Read "The Myth of the American Love Affair With Cars" (The Washington Post) Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Winning the War on Cars in Rural America
Reducing automobile dependence in America's suburbs, small towns, and rural places is a daunting task. But a tiny non-profit organization in Brattleboro, Vermont is offering a glimpse of how it might be done. Launched in 2010 by bike advocacy legend and psychotherapist Dave Cohen, VBike Solutions is fomenting an electric-assist bicycle revolution in the Green Mountain State. Forging partnerships with state government, electric utilities, financial institutions and local bike shops, VBike is making e-bikes more accessible, affordable and just plain normal. Dave calls it "car reduction therapy for Vermonters." And as War on Cars co-host Aaron Naparstek discovered while playing softball in Brattleboro this summer, it seems like it's working. Plus: Vermont's state bird makes a cameo! This episode was sponsored by our friends at Cleverhood. For 20% off of stylish, functional rain gear designed specifically for bicycle commuters, enter coupon code: WARONCARS when you check out. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Check out The War on Cars library at Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Dave Cohen and his organization VBike Solutions: Car reduction therapy for Vermonters. Brattleboro-Based VBike Is 'Rebooting The Bike' With Electric Assistance via Vermont Public Radio. Dig in to the State of Vermont's Renewable Energy Standard. More on Green Mountain Power's electric bike rebate program. This episode was produced by Aaron Naparstek. Editing, sound design and additional production by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Design. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Right of Way
Angie Schmitt has long been one of the clearest and most passionate voices out there talking about the real price of automobile dependence in the United States. As the national editor for Streetsblog, Angie reported for years about how we design our communities to accommodate cars at the expense of human beings. Now, Angie has a book out. It's called Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America. In it, she gives a compelling analysis of why more pedestrians are dying on American streets now than at any time since the 1990s. We talked with her about the nation's toxic mix of big vehicles, cheap gas, and utter disregard for human lives — especially when those lives belong to poor people, people of color, people without housing, older people, and people with disabilities. ***This episode is sponsored by Cleverhood. Enter code "WARONCARS" at checkout for 20% off your rain gear purchase, including the sleek new Rover Rain Cape.*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Purchase Right of Way and other books by authors featured on The War on Cars via Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Follow Angie on Twitter @schmangee This episode was produced by Sarah Goodyear and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Design. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Shoot us an email: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Policing the Open Road [Rerelease]
[This episode was originally released on October 31st, 2019. We're re-releasing it as an end-of-summer extra for new listeners and will be back with new episodes in September.] For a century, the automobile has been sold to Americans as the ultimate freedom machine. In her groundbreaking new book, "Policing the Open Road," historian and legal scholar Sarah Seo explodes that myth. Seo shows how modern policing evolved in lockstep with the development of the car. And that rather than giving Americans greater freedom, the massive body of traffic law required to facilitate mass motoring helped to establish a kind of automotive police state. Is a car a private, personal space deserving Fourth Amendment protection from "unreasonable searches and seizures?" Or is a car something else entirely? It's a question that courts have struggled with for decades, ultimately leaving it up to the police to use their own discretion, often with horrifying results, especially for minorities. In this revelatory conversation with TWOC co-host Aaron Naparstek, Seo offers an entirely new way of looking at the impact of the automobile on American life, law and culture. Support the podcast on Patreon. Rate and review us on iTunes. Buy an official War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Buy books from all the authors featured on the podcast at Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Buy Sarah Seo's book, "Policing the Open Road: How Cars Transformed American Freedom." Follow Sarah Seo on Twitter and visit her website. Was the Automotive Era a Terrible Mistake? By Nathan Heller. (The New Yorker) How Cars Transformed Policing (Boston Review) On the Road Police Power Has Few Limits (The Atlantic) Stopped, Ticketed, Fined: The Pitfalls of Driving While Black in Ferguson (New York Times) Why we can — and must — create a fairer system of traffic enforcement. Its discretionary nature has left it ripe for abuse (Washington Post) Driving (and walking) While Black: Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Michael Brown and The Ferguson Report. This episode was edited by Jaime Kaiser and recorded at Great City Post and the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Drop us a line: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org
Vehicles as Weapons
Using a vehicle as an instrument of terror is nothing new. Over the last decade, extremists proclaiming affiliation with ISIS and other terrorist groups have used trucks and cars to murder pedestrians in London, Barcelona, Nice, Berlin, New York...the list goes on. Recently, however, the United States has seen a new and frightening development with vehicular assaults. These attacks are not random. The targets are protesters using highways and streets to exercise their First Amendment rights, to demand justice, and to call for the reform of policing and other systemically racist institutions. Some of the attacks have been carried out by people affiliated with right-wing hate groups, some by people with no known affiliation, and still others have involved the police themselves. In this episode, Sarah talks with Ari Weil, a University of Chicago Ph.D. student researching vehicular attacks, about this terrifying trend. We also hear from Robert Foster, who was at a protest in Austin, Texas, where a confrontation between a marcher and a driver turned fatal. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Purchase books by authors featured on The War on Cars via Bookshop.org. SHOW NOTES: Follow Ari on Twitter @AriWeil Read more about Ari Weil's research into right-wing vehicular attacks. (NBC News) Ari Weil's interview with Vox.com about the "far right ecosystem online" that's encouraging vehicular attacks and congratulating the people who carry them out. Vehicular Attacks Rise as Extremists Target Protestors. (NPR) Police officers in SUVs rammed protestors and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio initially defended the cops. (New York Times) The states that introduced bills in 2017 to protect drivers who run over protestors. (CNN) This episode was produced by Sarah Goodyear and edited by Ali Lemer. Our music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Design. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org
Crash Course with Woodrow Phoenix
"I wrote this book to make you mad." So declares British writer and artist Woodrow Phoenix in the afterward of his new graphic novel Crash Course. Subtitled, "If You Want To Get Away With Murder, Buy a Car," the book explores the powerful and toxic relationship between people and automobiles. With its stark and beautifully hand-drawn images of roads, traffic symbols, cities and highways, Crash Course takes aim at the ways in which cars have shaped the built environment, politics, and even the human psyche, largely for the worse. Crash Course unpacks the term "road rage," explains why traffic accidents are anything but, and dispels the notion that people can be neatly separated into categories such as motorist, cyclist or pedestrian. It also examines the dangers of SUVs, the perils of driverless cars and the recent and growing trend of vehicles being used as weapons against demonstrators in places such as Charlottesville, Virginia. In this one-on-one conversation, Woodrow Phoenix talks to Doug about the unique combination of artistry and journalism that makes Crash Course an effective polemic, one that will hopefully persuade people to think carefully about their responsibility when they get behind the wheel of a car. This episode was sponsored by Sidewalk Weekly, the new podcast from Sidewalk Labs. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get nifty rewards like stickers, t-shirts, and even a copy of Crash Course. Buy a famous "buttery soft" War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Purchase Crash Course and other books featured on The War on Cars via our official Bookshop.org page. More about Woodrow Phoenix at Street Noise Books. Superman battles reckless drivers in Action Comics No. 12, May 1939. (The War on Cars on Twitter) The Solo Cup Bike Lane (BrookynSpoke) and the #RedCupProject (Bicycling Magazine). This episode was produced and recorded by Doug Gordon and edited by Ali Lemer. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments or suggestions? Shoot us an email: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org
StreetRidersNYC
In the span of one month the StreetRiders have become a major presence in the Black Lives Matter movement in New York. Their weekly bike protests have taken over streets, bridges and highways and attracted thousands of people of all ages to rally against police violence. In this interview, Doug talks with StreetridersNYC co-founder Orlando Hamilton about how he found his voice as a political organizer, what bicycles bring to the protest movement and what it feels like to look out and see 10,000 people filling the streets of Times Square all in support of Black lives. This episode was sponsored by Sidewalk Weekly, the new podcast from Sidewalk Labs. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Contribution levels start at just $2/month! Rate and review us on iTunes. Buy a famous "buttery soft" War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about the StreetRidersNYC and follow them on Instagram and Twitter. "How Protestors Are Using Their Bikes to Fight Racism" (Bicycling) "'There's no Bike Lanes. It's Not Even Nice Roads' - Biking As a Means of Protest and Exposing Racism" (Streetsblog) "10,000 bicyclists participated in Black Lives Matter bike ride" (Brooklyn Vegan) This episode was produced, recorded and edited by Doug Gordon. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments, ideas, complaints? Shoot us an email: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org
Democracy in the Streets
What are streets for? Who are streets for? And what makes a street feel truly safe, welcoming and comfortable for everyone? On May 25, police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota murdered George Floyd sparking an international uprising against systemic racism and police brutality. George Floyd's murder took place in public, on the street. The global demontrations that followed George Floyd's murder are also playing out in public, on the street. We often tend to look at the street as the place where the dramas of transportation policy play out -- bikes vs. cars vs. transit vs. pedestrians, and on and on. Oonee CEO Shabazz Stuart (remember him from Episode 34) has been out marching the streets of Brooklyn, dodging police batons and helicopters, and writing about the experience. In this episode he joins the War on Cars crew to talk about a more fundamental role for urban public space than mere transportation: "Streets," Shabazz argues, "are for Democracy." We appreciate your Patreon contributions more than ever. Become a member and we'll send you stickers, t-shirts, and more. Rate and review us on iTunes. We love to see people marching in comfortable, light-weight War on Cars t-shirts and you can buy one at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: "Let the People March" by Shabazz Stuart (Streetsblog) 'Safe Streets' Are Not Safe for Black Lives by Dr. Destiny Thomas (CityLab) "To Trumpers, the Shared Space of the Street Is an Unprivatized Threat" by Justin Davidson (New York Magazine) "The Bicycle as a Vehicle for Protest" by Jody Rosen (New Yorker) "We Must Talk About Race When We Talk About Bikes" by Tamika Butler (Bicycling) "In Protest, the Power of Place" by Michael Kimmelman (New York Times) Tahrir Square Before and After This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments, ideas, complaints? Shoot us an email: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org
Victory?
As cities around the world have gone into lockdown and instituted social distancing measures to slow the spread of the covid19 pandemic, something unexpected has happened: We've gotten an impromptu demonstration of the benefits of living with fewer cars and less driving. Seething gridlock has vanished, smoggy skies have cleared, global carbon emissions are way down, and forward-thinking mayors are rapidly re-programming their streets to give human beings the space that once belonged to motor vehicles. Is the world witnessing the wrenching, difficult birth of the car-free city? Or are we merely living in the brief moment before cities snap back into even deeper automobile dependence, the car serving as the ultimate personal protective equipment? Plus: We hear from City of Oakland Transportation Director Ryan Russo. Chip in a few bucks and support the war effort on Patreon. We will send you stickers and t-shirts! Rate and review us on iTunes. Shouldn't you buy your friend a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau? Show Notes: New Yorkers Are Thinking About Getting Cars Because of COVID-19. (Vice) Oakland banishing cars from 74 miles of city streets. 'Oakland Slow Streets' will open 10% of city's roads for cyclists, pedestrians (Mercury News) Urban planner Mike Lydon is keeping track of all of the cities launching #Covid19Streets. Cities Close Streets to Cars, Opening Space for Social Distancing (New York Times) To help get essential workers around, cities are revising traffic patterns, suspending public transit fares, and making more room for bikes and pedestrians (CityLab) This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. Newsreel voiceover by Mike Rock. Parody ad voiceover by Leora Kaye. Newsreel and parody ad production by Curtis Fox. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions, comments, ideas, complaints? Shoot us an email: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org
"Driving While Black" with Gretchen Sorin
Historian Gretchen Sorin has written a fascinating new book, "Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights," that dives into the role the car played in the 20th-century African American experience. Sorin talked with Sarah about how in the Jim Crow era, when riding public transportation was often humiliating and downright dangerous for black Americans, the automobile provided a way for black families to get around with safety and dignity. She also explains how cars played an instrumental role in building the civil rights movement, and why white etiquette expert Emily Post wasn't so comfortable with the rising popularity of the automobile.
TEASER: PODAPALOOZA for COVID-19 Relief
The War on Cars is taking the stage for Podapalooza, a virtual podcast festival for the benefit of COVID-19 relief, on April 25th and 26th. We'll be releasing one of our favorite old episodes to introduce the podcast to new listeners and hopefully give fans a chance to catch an early one they might have missed. Purchase tickets here: plza.org. You'll get access to an outstanding lineup of some of the biggest names in podcasting, yours to listen to as they're released. Over 100 podcasts are participating and tickets are pay-what-you-want. It's a great deal and a great cause! All proceeds of your purchase of a Podapalooza Pass go to GiveDirectly, which delivers cash payments of $1,000 to vulnerable households in areas affected by COVID-19.