Active Towns Fight for Our Lives w/ Doug Gordon
In this episode, I connect with Doug "Mr. BrooklynSpoke" Gordon, one of three co-hosts of The War on Cars Podcast, for a conversation about the battle to create safer streets and more livable communities for everyone.
You can pretty much count on it - anytime there's a proposal to install a bike lane or pedestrian crossing that might inconvenience or slow down motor vehicle traffic in any amount, no matter how small, there's a chorus of screams from a vocal minority of haters that this is clearly evidence of a vicious "A War on Cars" most likely being waged upon an unsuspecting and helpless public by the "All-Powerful Bicycle Lobby".
It would be such silly laughable bluster if it wasn't so important and serious that we take immediate strides in this fight to create safer more vibrant environments for everyone, including our most vulnerable roadway users, those walking, cycling, in wheelchairs, or even on scooters.
So in typical "tongue-in-cheek" New York style, when Doug and his co-hosts, Aaron Naparstek and Sarah Goodyear decided to launch a podcast, The War on Cars was a natural moniker to poke fun at the ridiculous rhetoric.
We dive "deep into the weeds" that these challenges represent, the progress being made, and how advocates make an impact in their own communities.
Additional & Helpful Links:
Landing Page for this Episode - access to photos and other fun stuff
Doug's Twitter Account - BrooklynSpoke and the original blog
The New Republic article by Doug about changes to our streets due to the pandemic
A recent The Daily News opinion piece by Doug about stopping the carnage on our streets
Transportation Alternatives - Streets for People organization
Brooklyn Bridge bike lane story
Oakland Slow Streets and Essential Places Program
Slower Speeds article, AAA-CO Study
AARP Livable Communities Program
Streetfight book by Janette Sadik-Khan
Designing for "All Ages & Abilities" - NACTO Guide
Protected bike lanes/facilities via NACTO and from City of Austin
How the Dutch handle the snow on cycle tracks and bridges
Active Towns Paris profile video
Vision Zero NYC and the National Network
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Credits:
All video and audio production by John Simmerman
Music:
Various mixes also by John Simmerman
Resources used during the production of this episode:
- My awesome recording platform is Ecamm
For more information about my Active Towns effort or to follow along, please visit my links below:
- Website
- Podcast landing pages
Background:
Hi Everyone, my name is John Simmerman.
I’m a health promotion professional with over 30 years of experience and my area of concentration has evolved into a specialization of how the built environment influences human behavior related to active living and especially active mobility.
In 2012 I launched the non-profit Advocates for Healthy Communities as an effort to help promote and create healthy, active places.
Since that time, I've been exploring, documenting, and profiling established, emerging, and aspiring Active Towns wherever they might be, in order to produce high-quality multimedia content to help inspire the creation of more safe and inviting, environments that promote a "Culture of Activity" for "All Ages & Abilities."
My Active Towns suite of channels feature my original video and audio content and reflections, including a selection of podcast epis...