The War on Cars
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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 Michelle DuBarry and her advocacy for a Made Whole Doctrine in Oregon. Why Car Insurance in America is Actually Too Cheap, by Daniel Knowles in The Economist. Buy a copy of Carmageddon: How Cars Make Life Worse and What To Do About It by Daniel Knowles and get books by previous podcast guests at our official Bookshop.org page. Steve Vaccaro: https://vaccaro-law.com/ “New York City’s best-known lawyer advocate for bicyclist and pedestrian rights.” Auto Insurance Spike Hampers the Inflation Fight (New York Times) NHTSA: Traffic Crashes Cost American $340 Billion in 2019 Buy t-shirts, stickers, hats and more in The War on Cars merch store. Find us on Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/ and Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio https://www.brooklynpodcastingstudio.com/. It was written, produced and edited by Doug Gordon. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. TheWarOnCars.org
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. ***SUPPORT THE WAR ON CARS ON PATREON AND RECEIVE ACCESS TO AD-FREE VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES, EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT AND STICKERS.*** LINKS: The Voice of the Subway Speaks for Herself, at Last. (New York Times) Bernie Wagenblast, the voice of the NYC subway, finding her true voice after sharing her transition. (CBS News) Charlie Dektar on “How to Make New York City More Car-Friendly” (The New Yorker) Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Buy books from podcast guests at our Bookshop.org page Find us on Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/ and Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. 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. TheWarOnCars.org
***THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE. FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO THIS AND ALL OF OUR BONUS CONTENT, BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS.*** 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.
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. LINKS: Watch all the 2024 Super Bowl commercials. (USA Today) None of the Big Three U.S. automakers ran a Super Bowl ad this year. (Detroit Free Press) Pick up official War on Cars merch at our store. Buy books by podcast guests at our Bookshop.org page. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps people find us! This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio https://www.brooklynpodcastingstudio.com/. It was edited by Yessenia Moreno. Our special Big Game theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear and Michael Hearst. https://thewaroncars.org/
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 an ad for the Toyota Hilux SUV 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.” ***SUPPORT THE WAR ON CARS ON PATREON AND RECEIVE ACCESS TO AD-FREE VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES, EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT AND STICKERS.*** LINKS: Check out Adfree Cities and their partner organization, Badvertising. See the Toyota Hilux ad that UK regulators deemed “had not been prepared with a sense of responsibility to society.” It’s not too late to register for the Winter Cycling Congress, February 22 – 24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It will be freezing and we will be there! Get your merch at The War on Cars store. Find us on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/. Follow and please review us on Apple Podcasts. This episode was produced by Sarah Goodyear. It was edited by Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. TheWarOnCars.org
* * THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE FOR PATREON SUPPORTERS OF THE WAR ON CARS! * * * In the last episode of the podcast 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. * * YOU CAN JOIN US AS A PATREON SUPPORTER TO LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING. -- Aaron
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? ***Support The War on Cars on Patreon 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 you can still catch the livestream! LINKS: Baruch Herzfeld’s battery-swapping company, PopWheels https://www.popwheels.club/: Stop Charging, Start Swapping Mayor Adams Launches Lithium-ion Battery-Charging Pilot for Delivery Workers to Safely Charge in Public, NYC.gov, December 5, 2023 When will NYC do something about e-bike fire deaths? Nicole Gelinas for the New York Post, November 19, 2023 F.D.N.Y. Commissioner Blames E-Commerce Giants in Deadly Battery Fires, by Michael Rothfeld for the New York Times, November 13, 2023 E-bike charging stations coming to NYCHA in wake of deadly lithium-ion battery fires, New York Daily News, June 25, 2023 Opinion: E-bike Battery Regulation Isn’t Anti-immigrant or Anti-worker. It’s Common Sense. By Baruch Herzfeld in City Limits, November 14, 2022 Brooklyn’s Bicycle Man Uses Two Wheels To Bring Hasids and Hipsters Together, by Nathaniel Popper for The Forward, August 29, 2009 ***** Register for the Winter Cycling Congress, February 22 – 24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It will be freezing and we will be there! Get your merch at The War on Cars store. Find us on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars and Facebook. Follow and please review us on Apple Podcasts. This episode was reported, produced and edited by Aaron Naparstek. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. TheWarOnCars.org!
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, at his website. See David on NBCDFW’s excellent series about why Dallas is such a deadly place to drive. This episode is produced with support from Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. See The War on Cars LIVE at Caveat on NYC on Wednesday, January 31st. Tickets are going fast! Register for the Winter Cycling Congress https://www.yegcyclingcongress.ca/, February 22 - 24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/ and Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. 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. TheWarOnCars.org
Last month the three hosts told their origin stories, 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 PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE. FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO THIS AND ALL OF OUR BONUS CONTENT, BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS.***
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. 2023 Hess Truck ad. (YouTube) Learn more about the Hess Truck (Hess) They Hess Truck's Back And It's Worse Than Ever (Steve DaSilva, Jalopnik) TheWarOnCars.org https://thewaroncars.org/
In his new book, 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 Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Pick up Ben Goldfarb’s Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping The Future of Our Planet at our official Bookshop.org page. See The War on Cars LIVE at Caveat on NYC on Wednesday, January 31st. Tickets are going fast! Register for the Winter Cycling Congress https://www.yegcyclingcongress.ca/, February 22-24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/ and Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
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 Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. SHOW NOTES: “Sunak ‘backs drivers,’ announces scaling back of HS2, and delays the UK’s ban on gas-powered vehicles by five years. (Peter Walker & colleagues, The Guardian) Rishi Sunak says he’s “slamming the brakes on the war on motorists.” (The Sun) King Charles III makes his first “King’s Speech.” (YouTube) British Transport Secretary Mark Harper on “sinister” 15-minute-city plans. (The Independent) Hear Peter Walker discuss his book, , on this Patreon bonus episode of The War on Cars. Pick up Peter Walker’s at our official Bookshop.org page. See THE WAR ON CARS LIVE AT CAVEAT ON NYC ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31ST. Tickets are going fast! Register for the Winter Cycling Congress https://www.yegcyclingcongress.ca/, February 22-24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Bluesky, Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@TheWarOnCars, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/ and Threads. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
Have you ever found yourself wondering, how did Aaron, Doug and Sarah get mobilized into the war on cars? What 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 PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE. FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO THIS AND ALL OF OUR BONUS CONTENT, BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS.***
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. ***Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers.*** This episode is produced with support from Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Follow John Bauters on X https://twitter.com/JohnBauters, if you’re still there. Really. It’s worth it. Ride along with Mayor Bauters and Streetfilms through the streets of Emeryville. (YouTube) ‘Why the mayor of tiny Emeryville matters’ (The Real Deal) Register for the Winter Cycling Congress https://www.yegcyclingcongress.ca/, February 22-24 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. We will be there! Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Mastodon, Bluesky, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/, Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars, and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
* * In his new book, Dark PR: How Corporate Disinformation Harms Our Health and the Environment, 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. 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. * * * * ***SUPPORT THE WAR ON CARS ON PATREON AND RECEIVE ACCESS TO AD-FREE EPISODES, EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT, STICKERS, AND MORE.*** * * * * LINKS: * * * Buy Dark PR as well as titles by other podcast guests at our Bookshop.org page. * * * Watch "Human Traffic Signals," a PSA from Buick of Shanghai. * * * Here's GM's vision of driving in 1976... as imagined in 1956. * * * The European Automobile Manufacturers Association thinks the solutions to traffic safety are pretty complex. * Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Mastodon, Bluesky, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/, and Threads. Follow and review The War on Cars on Apple Podcasts. It helps people find us! TheWarOnCars.org https://thewaroncars.org/
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, best-selling 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. ***Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers.*** This episode is produced with support from Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: “The Man Who Broke the World” by Steven Johnson for the New York Times Magazine, March 15, 2023. Find more of Steven Johnson’s work on his website. Subscribe to Steven’s newsletter, Possible. Find all thirteen of Steven’s books here. War on Cars fans will enjoy t Map -- it’s a page-turner of a mystery/thriller about urban planning and epidemiology. You can buy Steven’s books at our Bookshop.org store. Interested in digging deeper into the history of leaded gasoline? Check out by Lydia Denworth. Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Mastodon, Bluesky, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/, Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars, and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
In this bonus episode just for Patreon supporters of The War on Cars, 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 PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE. FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO THIS AND ALL OF OUR BONUS CONTENT, BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS.***
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.” ***SUPPORT THE WAR ON CARS ON PATREON https://patreon.com/thewaroncarspod AND RECEIVE ACCESS TO AD-FREE EPISODES, EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT, STICKERS, AND MORE.*** This episode was produced with support from Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Read Diana Lind http://www.dianalind.com/’s essay, “Why New York's Congestion Pricing Plan Matters” and subscribe to her newsletter, The New Urban Order https://substack.com/@dianalind. How Might Congestion Pricing Actually Work in New York? (New York Times) We’re Another Step Closer to Congestion Pricing (Alissa Walker in Curbed) New York City Is About to Screw Up Congestion Pricing (Aaron Gordon in Vice) N.J. Gov. Candidate Steve Fulop: Stop Fighting Congestion Pricing — Expand It Instead! (Streetsblog) Revenge of the Free Riders (Aaron Naparstek for Streetsblog way back in 2008) Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Find us on Mastodon, Bluesky, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewaroncars/, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/, Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars, or whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
While working on Episode 110, Back to School with the Bike Bus, we spoke with Sam Balto, a phys ed teacher in Portland, Oregon, who goes by @CoachBalto and who's become one of the most visible advocates in the global movement for active transportation for kids. We used some of his comments in that episode, but our conversation was so juicy we knew we wanted to share it in full. Sam does a great job of explaining why bike buses are so much fun and so good for kids, and why you might find yourself tearing up when you watch his videos: "We want our children to thrive. And the bike bus movement is sort of the first story of children thriving since the pandemic." Maybe you'll be inspired to start a bike bus or walking school bus where you live! ***THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A PATREON BONUS EPISODE. TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE AND FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO ALL OUR EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS.***
If you’ve never heard of a bike bus—or a bicibús, as it’s known in the Catalonian capital of Barcelona—it’s a beautifully simple idea. Kids and parents ride their bikes to school along a pre-planned route, picking up classmates along the way, just the way a school bus would. Except because it’s bikes, it’s way, way more fun. Sarah and Doug rode along with bike buses in Barcelona and suburban Montclair, New Jersey, to see how it works, and we talked with organizer Sam Balto in Portland, Oregon, to find out why kids who ride with bike buses get to school feeling happy and energized. ***Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers.*** This episode is produced with support from Radpower Bikes and Cleverhood https://cleverhood.com/pages/thewaroncars. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code.
In her new book, , Veronica O. Davis — the Director of Transportation and Drainage Operations for the city of Houston, Texas — takes a hard look at the ways in which planning a world for cars has harmed communities and how that affects anyone working to change things today. How do you repair a system that continues to divide communities? In a world where "equity" can sometimes just be a buzzword, what does equity truly look like if we can achieve it? Davis tells her own "transportation story," asks readers to think about their own, and urges transportation professionals to consider past injustices and do the hard work that results in more than an idea and a catchphrase. She also has a lot of advice for how to approach community engagement and the different types of "stakeholders" who can make or break a street improvement project. https://www.radpowerbikes.com/waroncars LINKS: Buy , and books by other guests of The War on Cars at our official page on Bookshop.org. Learn more about Veronica O. Davis http://www.veronicao.com/. Pick up some official podcast merch at our store. Find us on Mastodon, Instagram, Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWarOnCars, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/waroncars/, Threads https://www.threads.net/@thewaroncars, and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review The War on Cars on Apple Podcasts. It helps people find us! TheWarOnCars.org https://thewaroncars.org/
The rising problem of mopeds and motorcycles in New York City bike lanes is impossible to ignore but the solutions are anything but simple. Recently, journalist and friend of the podcast Aaron Gordon wrote an essay for his newsletter titled "Biking in New York City Has Gotten Worse," in which he laments the change that's happened in recent years of larger and faster motorized vehicles using the city's bike lanes. We're not talking pedal-assist e-bikes and cargo bikes or even the Arrow e-bikes that have long been preferred by New York's delivery workers. We're talking full-on mopeds and motorcycles—electric and gas-powered alike—many of which are unlicensed and, even if they did have the proper registration, generally do not belong in bike lanes. In this coversation, we talk about how and why this problem has grown, largely due to the major food-delivery app companies which wash their hands of any responsibility for providing their workers, all of whom are categorized not as employees but as contractors, with fair wages, benefits, and even street-legal vehicles. Can government force the app companies to step up? What should people who advocate for safe streets and bike infrastructure do? It's complicated. ***THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A PATREON BONUS EPISODE. TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE AND FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO ALL OUR EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS.***
***THIS IS A BONUS EPISODE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ONLY AVAILABLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS OF THE WAR ON CARS. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE BONUS EPISODES LIKE THIS, PLEASE ENLIST TODAY https://www.patreon.com/thewaroncarspod! WE'LL TAKING A VERY SHORT SUMMER BREAK AND WILL BE BACK WITH A NEW EPISODE NEXT WEEK.*** Have you ever wondered what the reporters who cover the auto industry think about oversized SUVs and pickups and whether the fever for these gas-guzzling, space-hogging, planet-heating and people-killing monstrosities will ever break? Bob Sorokanich has some opinions. Bob Sorokanich was the Editor-In-Chief of the news site about cars, the auto industry and transportation in general. He was also the longstanding Deputy Editor of , one of the most historic and important auto magazines in the U.S., if not the world. In this expansive conversation, Bob talks about the changing face of automotive journalism and what it's like being a city resident, cyclist and public transit rider who also loves cars. We heard about what he drives, his thoughts on what it will take to win the war on cars, and why even the most died-in-the-wool car enthusiasts hate the kind of driving they typically experience today. LINKS: According to Bob: Public Transit Is a Car Enthusiast's Best Friend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yRoj_avw5k Doug's piece for Jalopnik: What I Mean When I Say 'Ban Cars' Pick up official podcast merch at The War on Cars store. Check out our list of recommended books at Bookshop.org. TheWarOnCars.org https://thewaroncars.org/
This special episode of The War on Cars was recorded live before a sold-out audience at Caveat on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and was styled after a community board meeting... except instead of people yelling at each other about parking spaces and bike lanes, a fantastic time was had by all.
In his groundbreaking book, Traffication: How Cars Destroy Nature and What We Can Do About It, scientist and researcher Paul Donald synthesizes dozens of studies to help us understand what cars and roads do to living things. Paul makes the case that cars ruin more than cities—they also ruin the countryside by fragmenting habitat and creating a neverending barrage of threats and stressors for animals of all kinds. The danger posed by the car to nature, he suggests, is existential. We talked with Paul Donald about his book, why he coined the term “traffication” and what he thinks we can do about it. ***Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers.*** This episode is produced with support from Radpower Bikes and Cleverhood https://cleverhood.com/pages/thewaroncars. Listen to the episode for the latest Cleverhood discount code. LINKS: Pick up a copy of Traffication: How Cars Destroy Nature and What We Can Do About It as well as books by other guests of The War on Cars at our official Bookshop.org page. Buy official War on Cars merch at our store. Have you seen the new “Make Love Not Cars” t-shirts? Find us on Mastodon, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Threads, and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
This is a special presentation of the first episode of , a six-part series produced by award-winning reporter Andrew Bowen of KPBS Public Media in San Diego, California. reveals the mostly forgotten history of how Southern California’s urban freeway network was built. It tells the story of the citizens and public servants who fought these projects and how decades after that network was finished, some communities are still working to heal the wounds that freeways left behind. While focuses specifically on the urban highways of Southern California, the story that Andrew tells is universal: Freeways aren’t free. We pay for them in all kinds of ways — with our tax dollars, our time, our environment and our health. In the 20th century we planned, designed, and built highways through the middle of our cities. In the 21st century we can and must plan, design, and build something else better in their place. Find all six episodes of Freeway Exit right here or wherever you get your podcasts. Meet reporter Andrew Bowen of KPBS. You can also find him on Mastodon https://journa.host/@acbowen and Twitter https://twitter.com/acbowen?s=20. * * * * * Enlist in The War on Cars as a Patreon supporter https://patreon.com/thewaroncarspod! You’ll get ad-free episodes, access to exclusive bonus content, and we’ll send you free stickers. Buy some official War on Cars merch at our store. Have you seen the new “Make Love Not Cars” t-shirts? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Traffic Report, on Substack. Find us on Mastodon, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Threads, and whatever godforsaken new social media platform pops up next. Follow and review us on Apple Podcasts. TheWarOnCars.org
Have you ever been walking across the street when a driver turned into your path and almost hit you? Or riding your bike when a hostile horn-honker laid into you for delaying them to the next red light by a few seconds? If you spend any amount of time on a city’s streets outside of the protective shell of a two-ton automobile, you’ve probably had frustrating, frightening, and infuriating experiences like these. How did you respond? Did you lash out verbally, or give them the finger? Mutter under your breath and walk away? Did you dare lay hands on their precious vehicle? Or did you do the sensible thing and buy a ten-pack of War on Cars stickers to slap up around your neighborhood? In this episode, Doug, Sarah and Aaron share their own experiences of close calls they’ve had with cars, plus strategies for coping. And we hear tips and stories from listeners as well. *** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and you'll be tipped off to listener participation episodes like this one, you'll receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, special bonus content, stickers, and more! *** * * * * * Pick up official podcast tees and other merch in our official store. This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. TheWarOnCars.org
* * Have you ever wondered what the reporters who cover the auto industry think about oversized SUVs and pickups and whether the fever for these gas-guzzling, space-hogging, planet-heating and people-killing monstrosities will ever break? Bob Sorokanich has some opinions. * * * * * * BOB SOROKANICH was the Editor-In-Chief of , the news site about cars, the auto industry and transportation in general. He was also the Deputy Editor of , one of the most historic and important auto magazines in the U.S., if not the world. In this expansive conversation, Bob talks about the changing face of automotive journalism and why most people — even the most died-in-the-wool car enthusiasts — hate the kind of driving they typically experience today. * * ***THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE. FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO THIS AND ALL OF OUR BONUS CONTENT, BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER OF THE WAR ON CARS https://www.patreon.com/thewaroncarspod.***
You may know the actor Nick Offerman as the gruff city parks director Ron Swanson on the NBC comedy or from his turn as the survivalist Bill on the HBO series , but he also has a lot to say about how people get around, share public space, and relate to nature. In his book , Nick takes a wry and philosophical approach to our stewardship of Planet Earth, the value of working with one’s hands, and the many problems with the massive agricultural systems on which we all depend. Nick Offerman joins The War on Cars to talk about his experience biking for transportation in New York City and Los Angeles, his views on masculinity and conspicuous consumption, and why the best way to explore an unfamiliar city is at the speed of a good walk. ***SUPPORT THE WAR ON CARS ON PATREON AND RECEIVE ACCESS TO AD-FREE VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES, SPECIAL BONUS CONTENT AND STICKERS!*** LINKS: Visit Nick Offerman's official site https://nickofferman.co/ and follow him on Twitter. Read Nick Offerman’s Call of the Candy-Ass in Outside Online. Support independent booksellers and buy as well as books by other guests of The War on Cars at our official Bookshop.org page. Read by James Rebanks. (Published in the UK as .) Watch the film Sacred Cow, narrated by Nick Offerman. And read the book! * * * * * Pick up official podcast tees and other merch in our official store. This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded by Felix Levine. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. TheWarOnCars.org
In episode 103, we looked at depictions of cyclists in movies such as and TV shows such as and asked, "Why Does Hollywood Hate Bikes?" Our co-host Sarah Goodyear unfortunately missed that discussion, so in this exclusive bonus just for patrons of The War on Cars she brings some recent pop culture specimens to examine: the NBC sitcom and the BBC soap . We also respond to listener comments about some of the movies and television shows we missed last time out — including , , and and follow up on some new bike-related developments on the feel-good show . In this teaser, Sarah offers some thoughts on starring Ana Gasteyer. * * * * ***THIS IS A PREVIEW OF A PATREON-EXCLUSIVE BONUS EPISODE. FOR COMPLETE ACCESS TO THIS AND ALL OF OUR BONUS CONTENT, BECOME A PATREON SUPPORTER https://www.patreon.com/thewaroncarspod OF THE WAR ON CARS.*** * * * *
