Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a writer and former racing car engineer, faces off against Roma Agrawal, a structural engineer known for her work on London's Shard. The duo explores the riveting debate between cars and bicycles, diving into their historical evolution and societal impacts. They discuss the rise of electric bikes, changing urban transportation dynamics, and personal stories that reflect our emotional ties to these modes of travel. Ultimately, the conversation challenges listeners to consider the future of mobility and their role in it.
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Yasmin's Love for Driving
Yasmin Abdel-Magied rented a Mini Cooper and drove for eight hours straight.
She found the experience meditative and loves the freedom of driving long distances.
insights INSIGHT
Future of Driving
Roma Agrawal agrees that driving is enjoyable.
However, she questions if future generations will even learn to drive, given the rise of sustainable alternatives and changing urban landscapes.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Bicycles' Societal Impact
The introduction of bicycles enabled daily postal deliveries and expanded the reach of vicars and nurses.
A biologist even suggests that bicycles improved the gene pool in Britain.
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This book, written by Yassmin Abdel-Magied and illustrated by Aleesha Nandhra, offers a comprehensive overview of racism's history and its manifestations today. It provides children with practical advice on recognizing, resisting, and disrupting racist attitudes, while emphasizing the importance of self-care and safety. The book uses engaging illustrations and infographics to make complex topics accessible to middle-grade readers.
VS is the new podcast from Intelligence Squared exploring those little debates that are always a big deal to someone. For the first episode, two expert guests go head to head to decide once and for all who is king of the road for the debate Cars VS Bicycles. Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a writer, broadcaster, social advocate and one-time racing car engineer. Her upcoming book later this summer is Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism. Roma Agrawal – also known as Roma the Engineer – is a structural engineer, author and broadcaster, whose expertise helped build the Shard skyscraper in London. Her latest book is, Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World (in a Big Way). These two mechanical minds are both intrigued by the engineering marvels that make the world go round, but Yassmin says we should do it with four wheels in a car, and Roma with just two on a bicycle. Coco Khan is your host with the roadmap to victory and there can only be one winner – you the listeners decide – follow the link below to cast your vote.
https://intelligencesquared.com/vs/
We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.
Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to vs@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.
And if you’d like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes of VS and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .
Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.
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