Volts

Yes, you weenies: a war on cars

38 snips
Oct 20, 2025
Join Sarah Goodyear, a journalist known for her advocacy in urbanism, and Doug Gordon, co-host of The War on Cars, as they tackle the fallacy of car culture. They explore how cars breed isolation and diminish children’s autonomy, while championing the concept of reclaiming urban spaces for human connection. With insights on the dangers of 'motonormativity' and the societal impacts of traffic, they envision a vibrant future with less reliance on cars, advocating for alternatives like biking and public transit to foster community.
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INSIGHT

Cars As Political Choice

  • Cars are presented as inevitable when they are political choices shaped by policy and culture.
  • Reframing car dominance as a choice opens space for alternative futures like Life After Cars.
ANECDOTE

Provocative Podcast Naming

  • The podcast name 'The War on Cars' was chosen as a deliberate provocation to reclaim a phrase used by opponents.
  • Hosts wanted an unapologetic, pitchfork-holding tone to push the Overton window.
INSIGHT

Infrastructure Drives Behavior

  • Infrastructure shapes travel choices far more than individual preferences.
  • Political pressure and grassroots demand are still needed to drive upstream policy and infrastructure changes.
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