The Gist Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon on Life After Cars
12 snips
Nov 10, 2025 
Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear, co-hosts of The War on Cars and authors of Life After Cars, dive deep into the challenges of car-dependent culture. They discuss how Dutch street design can drastically reduce traffic fatalities and improve urban safety. The conversation also touches on the mixed legacy of U.S. transit systems like Brightline and Amtrak and the high costs of U.S. transit projects. With insights on electrification and the potential benefits of reducing car reliance, they envision a more sustainable urban future.
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Dutch Streets Cut Fatalities Dramatically
- The Netherlands has a traffic fatality rate roughly 60% lower than the United States, even after adjusting for miles driven.
- That gap highlights systemic safety differences, not merely cultural temperament.
Traffic Reduces Neighborhood Social Life
- Heavy-traffic streets correlate with far fewer social connections than light-traffic streets in Appleyard's study.
- Automobile-dominated streets degrade neighborhood social life and community ties.
Built Environment Shapes Driving Behavior
- New York City's streets are safer than many U.S. places despite many visiting suburban drivers.
- Built environment, not immutable culture, largely shapes driving behavior and safety outcomes.
