PREVIEW: Are Cyclists Too Mean Online?
The War on Cars
This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, pre-sale tickets to live shows and more, . Are cyclists too mean online? To read some of the headlines about a recent study, you'd think the answer was yes. blared the headline in The Guardian. The subhead said that "toxic" online debates can make officials and other people in government reluctant to pursue cycling-related transportation projects. Adding one and one together, any reader would likely assume that it's those "forceful bike...
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What Makes a City a Cycling City?
The War on Cars
Why have some cities become places where it's easy to hop on a bike for daily transportation needs while others have languished or even been left behind? Is there some sort of magical combination of forces that separate the best cycling cities from basically everywhere else? Those are the questions asked by , a research project headed by Dr. Ruth Oldenziel, a Professor in The History of Technology at Eindhoven University of Technology. Nthoki Dorcas Nyamai, an Urban Development Researcher at International Planning Studies, TU Dortmund University, also joins us to talk about her research into...
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John Mulaney, Natasha Lyonne and the Battle of the Bike Lanes
The War on Cars
Recently, on an episode of the Netflix show Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney, the subject turned to bike lanes. Or rather, the subject was turned to bike lanes by Natasha Lyonne. The actress, writer, director and producer said that bike lanes should be “shut down” and claimed that there is no space for them in Manhattan. was on Everybody’s Live as a “public transit expert” to talk about Uber, but soon found herself — as a public-transit-riding Los Angeles resident — defending bike lanes and explaining the rational apportionment of urban space to some pretty famous New...
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TEASER: Live from Minneapolis!
The War on Cars
This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, pre-sale tickets to live shows and more, . And don't miss our new book, now available for pre-sale wherever you purchase books. Enjoy this preview of our live show, recorded before a sold-out crowd at The Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis and presented by Our Streets on April 24th, 2025. Our guests included Minneapolis City Council member Robin Wonsley, State Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura, filmmaker D.A. Bullock, and John Edwards of...
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Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement with Charles T. Brown
The War on Cars
Charles T. Brown is a longtime friend of the podcast who was . We welcomed him back to talk about his important new book, Arrested Mobility: Overcoming the Threat to Black Movement, out now from Island Press. Charles is the founder and principal of , a minority- and veteran-owned urban planning, public policy and research firm focused at the intersection of transportation, health and equity. He is also an adjunct professor at the . In Arrested Mobility, Charles applies his years of experience in the field to examine how what he calls “the four Ps”—policing, public policy, polity,...
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More Motornormativity with Marco te Brömmelstroet, aka "The Fietsprofessor"
The War on Cars
NOTE: This episode was originally released as a . For more episodes like this, . We're an independent podcast and rely on listener support. Thanks! Marco te Brömmelstroet, also known as "The Fietsprofessor," returns to The War on Cars to discuss a new study he co-authored with , another former guest of the podcast. The study takes a look at a phenomenon where people accept the harms and risks associated with cars in ways they wouldn't in other areas of life. But unlike Dr. Walker's previoius study — and that of , another friend of The War on Cars — this new study asks where...
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Putting the Trans in Transit with Katelyn Burns
The War on Cars
“Why are so many trans people into urban planning?” That’s the question independent journalist and co-host of the podcast Katelyn Burns asked her Bluesky followers, and she got an overwhelming response. Katelyn wrote up some of those answers in on , the feminist media outlet she recently co-founded and launched. It’s a thought-provoking read. We talked with Katelyn about the safety that trans people can find in dense cities, the “trans on trains” meme, and what the game Cities: Skylines has to do with all of this. And she discusses how the trans perspective can illuminate...
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TEASER: Why Fighting Tesla Matters with Ed Niedermeyer
The War on Cars
This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, pre-sale tickets to live shows and more, . This is an excerpt from our interview with Ed Niedermeyer, the author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors. Ed has been writing about Elon Musk for years, and he's been one of the billionaire's most astute critics since way back. We talked with Ed for our recent episode "Inside the Tesla Takedown Movement," about his involvement with the protest movement that has sprung up around...
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Inside the Tesla Takedown Protests
The War on Cars
Since early February, a protest phenomenon has been building steadily across the United States, springing up at scores of Tesla dealerships from coast to coast. Organizers call it Tesla Takedown. It's remarkable in part because in today’s United States, we have engineered an environment that prioritizes automotive convenience and speed—and in the process deadens civic life and makes protest difficult. So it’s ironic that Tesla dealerships, many of them located in the worst kind of automotive sprawl, have emerged as crucial nodes in a decentralized network of resistance to Elon Musk and...
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TEASER: More Motonormativity with Marco Te Brommelstroet, aka "The Fietsprofessor."
The War on Cars
This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, pre-sale tickets to live shows and more, . You may remember Marco te Brömmelstroet, also known as "The Fietsprofessor," from episode 65, Marco returns for this special bonus episode to discuss a new study he co-authored with , another former guest of the podcast. The study, takes a look at a phenomenon where people accept the harms and risks associated with cars in ways they wouldn't in other areas of life and asks...
info_outlineWhy do Americans spend lots of money to visit walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly European cities, only to come back to the U.S. and oppose all those things where they live? Rick Steves has some thoughts.
Countless people know and love the popular travel writer for his guidebooks and long-running television programs, which encourage people to explore Europe’s “backdoor” destinations—those off-the-beaten-path locations that have just as much or more to offer than its more touristy cities and sights.
Rick takes a thoughtful and philosophical approach to travel and believes it offers people important lessons for becoming better global citizens. He is also an activist and philanthropist who believes in the power of local advocacy; he has funded affordable housing in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, and is pursuing a one-man effort to turn a downtown roundabout into an Italian-style piazza.
Please note: This episode was recorded before Rick announced his recent cancer diagnosis. We wish him all the best and many more years of inspiring people to explore the world.
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***Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive ad-free versions of regular episodes and exclusive bonus content. Plus, we’ll send you stickers.***
This episode was produced with support from Pinhead Locks and Cleverhood. Listen for the latest discount codes.
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LINKS
- Learn more about all things Rick Steves.
- Pick up a copy of Rick’s book Travel as a Political Act and the 40th edition of his travel guide Europe Through the Back Door as well as books by other podcast guests at our official Bookshop.org page.
- “When he’s not traveling around Europe, writing about Europe or running his multimillion-dollar European tour company, the prolific TV host and author likes to squeeze in some local activism.” (Washington Post)
- Rick Steves Wants to Set You Free (New York Times)
- The Future in our Hands, the Norwegian movement Rick mentions in the episode.
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Follow The War on Cars on Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Bluesky and Mastodon.
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This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded by Justin Fernandez at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Transcriptions are by Russell Gragg. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.