The War on Cars

Why is driving a car seen as masculine and riding a bicycle seen as feminine? Is it even possible to look like an adult while riding an e-scooter? Our experience of moving through public space is deeply affected by our mode of transportation and our gender identity; the mode we choose affects not only how we are seen by others, but how we see ourselves. In this episode, we cover biking while female, taking the Metro in Mexico City and what The 40-Year-Old Virgin has to say about guys who bike.  Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Buy an official The War on Cars t-shirt from Cotton Bureau. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: How not having a car became Hollywood shorthand for loser. (Slate) You can’t say they’re not trying to make e-scooters manly. (Robb Report) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Email us: thewaroncars@gmail.com.

When is a car not a car? When it’s a source of solace and comfort, a curbside living room and a personal aesthetic statement. This episode is brought to you “live” from the interior of a 1987 Cadillac DeVille as we hear from Alex Brook Lynn, the producer of FAQ NYC, about why she escapes to her car for a little private time amidst the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. What would it take for Alex to quit her car? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: Follow Alex Brook Lynn on Twitter.  Listen to the FAQ NYC podcast. Almost half of Americans (45%) go to their car to have a private moment. (Fast Company/IKEA) Follow us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke. Questions? Suggestions? Complaints? Talk to us: thewaroncars@gmail.com.

From coast to coast, electric-bikes are having their moment. But a New York City Police Department crackdown on delivery cyclists who rely on e-bikes to do their jobs has some wondering if a double standard isn’t at play. At a time when big companies are jumping on the e-bike bandwagon, are the immigrant men who deliver food being unfairly punished? We discuss the murky laws surrounding e-bikes and what the future has in store with Helen Ho of the Biking Public Project. Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts, and other rewards.  Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: The Biking Public Project (Tumblr) “One Man’s Fight to Regulate E-Bikes in His Neighborhood” (WNYC) Who really gets fined when the police crackdown on e-bikes? (Gothamist) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek and Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1. Questions? Suggestions? Complaints about how much we curse? Email us! thewaroncars@gmail.com.

In 2009, soon-to-be Toronto Mayor Rob Ford declared that he would end the war on cars. His remarks were the opening shots in a battle that would come to signify more than just how people get around. How did cars and the urban/surburban divide become a cultural flashpoint? And did you know that a “War on Autoists” was front-page news a century before the War on Cars? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts and other rewards.  Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: Rob Ford: “There’s no secret about it, there’s a war on cars in the city!” (YouTube) “The War on Cars” by Prager U. (YouTube)  “Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City,” by Peter Norton (MIT Press) "'War on Cars': A History" by Eric de Place (Sightline Institute) Rob Ford: "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine." (YouTube) Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Want to be a part of our “Quit Your Car” segment? Email us: thewaroncars@gmail.com.

With cities on the front lines of the war on cars, can mayors muster the courage to put automobiles in their rightful place? Not to name names, but does it matter if elected officials are driven twelve miles to the gym every day in a three SUV convoy just to jog on a treadmill? Plus, Doug announces his candidacy for mayor. Can he withstand the inevitable barrage of dark money attack ads? Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers, t-shirts and other rewards. Rate and review us on iTunes. EPISODE NOTES: Paris mayor’s war on cars moves up a gear with ban in heart of city. (France 24) Watch Oslo transform into a car-free utopia (Curbed) Barcelona mayor delcares war on injustice of private car use (Reuters) In Montreal, an electrifying win for a long-shot who campaigned on better transit and cycling (Streetsblog) Cars set to be banned from half of roads in London's Square Mile (Evening Standard) German cities to trial free public transportation to cut pollution. (The Guardian) Why Jennifer Keesmaat’s Gardiner teardown pitch is key to her campaign (Toronto Star) Car Ownership Continues to Rise Under Mayor de Blasio (Streetsblog) Follow the show on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. Questions? Suggestions? Gripes? Email us at thewaroncars@gmail.com.

Take the driver out of the car and what do you get? Heaven or hell? Will the rise of the robocar lead to a revolution in safety and change how cities allocate public space? Or will pedestrians and cyclists get pushed aside to make way for Skynet? Aaron, Sarah and Doug tackle these questions and more as we anticipate the imminent arrival of our autonomous vehicle overlords. Become a Patreon Supporter and get exclusive War on Cars stickers, t-shirts and other premiums. If you enjoyed the show, please rate and review us on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  Episode Notes:  Video on The Future of Autonomous Vehicles by Robin Chase. Article on China and social credit: Leave No Dark Corner by Matthew Carney for The Australian Broadcasting Corporation. On Twitter: Follow the show @TheWarOnCars  Doug Gordon @Brooklyn Spoke Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1 Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek  Email: thewaroncars@gmail.com Thanks for listening!

In this pilot episode, we discuss why the world needs a War on Cars and ask if tech — specifically tech companies — can save our cities from the car. Are e-scooters, Lyft buses and self-driving Ubers running through Elon Musk's tunnels the wave of the future or are they a harbinger of dystopia? The War On Cars is a new podcast from Sarah Goodyear (@buttermilk1), Doug Gordon (@BrooklynSpoke) and Aaron Naparstek (@Naparstek).The War On Cars is produced by Curtis Fox. Music by Nathaniel Goodyear.   Wars are expensive. You can support The War on Cars via Patreon.  For more information on The War on Cars, visit our web site: http://waroncars.org