The War on Cars

In this, our second episode of the COVID-19 era, we hear from listeners around the globe about how their cities look and feel. Is it safe to ride transit? How does it feel to walk through towns and cities as people protect themselves and others by wearing masks? There's been a surge in the number of cyclists — and speeding drivers — on city streets. But will people keep biking when this ends? Listeners in Bogotá, Paris, Los Angeles, Taipei and Washington, D.C., let us know how it's all going. Plus, Aaron tells us why car ownership has taken over his brain, Sarah explains the concept of an "emotional washing machine" and Doug is hearing things in Brooklyn.

Recording from their makeshift home studios, Sarah, Doug and Aaron check in with each other, field listener voicemails and reorient themselves to the new normal of the coronavirus crisis. Not a lot of answers in this episode, but plenty of questions: How is the social distancing going? Where would you rather be right now, the city, the suburbs or a remote rural place? And what does a global pandemic mean for The War on Cars? Plus: Treason! Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Special thanks to our sponsor, Spin Scooters: Working to make streets safe, livable and just. SHOW NOTES: This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Drop us a line and let us know how you're doing: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

Pat Kiernan and Jamie Stelter are the dynamic duo of local TV news. As two of the hosts of "Mornings on 1" on Spectrum NY1, Pat and Jamie do more than just wake up early to deliver the latest updates on current events or the daily commute. They experience New York City as New Yorkers do: by subway, bus, bike, taxi, and foot. Pat, who may be familiar to non–New Yorkers as TV anchor Pat Kiernan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has been on NY1 since 1997. Jamie has been the traffic—and subway and bus—reporter since 2010. Their time on the air has spanned some of the most significant transformations to the city's streetscape, including the expansion of bicycle lanes and pedestrian plazas, the launch of Citi Bike, the deterioration of subway service, and the rise of Uber and Lyft. For this episode, recorded in February, Pat and Jamie join Doug on board the M14 crosstown bus to talk about their perspective on a changing city, their own travel habits, what they've seen in cities around the world and how they listen to and learn from the "bike people" on Twitter. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Watch Pat and Jamie on Mornings on 1 on Spectrum NY1. Listen to Crosstown With Pat Kiernan wherever you get your podcasts. Pat Kiernan, news anchor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Jamie Stelter and CNN's Brian Stelter, the First Couple of CitiBike. Follow @patkiernan and @JamieStelter on Twitter. This episode was produced and edited by Doug Gordon. The intros/outros were recorded by Ross Brunetti at Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. The War on Cars theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo is by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Designs. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

What can cold cities, where people nonetheless bike year-round through snow and seemingly endless hours of darkness, tell us about what it takes to make better streets? In this episode, Sarah reports back from her trip to Finland and the the 8th annual Winter Cycling Conference, held in Joensuu and Helsinki in early February. How does active transportation figure into Helsinki's goal to become the world "most functional city"? What's the right way to prioritize transportation modes? And why are most fully grown Americans less rugged than the average Finnish 11-year-old? Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: You can find all the presentations from the 2020 World Cycling Congress in Joensuu on the Congress website. Here's a little movie that shows some of what it was like. See if you can spot Sarah! Coverage of the conference from Bicycle Dutch: Cycling in the Finnish snow Winter Cycling Congress 2020 in Joensuu Coverage of the conference from The Guardian: Winter wheelies: Finland blazes trail in keeping citizens cycling and healthy Why Finland leads the field when it comes to winter cycling Check out opportunities for winter adventure cycling in Eastern Finland with Karu Survival. The end music for the episode, from the song "Cold Dead Eyes," comes courtesy of Joensuu thrash metal band Killing Attack. You can find more of their music on Spotify. Special thanks to Tony Desnick of Cycling Without Age, Oskari Kaupinmäki of the City of Helsinki, Matti Hirvonen of the Network of Finnish Cycling Municipalities, Timo Perälä of the Winter Cycling Federation, Markku Pyykkönen of the City of Joensuu, and Maria Halava-Napoles at the Finnish Consulate in New York. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

For our first live episode, The War on Cars heads to Denver, Colorado to check in on the Mile High City's battle against automobile dominance. From the announcement that the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will install 125 miles of bike lanes by 2023 to the recent closure of B-cycle, the city's bicycle sharing system, it's been a year of good news and bad for Denverites. And there's no one better to comment on the news than our guest, Kyle Clark, the host of "Next with Kyle Clark" on Denver's 9 News. When Kyle, in a forceful on-air editorial, pushed back against a bout of NIMBYism in his own backyard, the clip swept the Twitterverse and brought the issue of bike-friendly streets to a general television audience. Kyle joins us to talk about the role TV news plays in the fight for a better city and how people waging their own war on cars can work with, not against, reporters. Recorded February 10th, 2020 at the Moving People Forward Conference in Denver, Colorado presented by Bicycle Colorado. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Watch "Next with Kyle Clark" on 9News in Denver and follow Kyle on Twitter. "New bike lane proposal is loved by some cyclists but hated by neighbors." (The Denver Channel) Kyle Clark: "I love Denver's history, but not more than your life, or mine." (9News.com) "Denver bike share company B-cycle wheels out of town, as others prepare to fill the gap." (Denverite) Denver to add 125 miles of bike lanes by 2023... ...but the Denver Post editorial board says to do it carefully. The president and CEO of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association says Denver is waging a war on cars and drivers. Join The War on Cars for our next live recording in Washington, D.C., at the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit on March 16th, 2020. This episode was recorded at the Moving People Forward Conference in Denver and produced by Sarah Moss. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

The Chevrolet Suburban is one of General Motors' most enduring triumphs — the longest-running nameplate in automotive history, to use the industry jargon, and the original SUV. In production since 1935, it's grown from an all-American family vehicle, perfect for loading up the kids and heading out into the country, into an 18-foot-long status symbol for VIPs — including titans of finance, A-list celebrities, politicians and the occasional drug lord. It's even the first vehicle to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While the Suburban used to be about suburbia, it isn't anymore. In this episode, we talk with Angie Schmitt, a journalist working on a book about the pedestrian safety crisis in the United States, about how the Suburban's rise foretold the modern SUV boom, and just how dangerous these land sharks can be. SHOW NOTES: Support The War on Cars with a contribution on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. And check out the new podcast from our friends over at TransitCenter. It's called High Frequency. SHOW NOTES: Angie Schmitt is on Twitter @schmangee. Keith Bradsher's book about the deadly rise of the SUV: High and Mighty. The dangerous blindspots in front of big SUVs. (The Verge) A comprehensive roundup of the Suburban's appearances in film and TV. (Internet Movie Cars Database) The Suburban gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (NBC) Pictures of the Suburban in its earlier incarnations. (Popular Mechanics) An homage to the power of the Suburban brand. (Up to Speed) A social history of the Chevy Suburban. (Car and Driver) Some of the sounds in this show were included courtesy of Creative Commons licenses, from Kinetic Turtle and nemoDaedulus. Join The War on Cars crew for two live events this spring! - A live recording in Denver for Bicycle Colorado's Moving People Forward conference on February 10. - And another in Washington, D.C., at the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit, March 16. This episode was edited by Matt Cutler and recorded at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Drop us a line: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

Making change happen in a big, complex, bureaucratic city is really hard. One guy who knows all about that is Shabazz Stuart, the Chief Executive Officer of Oonee, a Brooklyn-based startup company that is developing secure bike-parking kiosks at major transit hubs in and around New York City. For this episode, Shabazz joins The War on Cars crew in the studio and Aaron traverses two rivers and travels all the way to New Jersey — New Jersey! — to lay eyes on the new secret weapon in The War on Cars. Plus, we're doing some live events. Check out the Show Notes for more details. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. And check out the new podcast from our friends over at TransitCenter. It's called High Frequency. SHOW NOTES: You can learn more about Oonee on their company website. Follow Oonee on Instagram and Twitter and definitely check out CEO Shabazz Stuart on Medium. Streetfilms covered the debut of Oonee's Brooklyn pod just before the holiday break in December. The world's biggest bike parking garage is in Utrecht, the Netherlands and it really illustrates the huge potential. Join The War on Cars crew for two live events this spring! We'll be in Denver for Bicycle Colorado's Moving People Forward conference on February 10. And we'll be in Washington, D.C., at the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit, March 15 to 17. Hope to see you at one of these. This episode was edited by Ali Lemer and recorded at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Drop us a line: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

Is the Hyperloop for real or are easily duped elected officials the only people it will take for a ride? Do e-bikes have the power to transform the suburbs? Why should politicians and the press say "crash" instead of "accident"? What's the best way to convince people to live a car-free life? On this year-end episode, Sarah, Doug and Aaron answer these questions and more from listeners fighting their own local versions of the War on Cars. Plus, what were the best transportation-related developments of 2019? Contribute to The War on Cars via Patreon. Rate and review The War on Cars on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Who are @BicycleLobby, @Bob_Gunderson, @PlacardAbuse and the message-board hacker known as Bikesy? Instead of spending money to study a Hyperloop, perhaps Cleveland should just improve train service. Why it's better to say "crash" instead of "accident." Senator Elizabeth Warren takes to Twitter to call from an end to traffic violence. This episode was directed and recorded by Andrew Feyer at Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, and edited by Matt Cutler. Find us onTwitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org

Last March, renowned tech journalist and prognosticator Kara Swisher wrote a New York Times opinion piece with the headline, "Owning a car will soon be as quaint as owning a horse." In it, she declared she would sell her own car and vowed she would never again own an automobile. "The concept of actually purchasing, maintaining, insuring and garaging an automobile in the next few decades? Finished," she wrote. That column set off thousands of outraged commenters — and activated the radar at The War on Cars. We sat down with Kara at the Vox studios in downtown Manhattan to talk about what it's like living without wheels of her own, why she loves scooters, and whether we'll ever get the Star Trek Holodeck we've been promised. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Kara says owning a car will soon be as quaint as owning a horse (New York Times) Times readers tell Kara she has no idea what she's talking about (New York Times) Kara's update on life without her own car (New York Times) Kara tours Paris by scooter (New York Times) Follow Kara on Twitter. Listen to Kara's Recode Decode and Pivot podcasts. Is the Star Trek Holodeck closer than you think? Find us onTwitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us! [email protected]

It's one of the most famous moments in daytime TV history, but what really happened when Oprah Winfrey gave a brand new Pontiac G6 to every member of her studio audience? Leave it to The War on Cars to take that memorable (and very meme-able) moment and connect it to larger questions about mobility, access to economic opportunity and even the perverse way in which Americans pay for healthcare. In a country where everyone needs a car just to be a contributing member of society, what happens when that vital lifeline is severed? Are stories of 12-mile walks to work and individuals who help their fellow employees by buying them a car really "heartwarming," as local news stories like to say? Or are they instead signs of a society that has failed at the basics? Is anything actually solved when solving people's transportation woes is turned into a televised spectacle? Enlist in The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review The War on Cars on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: A look back at Oprah Winfrey's Free-Car Giveaway. "Oprah car winners hit with hefty tax." (CNN Money) "Coworkers chip in to get new car for FedEx package handler." (ABC News) "The Hidden Cost of GoFundMe Health Care" (Nathan Heller, The New Yorker) This episode was directed and recorded by Josh Wilcox at Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, and edited by Matt Cutler. Find us onTwitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us: [email protected] TheWarOnCars.org

For a century, the automobile has been sold to Americans as the ultimate freedom machine. In her groundbreaking new book, "Policing the Open Road," historian and legal scholar Sarah Seo explodes that myth. Seo shows how modern policing evolved in lockstep with the development of the car. And that rather than giving Americans greater freedom, the massive body of traffic law required to facilitate mass motoring helped to establish a kind of automotive police state. Is a car a private, personal space deserving Fourth Amendment protection from "unreasonable searches and seizures?" Or is a car something else entirely? It's a question that courts have struggled with for decades, ultimately leaving it up to the police to use their own discretion, often with horrifying results, especially for minorities. In this revelatory conversation with TWOC co-host Aaron Naparstek, Seo offers an entirely new way of looking at the impact of the automobile on American life, law and culture. Support The War on Cars on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy your uniform at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Buy Sarah Seo's book, "Policing the Open Road: How Cars Transformed American Freedom." Sarah-Seo.com Was the Automotive Era a Terrible Mistake? (The New Yorker) How Cars Transformed Policing (Boston Review) On the Road Police Power Has Few Limits (The Atlantic) Stopped, Ticketed, Fined: The Pitfalls of Driving While Black in Ferguson (New York Times) Why we can — and must — create a fairer system of traffic enforcement. Its discretionary nature has left it ripe for abuse (Washington Post) Driving (and walking) While Black: Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Michael Brown and The Ferguson Report. Supreme Court case Carroll v. United States, 1925 (Oyez) Follow Sarah Seo on Twitter. Sarah Seo, Associate Professor of Law, University of Iowa College of Law. This episode was edited by Jaime Kaiser and recorded at Great City Post and the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Drop us a line: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

For a few years after Uber launched in 2009, it seemed like the on-demand ride-hailing service might be an advance in the war on cars — a way for more people to share fewer vehicles and to reduce overall automobile dependence. Fast forward a decade, and the rise of Uber (along with Lyft) has instead resulted in increased congestion, reductions in transit ridership, and the exploitation of a precarious workforce that the company would love to make obsolete altogether. In this episode, we talk with New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac about his new book, "Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber," in which he chronicles the rise and fall of Uber's co-founder, Travis Kalanick. We hear what Mike has to say about the cult of the founder and the way Kalanick's winner-take-all mentality has negatively affected the streets of the world's cities. Support the podcast on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Mike Isaac's new book, Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, is available everywhere, but you should get it at your local bookstore if you can. Follow him on Twitter @MikeIsaac. Another study shows Uber and Lyft suck riders off transit (CityLab) Everything bad about Uber and Lyft (Streetsblog USA) Travis Kalanick argues with an Uber driver about his business model (Bloomberg) This episode was directed and recorded by Josh Wilcox at Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, and edited by Matt Cutler. Natalie Jones taped Mike Isaac in San Francisco. Find us onTwitter @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

In Part 1 of "The Problem With Public Meetings" we took you inside a difficult community meeting in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and urged compassion and understanding for neighbors who aren't quite yet on board with The War on Cars. Here in Part 2, we take you to yet another community meeting, this time, in Park Slope, Brooklyn where diplomacy fails, the action gets kinetic and a TWOC co-host is physically assaulted by a bike lane-hating conspiracy theorist meditation instructor. Yes, you heard that right. How do you know when it's time to stop seeking common ground with parking-obsessed, car-addicted, change-averse members of your community and start working on their utter, total and overwhelming defeat in the arena of local politics? Strap on your helmet, soldiers. Get ready for The Battle of 9th Street. Are you feeling the Shock & Awe? Support The War on Cars on Patreon! Rate and review us on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Video of The Battle of 9th Street via Jake Offenhartz Video of the The Battle of 9th Street via Brian Howald. Bikelash's Latest Tactics: Pedophile Smears and Conspiracy Theories, Streetsblog. People have been fighting to stop the carnage and make 9th Street safer for years and years and years. It's endless. The most recent 9th Street horror: What New York Should Learn From the Park Slope Crash That Killed Two Children, New York Magazine. Is a Better Public Meeting Possible? Casey Berkovitz, The Century Foundation. Progressive Boomers are Making it Impossible for Cities to Fix the Housing Crisis. Michael Hobbes, The Huffington Post. This episode was edited by Matt Cutler. Find us on Twitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

In the battle to make cities better for walking, biking and transit, there's no more important front line than local community meetings. So when a flyer advertising a town-hall forum about the New York City Department of Transportation's alleged "war on cars" began appearing in Brooklyn neighborhoods, we knew we had to attend. On this episode, we discuss what happens when regular citizens gather to discuss losing precious parking spaces to benefit the greater good. What are some tactics advocates can use to bring people around to their point of view? Given the typical format of these forums, is finding common ground even possible? Is there a better way to conduct public meetings or is screaming at each other in a church social hall a necessary evil? [NOTE: Due to some late-breaking developments, this is part one of a two-part series on public meetings.] Support the podcast on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. SHOW NOTES: Is a Better Public Meeting Possible? Casey Berkovitz, The Century Foundation. Progressive Boomers are Making it Impossible for Cities to Fix the Housing Crisis. Michael Hobbes, The Huffington Post. Background on the reaction to the NYC DOT residential loading zone program. NY Daily News. A play-by-play of the Fort Greene "War on Cars" meeting. Via Julianne Cuba, Streetsblog. This episode was edited by Jamie Kaiser. Find us on Twitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

Twenty-one people riding bicycles have been killed this year on the streets of New York City. That's more than double the number of bike fatalities in all of 2018. In early July, after a terrible week in which three people on bicycles were killed in quick succession, more than a thousand demonstrators showed up in Lower Manhattan's Washington Square Park for a "Die-In" to demand that officials take more aggressive action to make streets safe. In this episode, we hear from Die-In participants and Doug, Sarah and Aaron talk about advocacy, activism and change-making. Is it better to be polite and work within the system or disobedient and disruptive? Who in city government should be the target of these urgent calls to action, the politicians or the police? What can we learn from the work of other grassroots social and political movements throughout history? And do NYPD bicycle cops ever actually ride their bikes or do they only use them as crowd control barricades? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Washington Square Park Die-In Coverage (Streetsblog) Hundreds of cyclists stage 'die-in' at Washington Square Park following recent biker fatalities (New York Daily News) See the guy holding the "De Blasio to Cyclists: Drop Dead" sign? That's Doug! Cyclist deaths in NYC: A month-by-month breakdown (AM New York) Robyn Hightman: The Miraculous and Tragic Story of a Life Transformed by Cycling. A phenomenal story by Peter Flax in Bicycling Magazine. NYPD Cracks Down On Cyclists, Not Drivers, Where Truck Driver Killed Bike Messenger (Gothamist) Insane video of the aftermath of an NYPD officer in a police SUV knocking a man off of his bicycle for "his own safety." Ernest Askew wouldn't give up his bike (AM New York). State Senator Sees 'Built-in Racism And Classism' Behind A Cyclist's Death In Brownsville (Gothamist) Here is Devra Freelander's web site and a great review of her work and her legacy in Surface Magazine. Cement truck drivers from the same company involved in the killing of Devra Freelander blame the victim instead of taking any semblance of responsibility (AM New York, Streetsblog, Bklyner) This episode was edited by Jaime Kaiser. Find us on Twitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. The War on Cars is on Instagram and Facebook too. Email us! [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

When you're used to the culture of streets in the United States of America — that is, variations on kill or be killed — traveling to countries that do it differently can be both a shock to the system and an inspiration. So it was when TWOC co-host Sarah Goodyear spent three weeks in Japan this summer, and heard exactly one car honk in that entire time. In this episode, we discuss the human infrastructure of mutual respect that makes Japanese cities so different from American ones; hear from Japanese street activists about how they're inspired by their counterparts in the United States and Europe; and talk about what we can learn by leaving home. Also, members of a group called the Tokyo Picnic Club discuss "the right to picnic" as a basic human right for people in crowded cities. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Bike ambassador Chad Feyen offers bicycle tours of Tokyo at Freewheeling Japan. You can also follow him on Twitter. Connect with the network of Japanese public space activists called Sotonoba. Learn about the Tokyo Picnic Club and their fight for better public space in Tokyo. Plus, a cautionary tale from The Onion: Woman who 'Loves Brazil' Has Only Seen Four Square Miles of It This episode was produced by Matt Cutler and recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

Barcelona, Spain is testing out a powerful new weapon in the war on cars. It's called the Superilla or, in english, the "Superblock." Last October, Vox Media's energy and environment reporter David Roberts spent ten days in Barcelona taking a deep dive into the city's ambitious plan to reclaim more than half of its total street space from motor vehicles by creating five hundred Superblocks. In this one-on-one conversation, David sits down with TWOC co-host Aaron Naparstek and tells the inside story of Barcelona's visionary car-fighting, air-cleaning and neighborhood-empowering strategy. Could Superblocks even be a solution for fixing dysfunctional liberal democracies? It's so crazy it just might work. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Barcelona's Radical Plan to Take Back Streets From Cars is David Roberts' must-read five-part series at Vox. Seriously, it's great. The Vox team produced a video about Superblocks as did Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson. BCNecologia is the organization behind Barcelona's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and Superblocks project. Rethinking Manhattan's Grid at CityLab. Follow David on Twitter. This episode was edited by Matt Cutler. Eilís O'Neill recorded David Roberts in Seattle. Find us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

What do comedy and fighting the war on cars have in common? For answers, Doug talks with Adam Conover, the creator and host of TruTV's "Adam Ruins Everything." The show, a new season of which premieres on August 13th, combines humor, sharp writing and deeply sourced research to deconstruct the conventional wisdom about subjects most Americans take for granted, including cars. In this special one-on-one interview, Adam explains why taking the bus in LA is better than driving, discusses how excited he was to tell people the history of the word "jaywalking," and offers lessons on presenting information to anyone fighting their own war on cars. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: A new season of "Adam Ruins Everything" premieres on August 13th on TruTV. Listen and subscribe to "Factually! With Adam Conover" from Earwolf. Adam explains the origins of the word "Jaywalking." Adam and an animated Donald Shoup discuss the high cost of free parking. Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon@BrooklynSpoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

In this TWOC Extra, we present co-host Doug Gordon's full interview with Ray Magliozzi of "Car Talk," conducted in February 2019 at the WBUR studios in Boston and previously available only to Patreon supporters. Hear more about Ray's thoughts on how cities are changing to be more friendly to people who aren't in cars and learn why he sometimes runs red lights on his bike. ----- For nearly thirty years, brothers Ray and Tom Magliozzi were the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" and the voices of American car culture. Famous for their distinctive Boston accents and infectious laughs, Click and Clack didn't just diagnose engine troubles, they recognized that people's personal relationships often revolved around their automobiles. In a War on Cars exclusive, Doug sits down with Ray Magliozzi to talk about car culture, the brothers' surprising war on SUVs, and whether or not "Bike Talk" could even be half the phenomenon "Car Talk" was… and still is. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to the extended interview with Ray Magliozzi plus TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a "buttery soft" War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. Show Notes: Learn more about Car Talk… …and listen to "The Best of Car Talk." "Car Talk's Tom Magliozzi: An Unlikely Environmental Advocate." (ThinkProgress) Tom and Ray's "Live Large, Drive Smaller" anti-SUV campaign. (The New Yorker) Tom and Ray's 2007 letter to Congress in favor of higher fuel standards. (Car Talk) Dispatches from Aaron's years-long Twitter crusade to banish "Car Talk" from WNYC. Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

No, you've not tuned into late-night Lite FM radio. In this special mailbag episode, Sarah and Doug hear from listeners around the world, taking your questions and comments on everything from disabled cyclists, how to make bike lanes as common as sidewalks, when to take the car keys from aging parents and grandparents, the frustrations women feel when told what to wear when riding a bicycle, whether or not cyclists should share a friendly wave with other cyclists and how to find joy while fighting a daily War on Cars. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Enlist today! Support the podcast on Patreon. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Show Notes: Get to know Delilah. "Cambridge's New Bike Lane Plan is 'Bikelash'-Proof." (CityLab) New York City passes a new "Vision Zero Design Standards Law. (Curbed) Does what a person wears while cycling make a difference? Dr. Ian Walker tried to find out. (Bicycling, ScienceDirect, Association for Psychological Science) Find us on Twitter @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke and Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

Autonomous cars? Who needs 'em. If you want to improve your city then design it so that children have more autonomy. In this episode we hit the playground with architecture critic Alexandra Lange, the author of "The Design of Childhood." To grow up into healthy, functional adults, kids need opportunities to experience freedom and independence. Alexandra argues that car-dominated streets make that more difficult. A city designed for cars is a city that's lousy for families -- and pretty much everyone else. Plus: The surprising history of playgrounds. In celebration of our twentieth episode, the first twenty people who enlist in The War on Cars Patreon campaign after this episode drops will receive a bonus #BanCars sticker. Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review the war effort on iTunes. Show Notes: Visit Alexandra Lange's web site and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Buy a copy of her book, "The Design of Childhood: How the Material World Shapes Independent Kids." How children lost the right to roam in four generations. (Daily Mail) Peter Norton's "Fighting Traffic" is a mind-boggling (and scholarly!) historical account of the bloody battle for city streets at the dawn of the motor age in the American city. This episode was produced by Matt Cutler. Find us onTwitter @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke. Email us: [email protected] https://thewaroncars.org

How can we fight a War on Cars when cars might be turning into the last bastion of affordable housing in many cities and suburbs? In this episode, we talk about how the crises in transportation, housing and climate are converging in California parking lots — some of which are becoming de facto communities. Stepping in to help us understand what's going on in the Golden State is Alissa Walker, who writes for Curbed LA and cohosts LA Podcast. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. Show Notes: Alissa Walker drills down on SB50 and other (so-far failed) legislation to address California's twin crises of transportation and housing. Follow her on Twitter for all the latest on LA's streets. Mark Horvath talks to people who have become homeless on his YouTube channel, Invisible People (his interview with Conrad, a veteran living in an LA parking lot, is here). You can find out more about him and support his work on his Patreon page. Safe Parking LA advocates for the interests of people who have become homeless and are living in their cars. The Public Policy Institute of California has a snapshot of the state's growing homelessness problem. In this NPR story, you'll hear from a California woman who is leasing a car through Uber so she can have a place to live. 99 Percent Invisible did an episode about the dream (or nightmare) of vertical trailer park living in Ready Player One. Henry Grabar writes about the "I've got mine" worldview of America's gerontocracy for Slate.

It's the most controversial question in all of urban biking: Why do cyclists run red lights, ride on sidewalks and go the wrong way down one-way streets? In this episode, Aaron, Sarah and Doug talk to New York City cyclists about why they behave the way they do. Plus, we seek out a higher authority for an interpretation of the legal and ethical dilemmas people on bikes confront while moving through cities. When cyclists flout the law, is it a sign that they're all selfish scofflaws? Or are they engaging in a simple act of civil disobedience that can lead to better, safer streets and rules that reflect the difference between bikes and cars? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Doug sits down with Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall for a "Pedestrian/Cyclist Summit" (The Josh Marshall Show) Cyclists Break Far Fewer Road Rules Than Motorists, Finds New Video Study (Forbes) Oregon's "Idaho Stop" bill faces headwinds in Senate (BikePortland.org) Our special Klezmer version of The War on Cars theme was produced by the brilliant Michael Hearst. Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions? Suggestions? Email us a voice memo and perhaps we'll use it in an upcoming mailbag episode. We love hearing from you guys: [email protected]

Once a year, the world descends on Manhattan for the New York International Auto Show, an extravagant, multimillion-dollar celebration of all things car. From the most "sinister" Dodge Challenger to a Kia that can sense a driver's mood and adjust the vehicle's interior accordingly, the Auto Show isn't just a showcase for new products, it's a vision of the future of the North American city—a future that is built around the car. What will it take for foot soldiers in the War on Cars to go up against this well-funded juggernaut? Is it possible that a band of guerrilla activists, spurred by tragedy and armed with nothing more than red cups and tomatoes, can take on an empire? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, t-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more. Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Aaron infiltrates the International Auto Show and reconnoiters the Kia HabaNiro, Subaru's greenwashing, the new Rolls Royce SUV, and one particular set of vehicles that were well designed for the urban environment. Cyclist Killed Was a Longtime Bike Advocate Who "Lived and Breathed Making the Streets Safer" (WAMU 88.5) D.C. Bike Advocate's Death Highlights Slow Progress Toward Safe Streets (Streetsblog USA) Simple but Empowering: Cyclists Place Red Cups Along Bike Lanes to Show How Vulnerable They Are" (Bicycling) Bike Lanes Need Barriers, Not Just Paint (Curbed) Paint Is Not Enough: Red Cup Project Shines Light On Bike Lane Dangers (WBZ4 CBS Boston) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. This episode was produced by Ben Ellman. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

In 2002, Theresa Sareo, an up-and-coming singer, had her life changed forever when a reckless driver hit her as she stood on a Manhattan sidewalk waiting to cross the street. She lost her leg and nearly died, making her one of the millions of people injured by automobiles in the United States every year. In New York City alone, the toll was more than 59,000 people in 2018. Theresa tells her story of recovery and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Show notes: Visit Theresa Sareo's personal website to find out more about her story and her music. Read the New York magazine article about the crash and its aftermath. Find data about auto-related injuries and fatalities on New York City's crash data map. Follow us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars. Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, and Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. This episode was produced and edited by Sarah Goodyear. Do you have an issue you want to discuss with us on the show? Send a voice memo to: [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.

A new generation of urban leaders is rising to power and they're kicking butt and challenging long-standing assumptions about the role of the car in the city. Among them is Corey Johnson, New York City's new City Council Speaker. At 37 years old, Corey is the first bonafide, avocado toast–eating Millennial to hold citywide elected office. We ride the subway with Corey to learn more about his plans to "break car culture" in the Big Apple. So can Millennials win the War on Cars? What even is a Millennial anyway? Plus, a special round-up of the all-time great historic speeches in The War on Cars. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Show Notes: Watch New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson's 2019 State of the City Address on Vimeo. Or read a transcript of the speech. "Why Housing Policy Is Climate Policy," by California State Senator Scott Wiener and Prof. Daniel Kammen. Vancouver, British Columbia Legislative Assembly Member Bowinn Ma teaches her fellow elected officials about induced demand. Car-free Oklahoma City Councilor JoBeth Hamon has "resting bicycle face." And here are some more exciting, up-and-coming local elected officials: Michelle Wu, Boston; Lisa Bender, Minneapolis; Pete Buttigieg, South Bend; Scott Wiener, San Francisco; Mitra Jalali Nelson, St. Paul; Jason Dozier, Atlanta; Rob Dooling, Washington D.C.; Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn; Teresa Mosqueda, Seattle; Meghan Sahli-Wells of Culver City is "burning calories, not carbon." Check out this Twitter thread for dozens more urban leaders who are fighting and winning The War on Cars. Thanks for all of your suggestions and tips. The full report that Corey Johnson's office released along with his speech: "A Case for Municipal Control and a Comprehensive Transportation Vision for the Five Boroughs." And a very special thanks to Steve Ross for his impressions of FDR, JFK and Reagan. You can find more of Steve's work on YouTube. Follow us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars. Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke. Our show is produced and edited by Curtis Fox Productions @curtisfox. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email or send a voice memo to: [email protected].

For nearly thirty years, brothers Ray and Tom Magliozzi were the hosts of NPR's "Car Talk" and the voices of American car culture. Famous for their distinctive Boston accents and infectious laughs, Click and Clack didn't just diagnose engine troubles, they recognized that people's personal relationships often revolved around their automobiles. In a War on Cars exclusive, Doug sits down with Ray Magliozzi to talk about car culture, the brothers' surprising war on SUVs, and whether or not "Bike Talk" could even be half the phenomenon "Car Talk" was… and still is. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to the extended interview with Ray Magliozzi plus TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a "buttery soft" War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review The War On Cars on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Car Talk… …and listen to "The Best of Car Talk." "Car Talk's Tom Magliozzi: An Unlikely Environmental Advocate." (ThinkProgress) Tom and Ray's "Live Large, Drive Smaller" anti-SUV campaign. (The New Yorker) Tom and Ray's 2007 letter to Congress in favor of higher fuel standards. (Car Talk) Dispatches from Aaron's years-long Twitter crusade to banish "Car Talk" from WNYC. Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @BrooklynSpoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 and producer Curtis Fox @curtisfox Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

What if you could get around quickly and reliably in a state-of-the-art vehicle that you didn't have to drive, park, fuel, or insure? No, it's not an Uber or a self-driving car... it's the bus! In this episode, we talk to Cam Hardy of the Better Bus Coalition in Cincinnati, Ohio, about why buses are chronically unloved and underfunded. Plus, we look at attempts to make buses cool through the power of advertising, and hear the latest battle news from the global War on Cars. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Show notes: Cincinnati's Better Bus Coalition Cam Hardy's epic Facebook Live bus rant "The Bus" from Greater Toronto's GO Transit Midttraffik bus ad from Denmark Human Transit, Jarrett Walker's blog Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, and producer Curtis Fox @curtisfox. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

On Super Bowl Sunday, a hundred million Americans gathered in front of their TVs and absorbed a fearsome barrage of automobile advertising. While most viewers munched on snacks, guzzled beer and focused on the game, our crack team of intelligence analysts were busy studying the car commercials. What do these multimillion-dollar productions say about car culture, the fantasy of driving versus the reality, and about America itself? To win The War on Cars we must understand the enemy. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review the podcast on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Hyundai, "The Elevator." Audi, "Cashew." Mercedes-Benz A-Class, "Say the Word." Kia Telluride, "Give It Everything." Jeep "More Than Just Words." How much it costs to air a commercial during the Super Bowl (CNBC) Super Bowl draws lowest audience in more than a decade (CNBC) "Stand Up" by Ludacris featuring Shawnna (YouTube) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

You're listening to WCAR talk radio with Spoke and the Mad Dog. In this episode we take listener questions and comments, tackling everything from fixing the suburbs, tips for lonely bike advocates, why car-free days are one of the best tools for improving cities and how to make even the most sprawled-out metropolis in America better for people on two feet, two wheels or transit. Plus, can a War on Cars t-shirt get a person out of jury duty? Don't touch that dial! Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers and other rewards. Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau. Rate and review us on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Safe Streets Advocates: Whoopi's 'Apology' Just Isn't Enough (Streetsblog) Ellen Dunham Jones, "Retrofitting Suburbia" (TED) "An advanced city is not one where even the poor use cars, but rather one where even the rich use public transport." - Enrique Peñalosa (TED) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected]. Send us a voice memo and maybe we'll play it on a future listener mailbag episode.

When New York City mayor Bill de Blasio went on ABC's "The View" to discuss universal health care, little did he know he'd be on the receiving end of an epic anti-bike-lane rant courtesy of Oscar-winner and daily car commuter Whoopi Goldberg. Whoopi's fact-free diatribe exposed one of the biggest obstacles cities face as they try to modernize their transportation systems: The liberal blind spot for cars. In this special episode of The War on Cars, we discuss why it is that even the most liberal people in the most progressive cities are so often unable to see the problems wrought by automobiles, much less support alternative forms of transportation. Plus, as civilization faces a looming climate catastrophe, can the Green New Deal offer some hope or will Baby Boomer talk show hosts doom us all? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Plus, be entered to win a Cleverhood rain cape by donating at any level in January. Rate and review us on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Whoopi Goldberg slams Bill de Blasio on 'The View' over NYC bike lanes (NY Post) Day Two: Whoopi Goldberg still pissed over NYC bike lanes (NY Post) Mom of slain cyclist slams Whoop Goldberg for bike lane gripes (NY Post) Whoopi issues non-apology to families of people killed by drivers. (@WhoopiGoldberg) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

Which is more destructive? Cars or guns? A recent study showed that guns are now the second-leading killer of children in the U.S. But what does it say about our culture that the press seemed to gloss over the first? (Spoiler alert: It's cars.) In this episode, we discuss the similarities between these two threats to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Plus, what can safe streets advocates learn from gun control advocates, and vice versa? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Plus, be entered to win a Cleverhood rain cape by donating at any level in January. Rate and review us on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Guns now the second leading killer of kids, after cars. (NBC News) "Monster" vehicles more likely to cause fatal collisions. (National Post) Death on Foot: America's love for SUVs is killing pedestrians and federal safety regulators have known for years. (Detroit Free Press) Charlton Heston's "My cold dead hands" NRA speech. (YouTube) Dodge needed a spokesman for their muscle cars. They chose the actor Michael C. Hall when he was playing a serial killer on the popular Showtime series "Dexter." (YouTube) "Buy a little freedom, buy a Yugo!" (YouTube) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

The stakes are literally life and death, but can humor be an effective weapon in the war on cars? In this episode we talk to Charlie Todd, the founder of Improv Everywhere, about how using the city as a stage for elaborate comedy scenes can help people see public space in a new light. What's the connection between turning parking spots into parks and unleashing hordes of pants-free people on the subway? Plus, how does a father of two become radicalized against automobiles? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. SHOW NOTES: Charlie Todd on Twitter: @charlietodd Improv Everywhere turns a pair of payphones into a coworking space. A brief history of Park(ing) Day. (CityLab) Jonathan Fertig's "Flower Lanes." (Boston Globe) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

Why is driving a car seen as masculine and riding a bicycle seen as feminine? Is it even possible to look like an adult while riding an e-scooter? Our experience of moving through public space is deeply affected by our mode of transportation and our gender identity; the mode we choose affects not only how we are seen by others, but how we see ourselves. In this episode, we cover biking while female, taking the Metro in Mexico City and what The 40-Year-Old Virgin has to say about guys who bike. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Buy an official The War on Cars t-shirt from Cotton Bureau. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: How not having a car became Hollywood shorthand for loser. (Slate) You can't say they're not trying to make e-scooters manly. (Robb Report) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: [email protected].

When is a car not a car? When it's a source of solace and comfort, a curbside living room and a personal aesthetic statement. This episode is brought to you "live" from the interior of a 1987 Cadillac DeVille as we hear from Alex Brook Lynn, the producer of FAQ NYC, about why she escapes to her car for a little private time amidst the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. What would it take for Alex to quit her car? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: Follow Alex Brook Lynn on Twitter. Listen to the FAQ NYC podcast. Almost half of Americans (45%) go to their car to have a private moment. (Fast Company/IKEA) Follow us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke. Questions? Suggestions? Complaints? Talk to us: [email protected].

From coast to coast, electric-bikes are having their moment. But a New York City Police Department crackdown on delivery cyclists who rely on e-bikes to do their jobs has some wondering if a double standard isn't at play. At a time when big companies are jumping on the e-bike bandwagon, are the immigrant men who deliver food being unfairly punished? We discuss the murky laws surrounding e-bikes and what the future has in store with Helen Ho of the Biking Public Project. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: The Biking Public Project (Tumblr) "One Man's Fight to Regulate E-Bikes in His Neighborhood" (WNYC) Who really gets fined when the police crackdown on e-bikes? (Gothamist) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek and Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions? Suggestions? Complaints about how much we curse? Email us! [email protected].

In 2009, soon-to-be Toronto Mayor Rob Ford declared that he would end the war on cars. His remarks were the opening shots in a battle that would come to signify more than just how people get around. How did cars and the urban/surburban divide become a cultural flashpoint? And did you know that a "War on Autoists" was front-page news a century before the War on Cars? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: Rob Ford: "There's no secret about it, there's a war on cars in the city!" (YouTube) "The War on Cars" by Prager U. (YouTube) "Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City," by Peter Norton (MIT Press) "'War on Cars': A History" by Eric de Place (Sightline Institute) Rob Ford: "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine." (YouTube) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Want to be a part of our "Quit Your Car" segment? Email us: [email protected].

With cities on the front lines of the war on cars, can mayors muster the courage to put automobiles in their rightful place? Not to name names, but does it matter if elected officials are driven twelve miles to the gym every day in a three SUV convoy just to jog on a treadmill? Plus, Doug announces his candidacy for mayor. Can he withstand the inevitable barrage of dark money attack ads? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: Paris mayor's war on cars moves up a gear with ban in heart of city. (France 24) Watch Oslo transform into a car-free utopia (Curbed) Barcelona mayor delcares war on injustice of private car use (Reuters) In Montreal, an electrifying win for a long-shot who campaigned on better transit and cycling (Streetsblog) Cars set to be banned from half of roads in London's Square Mile (Evening Standard) German cities to trial free public transportation to cut pollution. (The Guardian) Why Jennifer Keesmaat's Gardiner teardown pitch is key to her campaign (Toronto Star) Car Ownership Continues to Rise Under Mayor de Blasio (Streetsblog) Follow the show on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Gripes? Email us at [email protected].

Take the driver out of the car and what do you get? Heaven or hell? Will the rise of the robocar lead to a revolution in safety and change how cities allocate public space? Or will pedestrians and cyclists get pushed aside to make way for Skynet? Aaron, Sarah and Doug tackle these questions and more as we anticipate the imminent arrival of our autonomous vehicle overlords. Become a Patreon Supporter and get exclusive War on Cars stickers, t-shirts and other premiums. If you enjoyed the show, please rate and review us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Notes: Video on The Future of Autonomous Vehicles by Robin Chase. Article on China and social credit: Leave No Dark Corner by Matthew Carney for The Australian Broadcasting Corporation. On Twitter: Follow the show @TheWarOnCars Doug Gordon @Brooklyn Spoke Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek Email: [email protected] Thanks for listening!

In this pilot episode, we discuss why the world needs a War on Cars and ask if tech — specifically tech companies — can save our cities from the car. Are e-scooters, Lyft buses and self-driving Ubers running through Elon Musk's tunnels the wave of the future or are they a harbinger of dystopia? The War On Cars is a new podcast from Sarah Goodyear (@buttermilk1), Doug Gordon (@BrooklynSpoke) and Aaron Naparstek (@Naparstek).The War On Cars is produced by Curtis Fox. Music by Nathaniel Goodyear. Wars are expensive. You can support The War on Cars via Patreon. For more information on The War on Cars, visit our web site: http://waroncars.org