The War on Cars
TEASER: More Motonormativity with Marco Te Brommelstroet, aka "The Fietsprofessor."
Mar 25, 2025
Marco te Brömmelstroet, also known as "The Fietsprofessor," is the Chair on Urban Mobility Futures at the University of Amsterdam and an expert on cycling culture. In this riveting discussion, he presents a new study on motonormativity, revealing why society accepts the dangers of cars while questioning biases that favor them over cycling. He contrasts transportation cultures and examines the need for advocacy against car dominance, highlighting the delicate balance between radical and moderate strategies in social movements for urban change.
10:43
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Motonormativity reveals societal biases favoring cars over other transportation modes, highlighting how culture and environment shape these attitudes.
- The podcast underscores the complacency among cycling advocates in the Netherlands, risking stagnation in urban mobility improvements despite a strong cycling infrastructure.
Deep dives
Understanding Motonormativity
Motonormativity refers to the bias where societal standards related to cars differ from those applied to other modes of transport. This concept was explored through the lens of social and cultural factors that influence how mobility is perceived in various contexts. A study involving participants from the US, UK, and the Netherlands aimed to identify the roots of this bias, revealing how physical environments and cultural histories shape attitudes toward cars and cycling. The findings suggested that even in cycling-centric cultures like the Netherlands, biases towards car use persist, often masking deeper issues related to urban mobility.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
