The War on Cars
The War on Cars is a podcast about car culture, mobility and the future of cities. We bring you news, commentary and stories about the worldwide battle to undo a century's worth of damage wrought by the automobile. The War on Cars is waged by three leading voices of the livable streets movement, Doug Gordon, Sarah Goodyear and Aaron Naparstek. Liberate your city. Enlist today in The War on Cars.
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Vehicular Cycling and John Forester, Part 2
07/23/2024
Vehicular Cycling and John Forester, Part 2
NOTE: This is part two of a two-part episode. To hear both parts right now and without ads, . In part two of our deep dive on John Forester and his 1976 book Effective Cycling, we take a look at the paltry data and research underpinning the alleged safety benefits of vehicular cycling and the long-term impact Forester had on cycling for transportation in the United States. Even though cities such as New York started building protected bicycle lanes in earnest in the late 2000s and early 2010s — and even though quality bike infrastructure has existed in places such as Davis, California for decades — John Forester's legacy continued well into the 21st century, with federal guides such as AASHTO's "Green Book" discouraging or even prohibiting things such as parking-protected bikeways until as recently as 2018. On top of that, many of Forester's disciples held positions atop major advocacy organizations and city bike planning departments for years, and used their influence to prevent the construction of protected bike lanes. In a lot of ways, we're still pedaling in the world John Forester created. This episode was sponsored by and . Listen to the episode for the latest discount codes. LINKS/SOURCES Read in conversation with John Forester, via . takes on John Forester. STUDY: . PAPER: Schultheiss, Sanders, and Toole, 2018 , Streetsblog 2016 , Streetsblog 2018 , by Carlton Reid in Forbes Read . Read . How the former Dallas bicycle coordinator held back cycling infrastructure for years, via Dallas' Former Bike Czar Tells Newbie Riders to Go Play in Traffic, via Access . If you're a glutton for punishment, . Grab some ! This episode was edited by Yessenia Moreno. It was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the .
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Vehicular Cycling and John Forester, Part 1
07/09/2024
Vehicular Cycling and John Forester, Part 1
NOTE: This is part one of a two-part episode. To hear both parts right now and without ads, . "Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles." That quote is the core philosophy of John Forester, the father of vehicular cycling. Forester, who died in 2020, was a major figure in the the world of cycling advocacy and transportation policy, and his influence shaped street design and bicycle safety in the United States for decades. We take a deep dive into Forester's 1976 book, Effective Cycling. Part guidebook, part encyclopedia, part polemic, Effective Cycling explains why cyclists should not be afraid to ride not just in traffic, but as traffic. Throughout the book, Forester dismisses anyone who might be afraid of taking the lane with fast-moving cars and trucks as suffering from what he calls the "cyclist inferiority complex" and asserts that only a strict adherence to the principles of vehicular cycling can keep everyone safe. Who was John Forester? What is vehicular cycling? Why are we talking about a book that was published almost fifty years ago? It's all here in this mega episode. This episode was sponsored by and . Listen for the latest discount codes. LINKS/SOURCES Read in conversation with John Forester, via . takes on John Forester. STUDY: . PAPER: Schultheiss, Sanders, and Toole, 2018 , Streetsblog 2016 , Streetsblog 2018 , by Carlton Reid in Forbes Read . Read . How the former Dallas bicycle coordinator held back cycling infrastructure for years, via Dallas' Former Bike Czar Tells Newbie Riders to Go Play in Traffic, via Access . If you're a glutton for punishment, . Grab some ! This episode was edited by Yessenia Moreno. It was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the .
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Critical Mass Nairobi with Cyprine Odada
07/02/2024
Critical Mass Nairobi with Cyprine Odada
Cyprine Odada is the Executive Director of Critical Mass Nairobi and an urban planner specializing in active mobility. Ever since founding the Kenyan capital’s chapter of Critical Mass, the largest gathering of non-competitive cyclists in Africa, Cyprine has helped get more people on bikes from different neighborhoods, ages, and social and economic groups, changing the perception of who rides a bike in Nairobi and building more political support for bike infrastructure in a city where cars dominate. By focusing on the joy of cycling and the way in which the bicycle can connect people and create community, Cyprine is doing what she can to transform Nairobi into a cycling city, inspiring other African cities along the way. This episode was recorded on the floor of the in Ghent in June 2024. ***.*** LINKS: Watch Learn more about Follow Learn more about the Grab some . This episode was produced and edited by Doug Gordon.
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Killed by a Traffic Engineer
06/25/2024
Killed by a Traffic Engineer
Because it has the word “engineering” right in there, the field of traffic engineering is something most people assume is governed by science and rational rules. But a new book, written by a traffic engineer himself, argues that is not the case at all. In , Wes Marshall — a professor of civil engineering at the University of Colorado Denver — says that the idea that the design of our transportation system is based on science couldn't be further from the truth. By examining a century's worth of history, studies, old professional journals and current standards, Marshall argues that his colleagues need to do some deep soul searching about the rules they follow so that they no longer design a system that kills tens of thousands of people per year. ***. *** This episode was sponsored by and . Listen for the latest discount codes. Pick up a copy of and at our official . Grab some ! This episode was edited by Yessenia Moreno. It was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the .
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Women's Freedom to Ride
06/11/2024
Women's Freedom to Ride
Why don’t more women ride bicycles in London? The advocacy group wanted to know, and so they asked. What they discovered was disturbing: Among more than a thousand women surveyed, nine out of ten said they experienced verbal abuse and aggression while biking. Ninety-three percent said drivers had used vehicles to intimidate them. One in five said they had given up riding permanently or temporarily after they had been harassed. And when women reported incidents of aggression to the police? The cops almost never followed up. We spoke with the London Cycling Campaign’s Kate Bartlett about what women face on the road and what advocates are doing to make cycling safer and more accessible for all. *** . *** This episode was sponsored by and . Listen to the episode for the latest discount codes. LINKS: Check out the London Cycling Campaign’s . Pick up The War on Cars t-shirts, stickers and more . Purchase books from podcast guests and support independent booksellers at .
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Kathy Hochul's Congestion Pricing Flip-Flop Fiasco
06/07/2024
Kathy Hochul's Congestion Pricing Flip-Flop Fiasco
In this emergency episode, we discuss New York State Governor Kathy Hochul's 11th-hour decision to "indefinitely suspend" congestion pricing, the program that would have charged drivers to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Her move, announced in a prerecorded video on Wednesday, June 5th, came mere weeks before congestion pricing was set to launch, jeopardizing what was set to be a major funding source for transit and a revolutionary plan to reduce traffic in a way never seen before in the United States. Why did Hochul do this? Is it bad politics or atrociously bad politics? What does this mean for the future of the New York City subway system, commuter rail, accessibility, the environment, the economy and even democracy itself? More importantly, we discuss what you can do if you live or work in the New York metropolitan area and want to see Hochul's flip flop reversed. We also discuss what effect this could have on cities across the U.S. that might be considering a congestion pricing program of their own. WARNING: We swear a lot in this one. . You'll receive access to exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free versions of regular episodes, free stickers and more. We depend on listener support, HELP SAVE CONGESTION PRICING: and tell her to implement congestion pricing as planned: Local advocacy organizations have their own calls to action and can help you contact elected officials: SHOW NOTES: House Democrats pressured Hochul to tank congestion pricing. () Noto a whole lotta teachers drive into Manhattan. () Read Aaron's take on Representative Hakeem Jeffries and congestion pricing from 2008. () Hear our original thoughts on congestion pricing back in . This episode was recorded at the by Josh Wilcox. It was edited by Doug Gordon.
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TEASER: The War on The War on Cars
05/28/2024
TEASER: The War on The War on Cars
This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, . For this month's exclusive Patreon bonus episode, we take a look at three states that have attempted to ban everything from bus rapid transit to taxing driving by vehicle miles traveled. While most of these initiatives have failed, one of these states successfully banned bus wraps, but not because bus wraps make it harder to see out of bus windows. What is going on? We take a look at recent news from Indiana, Arizona and Florida.
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Winter Cycling in Oil Country
05/21/2024
Winter Cycling in Oil Country
An unlikely cycling revolution is happening in one of the coldest big cities on the planet: Edmonton, Alberta. Despite freezing temps, lots of sprawl, big trucks and an economy built on pulling oil out of the Albertan tar sands, the Western Canadian city is in the midst of a four-year, $100 million CAD investment in active transportation that will connect far-flung neighborhoods with a network of safe, high-quality, protected bike lanes. Many of these bike lanes will even get priority over roads for cars when it comes to snow removal. We traveled to the home of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers to attend the Winter Cycling Congress, where we talked with the people pushing for this transformation, including the city’s former mayor, Don Iveson. Plus, hear our appearance on drive-time radio in the heart of oil country. *** . *** This episode was sponsored by and . Listen to the episode for the latest discount codes. LINKS: says Edmonton is Learn more about and . Check out and . Read all about the . Learn more about and check out on YouTube. Lorne Gunter of the Edmonton Sun thinks Buy toques, t-shirts, stickers and more in . Save 10% with code BIKEMONTH. Find us on , , , and . Leave us a review on . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the . It was edited by and Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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When Driving Is Not an Option with Anna Zivarts
05/07/2024
When Driving Is Not an Option with Anna Zivarts
The United States has built a transportation system centered around automobiles. But one-third of the nation’s population can’t drive, whether because of disability, age, financial hardship, immigration status, or any of a host of other factors. Those tens of millions of people are often invisible to planners and elected officials, and that’s why Anna Letitia Zivarts, herself a low-vision nondriver and a longtime activist for better transportation choices, has written a new book titled When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency (Island Press). We talked with Anna about how, by designing our transportation future for those who can’t or don’t feel comfortable driving, we could build a system that works better for everyone and that would be more equitable, safer, and more environmentally sustainable. *** . *** This episode was sponsored by . Listen to the episode for the latest discount code. LINKS: Buy Anna Zivarts’s book, When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency, at or from your local bookseller. You can . Buy t-shirts, stickers, hats and more in . It's Bike Month so . Find us on , , , and . Leave us a review on . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the . It was edited by Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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TEASER: Dodge’s “Deeply Weird” Pitch for Electric Muscle Cars
04/25/2024
TEASER: Dodge’s “Deeply Weird” Pitch for Electric Muscle Cars
***This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, .*** We were getting ready to record our "" episode with Ed Niedermeyer last month when Ed happened to bring to our attention to . It's a promotional video for Dodge's new, "Next-Gen Charger," the electric-powered version of the very same "muscle cars" that Doug confronted at the New York International Auto Show in Episode and Aaron rode along with back in Episodes and . The move from gas-guzzling, window-rattling, V8 engines to electric motors has clearly plunged Dodge into an identity crisis. They spent decades building their brand on obnoxiously loud and dangerously sociopathic gas guzzlers. How will they ever convince their loutish loyal customers to switch over to (supposedly) clean, quiet, big government-mandated electric cars? In this video we get an answer to that question. Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis is going to try to sell his muscle e-cars with rightwing dog whistles and a Make Dodge Great Again pitch. But he barely even sounds like he has convinced himself. A lot like Elon Musk's Cybertruck marketing, the Dodge promo video is simultaneously super weird and extremely revealing about what American car culture is really all about. We had some extra time with Ed in the studio so we had to talk about it with him. And we put that together for as a Patreon bonus. If you aren't yet a Patreon subscriber of The War on Cars, maybe now is the time! Subscribe for $3, $5, or $10 per month. We’ll send you stickers and you’ll have access to ad-free episodes and bonus conversations like this one. We really appreciate the support. We couldn’t produce the podcast without you.
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Tesla Cybertrash with Ed Niedermeyer
04/16/2024
Tesla Cybertrash with Ed Niedermeyer
Elon Musk’s gigantic, stainless steel, 1980s sci fi movie–inspired Cybertruck is starting to show up on city streets. Perhaps you’ve had the misfortune of seeing one rolling through your neighborhood. If not, you’ve almost certainly seen some of the vehicle’s many truly epic fails on the Internet. The Cybertruck might not work very well, but it still appears to be wildly popular. More than two million people have deposited $250 to get in line for the opportunity to buy one. Journalist Ed Niedermeyer is the author of “Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors.” In this episode, Ed joins us to analyze the Cybertruck as a cultural text and also just to revel in its overwhelming absurdity. What is the Cybertruck? And what does its apparent popularity say about who we are and where we are headed collectively? This is the Cybertruck launch event we’ve all been waiting for. This episode was sponsored by and . *** . *** LINKS: Buy Edward Niedermeyer’s book, from your friendly neighborhood bookshop. You can follow Ed Niedermeyer on and . The Cybertruck fails are being collected and shared on on Reddit. This week’s big one? . This, by journalist is a good read: in Road & Track. If the audio clips in this episode weren’t enough, you can watch at the New York Times DealBook Summit. Buy t-shirts, stickers, hats and more in . Find us on , , , and . Leave us a review on . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the . It was edited by Yessenia Moreno. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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The Texas Freeway Fight with Megan Kimble
04/02/2024
The Texas Freeway Fight with Megan Kimble
In the 20th century, planners and policymakers smashed Interstate highways through the middle of every major city in the United States. In the 21st century, we understand the many ways that urban freeways were economic, environmental, and racial justice disasters. And yet, incredibly, the State of Texas is planning to spend over $64 billion in the next few years to widen highways through the middle of its three largest cities, Houston, Dallas and Austin. Journalist Megan Kimble has been reporting on the Texas freeway fight for years now. Her new book -- published today -- is . In it, she tells the stories of the communities in the path of TxDOT’s bulldozers and the brave Texans fighting against long odds to save their homes, neighborhoods, and cities from a seemingly implacable foe. What if, instead of expanding the aging and outmoded urban freeways dividing our cities, we tore them down? *** . *** LINKS: ’s new book is . It is excellent! Find it in or get it from your neighborhood bookseller. Buy t-shirts, stickers, hats and more in . Find us on , , , and . Leave us a review on . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the . It was produced and edited by Aaron Naparstek. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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Car Insurance is Too Cheap
03/19/2024
Car Insurance is Too Cheap
It has never been more expensive to insure a car in the United States. Today, the average annual premium for full coverage is more than $2,500, up from more than $1,700 just a few years ago. There are a lot of reasons for this—including the high price of cars, supply chain issues, and the rising frequency and severity of crashes—but no matter how you add it up it’s a huge problem in a country where driving is a ticket to full participation in society. Despite this, what if we told you that car insurance is still way too cheap? That’s something most people don’t understand until they or someone they love is directly affected by traffic violence. Today, mandatory state minimum coverage requirements have not kept up with the rising cost of car crashes, something all of us subsidize whether we drive or not—and that crash victims often pay for with life and limb. ***.*** LINKS: Learn more about and her . , by Daniel Knowles in The Economist. Buy a copy of by Daniel Knowles and get at our . “New York City’s best-known lawyer advocate for bicyclist and pedestrian rights.” (New York Times) NHTSA: Buy t-shirts, stickers, hats and more in . Find us on , , , and . Leave us a review on . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the . It was written, produced and edited by Doug Gordon. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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Live from New York with Bernie Wagenblast
03/05/2024
Live from New York with Bernie Wagenblast
In January, we held our third annual live show at Caveat on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. We were so thrilled to be in the same room as so many listeners and friends of the podcast. We were also happy to welcome Bernie Wagenblast, the voice of the New York City subway system, to The War on Cars. Bernie’s voice is instantly recognizable to millions of people — even if they don’t necessarily know who she is. Bernie’s personal story and the way she’s using her platform are also inspiring legions of New Yorkers and people around the world, and we were so glad she could join us on stage for some conversation and fun. Plus, don’t miss a pro-car comedian interrupting our show and Bernie reading our Letterman-inspired Top 10 list of transportation announcements we’d like to hear. ***.*** This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: The Voice of the Subway Speaks for Herself, at Last. () Bernie Wagenblast, the voice of the NYC subway, finding her true voice after sharing her transition. () Charlie Dektar on “How to Make New York City More Car-Friendly” () Buy official . Buy books from podcast guests at Find us on , , , and . Leave us a review on . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded live at Caveat in Manhattan on January 31st, 2024. It was edited by Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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TEASER: Super Bowl Extra
02/15/2024
TEASER: Super Bowl Extra
***This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, .*** In this bonus episode, we continue the conversation we had in Episode 120 about the car ads from Super Bowl LVIII. These two didn't air during the big game, but one is a bit on an antidote to the excess of the typical U.S. automobile commercial while the other is part of a series that ran during NFL postseason games and lots of other big televised events. The first, from a famous Dutch beer company, shows the world as we'd like it to be. The second, courtesy of Korean automaker Hyundai, shows the world where it might be headed.
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Super Bowl LVIII Roundup
02/14/2024
Super Bowl LVIII Roundup
In what’s become an annual tradition, we take a critical look at the car ads that aired during the Super Bowl and consider what they say about driving, culture, consumerism, and the United States… which is all the same thing, right? The big story this year is not so much which car companies chose to spend $7 million for 30 seconds of air time but which chose not to and why. (There were zero ads from the Big Three U.S. automakers; that’s the first time that’s happened in 23 years.) Still, there were still some notable commercials featuring beloved movie stars, reckless driving, and stories that tugged at our heart strings. It’s all here in episode CXX of the podcast. *** and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content, merch discounts, stickers, and more.*** LINKS: Watch all the 2024 Super Bowl commercials. () None of the Big Three U.S. automakers ran a Super Bowl ad this year. () Pick up . Buy books by podcast guests at . . It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the . It was edited by Yessenia Moreno. Our special Big Game theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear and Michael Hearst.
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Should SUV Ads Be Banned?
02/06/2024
Should SUV Ads Be Banned?
Did you ever see a car advertisement that you thought was so ridiculously irresponsible it should be banned? Well, the people at Adfree Cities, an advocacy group based in the United Kingdom, did, and they decided to do something about it. They went up against Toyota over that shows drivers ripping through sensitive natural areas and cities—and they won, getting the ad taken off the airwaves and the streets. We talked with two members of the organization, Veronica Wignall and James Ward, about how they’re tackling the auto industry’s most egregious marketing campaigns, as well as their larger mission to create “happier, healthier cities free from the pressures of corporate outdoor advertising.” *** and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers.*** This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Check out and their partner organization, . See the that UK regulators deemed “.” It’s not too late to register for the , February 22 – 24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. and we will be there! Get your merch at . Find us on , , , and . Follow and please review us on . This episode was produced by Sarah Goodyear. It was edited by Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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TEASER: Delivering the Goods with Shawon and Fokhrul
01/30/2024
TEASER: Delivering the Goods with Shawon and Fokhrul
This is a preview of a special bonus episode for ! In we spent some time with Baruch, Shawon, and their battery-swapping startup company, PopWheels. When I started working on that episode, I figured I was going to learn a lot about e-bikes, batteries, and the delivery app business. And I did. But over the course of more than a half dozen interviews and conversations between May and December 2023, I also learned a lot about Bangladeshi politics, immigration, and life in New York City as an e-bike delivery worker. One of my favorite interviews for this episode took place on a crisp, sunny, Tuesday morning last October. I biked out to East New York, Brooklyn to meet Shawon and his friend Fokhrul, a Bangladeshi delivery worker who uses PopWheels battery-swapping network. (Shawon and Fokhrul asked me not to use their last names because they have asylum-seeker cases working their way through the legal system). We found a park bench and spent the morning talking about the political oppression they faced in Bangladesh, their arduous, months-long journey to the United States, and what their lives are like here in New York City. It was super interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. But, as often happens with these things, only tiny bits of this conversation made it into Episode 118. So, for this special bonus episode I wanted to share more of my interview with Shawon and Fokhrul with you. I also had some fun additional bits and pieces of tape with Baruch that never made it into the last episode. So, you'll find some of that woven in here too. I hope you enjoy hanging with Shawon, Fokhrul and Baruch as much as I did. to listen to the whole thing. -- Aaron
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The Future of Transportation Has Arrived With Your Pad Thai
01/16/2024
The Future of Transportation Has Arrived With Your Pad Thai
Baruch Herzfeld is the CEO and co-founder of PopWheels, where he is working to develop New York City’s first e-bike battery-swapping network. PopWheels aims to solve the growing problem of e-bike battery fires. The company believes that giving e-mobility users a quick, convenient, and safe way to recharge their batteries is absolutely essential to pushing gas-burning cars and trucks out of cities once and for all. But Baruch’s really big idea is this: He is betting that the light, clean, electric transportation fleet of the future is already up and running on the streets of New York City. And it isn’t being brought to us by Big Tech, Big Auto or Elon Musk, it is being driven by tens of thousands of immigrant e-bike delivery workers. What if there is a high-tech urban mobility revolution happening right under our noses, but we can’t see it because the people who are bringing it to our city are mostly invisible to us? *** and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers.*** See The War on Cars LIVE at Caveat on NYC on Wednesday, January 31st. In-person tickets are sold out but ! LINKS: Baruch Herzfeld’s battery-swapping company, : Stop Charging, Start Swapping , NYC.gov, December 5, 2023 Nicole Gelinas for the New York Post, November 19, 2023 , by Michael Rothfeld for the New York Times, November 13, 2023 , New York Daily News, June 25, 2023 Opinion: . By Baruch Herzfeld in City Limits, November 14, 2022 , by Nathaniel Popper for The Forward, August 29, 2009 ***** Register for the , February 22 – 24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. and we will be there! Get your merch at . Find us on , , , and . Follow and please review us on . This episode was reported, produced and edited by Aaron Naparstek. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. TheWarOnCars.org!
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Fixing America's Car Culture with David Zipper
01/02/2024
Fixing America's Car Culture with David Zipper
Happy New Year! We’re kicking off 2024 by bringing you our conversation with David Zipper, one of the hardest-working analysts on the transportation scene today. You may be familiar with David from his writing at Bloomberg CityLab, Slate and Fast Company, where he relentlessly covers road safety, climate change, and the future of micromobility. We talked with David about the excesses of the auto industry, our road fatality crisis, the absurd way speed limits are determined on American streets, and whether we might ever be able to swap out our bloated SUVs for electric golf carts. Or if that’s too much to ask, will cities at least start charging people more for driving massive glacier melters? LINKS: You can find out all about David Zipper’s work, along with links to his writing, . See David on NBCDFW’s about why Dallas is such a deadly place to drive. ***.*** This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. See . Tickets are going fast! , February 22 - 24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official . Find us on , , , and . Follow and review us on . This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. It was edited by Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
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TEASER: Listener Origin Stories
12/26/2023
TEASER: Listener Origin Stories
Last month , or how they first became aware of the problems associated with cars and automobile dependency. Our stories included everything from lessons learned during early driving lessons to our individual experiences living in car-dependent places. The response to that episode was so great that we put out the call to our Patreon supporters to tell us their origin stories. We heard from people from all over the world — including a few friends and former guests of the podcast — who all wanted to share how they were radicalized into The War on Cars. ***This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, ***
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TEASER: Hess for the Holidays
12/21/2023
TEASER: Hess for the Holidays
Since 1964, the Hess Corporation has released a toy truck for the holiday season, an annual tradition that’s highly anticipated by children and collectors alike. Models have included gas tankers, fire trucks, motorcycles, RVs, race cars, and even a Space Shuttle, almost all in the fossil fuel company’s iconic green-and-white color scheme. But this year, perhaps reflecting the times, the Hess Corporation has released a Police Truck and Cruiser, “a specialized law enforcement response team that will inspire and unleash the inner hero in everyone.” We’re not sure what kind of trouble is brewing in Santa’s workshop, but the truck looks like what would arrive in response to a terrorist attack. Meanwhile, the cruiser, the smaller truck-within-the-truck, is an “armored-response vehicle” that gives off big Cybertruck vibes… if the Cybertruck included a battering ram and could actually work off-road. We discuss the 2023 Hess Truck and what it says about the state of the world. Plus, since we're not the target audience for this toy or its marketing, we hear a kid explain what makes the Hess Truck fun and cool. **This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, .** 2023 Hess Truck ad. () Learn more about the Hess Truck () They Hess Truck's Back And It's Worse Than Ever ()
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Road Ecology with Ben Goldfarb
12/19/2023
Road Ecology with Ben Goldfarb
In his new book, Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping The Future of Our Planet, independent conservation journalist Ben Goldfarb writes about how roads and cars are wreaking havoc on nature across the globe. He reports back about the people trying to save everything from butterflies to deer to wallabies to salamanders from the destructive power of motordom. Plus, he helps us analyze a couple of egregious ads that show how humans use roads to assert our dominion over the natural world…to our own eventual detriment. . This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Pick up at page. See . Tickets are going fast! , February 22-24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official . Find us on , , , and . Follow and review us on .
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What the Hell is Happening In the UK?
12/05/2023
What the Hell is Happening In the UK?
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declared it’s time to end what he calls “the war on motorists.” First, the Conservative Party leader announced he was delaying the UK’s commitment to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars. He followed that with what he called his “plan for motorists,” which would severely restrict local efforts to implement low-traffic neighborhoods, 20 mph speed limits, bus-only lanes, and other policies intended to benefit people walking, cycling, and taking transit. Finally, he scrapped a major portion of HS2, a high-speed rail line linking some of the UK’s biggest cities. So… what the hell is happening in the UK? With similar setbacks in Berlin, Madrid, New York and elsewhere, is this part of a broader global backsliding? Are we losing the The War on Cars or is the prime minister just grasping at culture-war straws? The Guardian’s Peter Walker returns to the podcast to help us figure it all out. ***.*** This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. SHOW NOTES: “Sunak , and by five years. (Peter Walker & colleagues, The Guardian) Rishi Sunak says he’s “slamming the brakes on the war on motorists.” () King Charles III makes his first “King’s Speech.” () British Transport Secretary Mark Harper on “sinister” 15-minute-city plans. () Hear Peter Walker discuss his book, The Miracle Pill, on . Pick up Peter Walker’s at page. See . Tickets are going fast! , February 22-24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official . Find us on , , , and . Follow and review us on .
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TEASER: Origin Stories
11/28/2023
TEASER: Origin Stories
Have you ever found yourself wondering, how did Aaron, Doug and Sarah get mobilized into the war on cars? What made them this way? If so, you’re in luck. In this bonus episode, exclusively for Patreon supporters, we dive deep into our own pasts and reveal how our personal experiences with cars drove us to activism, research, writing…and ultimately, The War on Cars podcast as you know it today. You’ll learn how Doug dealt with a soul-crushing commute in Atlanta and how Sarah drove recklessly on the California coast. You’ll also hear the words of wisdom Aaron’s father imparted during their first driving lesson. ***This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, ***
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John Bauters, America's Bike Mayor
11/07/2023
John Bauters, America's Bike Mayor
Since he was elected mayor in 2020, John Bauters has gained an international reputation for his work to transform transportation and housing in the tiny city of Emeryville, which is wedged between Oakland and Berkeley on the shores of San Francisco Bay. Emeryville, population 13,000, is only one square mile in area. But it’s home to some big employers, including Pixar, and several big box stores. It also has I-80 blasting through it, and it is a major hub for Amtrak, regional rail, and freight rail. It’s a challenging environment in which to create a green city with a great active transportation network. But that’s exactly what Bauters has been working toward for his whole term. We visited with him, rode some of the great bike and park network that Emeryville has been building, and talked about the kind of political will that’s necessary to make real change. ***.*** This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Follow , if you’re still there. Really. It’s worth it. Ride along with Mayor Bauters and Streetfilms through the streets of Emeryville. ( ‘Why the mayor of tiny Emeryville matters’ () , February 22-24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official . Find us on , , , , , and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on .
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Dark PR with Grant Ennis
10/24/2023
Dark PR with Grant Ennis
In his new book, Grant Ennis — a lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia — identifies the "nine devious frames" that corporations such as automobile manufacturers and road builders use to advance their interests, manipulate the public and maintain a status quo that harms human health and the environment. Dark PR is a thought-provoking book that shines a light on the tactics used by major industries to lock in an unhealthy, unsafe and unsustainable status quo. Ennis offers some food for thought for safe streets advocates as we try to improve our world and fight back against these powerful interests. Special thanks to for their support. For the latest discount code on the best rain gear for cycling and walking, listen to the episode. *** and receive access to ad-free episodes, exclusive bonus content, stickers, and more.*** LINKS: Buy as well as . Watch a PSA from Buick of Shanghai. . The thinks the solutions to traffic safety are pretty complex. Buy official . Find us on , , , , and . Follow and review The War on Cars on . It helps people find us!
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Unintended Consequences with Steven Johnson
10/10/2023
Unintended Consequences with Steven Johnson
This year, 2023, marks the hundredth anniversary since chemical engineer Thomas Midgley, Jr. made the discoveries that led to the invention of leaded gasoline. Of all the many harms that the automobile has caused the environment and humanity over the last century, the effects of leaded gasoline have to be pretty close to the top of the list. Science and industry were well aware of the dangers of lead in the 1920s. But adding small amounts of it to motor fuel made internal combustion engines work better, and that made it possible to turn the automobile into a viable mass market product. As a result, pretty much every American born between 1960 and 1980 was, to some extent, poisoned by lead. In this episode, bestselling author Steven Johnson joins Aaron Naparstek to talk about Midgley, his legacy, and what his story can teach us about our technological inventions and their future consequences. ***.*** This episode is produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: “” by Steven Johnson for the New York Times Magazine, March 15, 2023. Find more of Steven Johnson’s work . Subscribe to Steven’s newsletter, . Find all thirteen of Steven’s books . War on Cars fans will enjoy -- it’s a page-turner of a mystery/thriller about urban planning and epidemiology. You can buy Steven’s books at . Interested in digging deeper into the history of leaded gasoline? Check out by Lydia Denworth. Buy official . Find us on , , , , , and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on .
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TEASER: Celebrating Your Wins!
10/03/2023
TEASER: Celebrating Your Wins!
In this bonus episode , we do a quick news roundup before getting to the thing that matters most: WINNING. Last month we reached out to our liteners and asked them to send us their wins, from policy and infrastructure victories to cultural changes they helped usher in, even at just the individual level. Let's face it: it's a tough world out there so celebrating victories big and small is really important. Thanks to all of you, we are making progress in The War on Cars one parking space at a time. ***This is a preview of a . For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, of The War on Cars.***
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Why Congestion Pricing Matters with Diana Lind
09/19/2023
Why Congestion Pricing Matters with Diana Lind
After 16 years of slogging its way through municipal, state and federal government and every imaginable form of public process, congestion pricing is finally on its way to New York City. If all goes as planned, then anyone who wants to cram a car or truck into Lower Manhattan south of 60th Street is going to have to pay somewhere between $9 and $23 per day starting next spring. And all of that money will go toward supporting and improving New York’s transit system. There are still lots of details to iron out and we should never underestimate New York’s ability to blow it when it comes to transportation policy. But Diana Lind of the Penn Institute for Urban Research thinks congestion pricing is a big deal that will fundamentally reshape the relationship between the car and the city, not just in New York but all across North America. “The next 20 years,” Lind writes, “will be the beginning of the end of the private car in cities.” *** and receive access to ad-free episodes, exclusive bonus content, stickers, and more.*** This episode was produced with support from . Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Read ’s essay, “” and subscribe to her newsletter, . How Might Congestion Pricing Actually Work in New York? () We’re Another Step Closer to Congestion Pricing (Alissa Walker in ) New York City Is About to Screw Up Congestion Pricing (Aaron Gordon in ) N.J. Gov. Candidate Steve Fulop: Stop Fighting Congestion Pricing — Expand It Instead! () Revenge of the Free Riders (Aaron Naparstek for way back in 2008) Buy official . Find us on , , , , , or whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on .
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