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PODCAST

The War on Cars

The War on Cars, LLC

The War on Cars brings you news, commentary and stories about the worldwide battle to undo a century"s worth of damage wrought by the automobile.

society & culture news commentary

All Episodes

41:41

How to Save a Planet with Kendra Pierre-Louis

The War on Cars ·

2022/06/14

Kendra Pierre-Louis, a climate reporter and co-host of the Gimlet Media podcast How to Save a Planet, joins us to discuss storytelling in an age of crisis. How can we effectively communicate that better streets, better cities and a better world are possible? How can we point regular citizens toward solutions that can not only fight climate change but improve their day-to-day lives? Plus, what was up with that Kia ad featuring the dude who drives on a beach to save seat turtles? This episode was made

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36:17

Two Wheels Good with Jody Rosen

The War on Cars ·

2022/05/31

According to Jody Rosen, a contributing writer for The New York Times, we live on a bicycle planet. Across the world, more people use bicycles — for transportation, recreation, and their livelihood — than any other vehicle. In his new book, Two Wheel Goods: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle, Rosen attempts to "de-quaintify" the bike, from its invention in 1817 to its current status as a virtuous machine that can save cities and the environment. Spanning centuries and hopping continents, Two

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54:37

Infiltrating the Auto Show II

The War on Cars ·

2022/04/26

The New York International Auto Show was back and bigger than ever... and so were the cars. Our intrepid correspondents Sarah and Doug braved the crowds and sensory overload to hear straight from auto industry reps about the giant SUVs and muscle cars that will be prowling cities and suburban parking lots in the coming years. From the "menacing" and "in your face" Ford Bronco Raptor to the 800-horsepower Dodge Charger, what do the people who sell these vehicles to the public have to say when

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39:54

They Paved r/place and Put Up a Parking Lot

The War on Cars ·

2022/04/12

From the joy of the "Just a Minute" campaign in San Francisco to the members of a colorfully named subreddit creating a digital parking lot, there's a lot of news in The War on Cars. We hear from listeners around the country and across the Atlantic. Is it possible to be more chill about people riding the wrong way in a bike lane? Should public transit be free? Why is it so hard to find a good bicycle with all the accessories you need for regular transportation? Plus, quick dispatches from the hosts'

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29:19

The Pedestrian

The War on Cars ·

2022/03/29

Back in 1952, the great American science fiction writer Ray Bradbury published a short story called “The Pedestrian” in a small antifascist publication. The story, which was based on Bradbury’s own experience of being hassled by the cops while walking the streets of Los Angeles, imagined a world in which automobile dominance was so complete that walking for any purpose would be seen as a sign of mental illness. We take a look back at Bradbury’s dystopian vision, and talk with four people —

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45:42

Pain at the Pump

The War on Cars ·

2022/03/16

Spurred by post-pandemic demand and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, gas prices surged past $4 per gallon last week and Americans are suddenly freaking out about “pain at the pump.” What a big surprise, right? Not really! In this episode, Slate’s Henry Grabar joins us to argue that when it comes to the inherent instability in the global oil market, Americans have the memory of goldfish, locked in a ruinous cycle of dependence on fossil fuels and the authoritarian oligarchs who sell them to us. Have we

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36:58

SPECIAL: Ghost Train

The War on Cars ·

2022/03/09

Back in 2004, Denver-area voters supported one of the most ambitious transit projects anywhere in the United States. The plan called for a network of new rail lines that would let commuters glide past traffic and transform Denver into a world-class city in the process. But almost two decades later, an uncomfortable truth has emerged: Denver’s sprawling metropolitan region is as gridlocked as its ever been. This is Episode 1 of Ghost Train, a four-part mini-series from Colorado Public Radio. Hosted

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04:48

TEASER: The Godfathers of Disinformation

The War on Cars ·

2022/02/28

***This is a preview of a short bonus episode for our Patreon supporters. Become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars for ad-free access to this and all our exclusive content. And we’ll send you stickers!*** Journalist and producer Amy Westervelt joined us in Episode LXXXI for our annual shredding of the Super Bowl car ads. While we had her in the studio we absolutely had to chat with Amy about her outstanding podcast series, Rigged. In it, Westervelt takes us on a deep dive into the history of

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44:50

Vapor Bowl Tailgate Party with Amy Westervelt

The War on Cars ·

2022/02/22

What do robot dogs, Meadow Soprano, WeatherTech bumper protectors and Dr. Evil have in common? They were al featured in ads during Super Bowl LVI, that annual celebration of American consumerism. In what's become a War on Cars tradition, we analyze car commercials that aired during the big game and try to figure out what they say about the future of streets near you. This time, we're joined by journalist Amy Westervelt, whose podcasts cover everything from climate change to the history of propaganda

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02:28

TEASER: Jessie Singer on the Problem with Public...

The War on Cars ·

2022/02/18

***This is a preview of a bonus episode. Become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars for ad-free access to this and all our exclusive content.*** Jessie Singer joined us on Episode 80 to discuss her new book, There Are No Accidents. We had promised Jessie she'd get a chance to explain the problem with public service announcements and why educational campaigns don't do much to prevent accidents. TheWarOnCars.org

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41:06

There Are No Accidents with Jessie Singer

The War on Cars ·

2022/02/15

What do we mean when we say something is an "accident"? When a motorist kills a pedestrian or cyclist it is often described in the press and the criminal justice system as a "car accident" — even when there is a clear cause such as a driver who was drunk, distracted or speeding. According to a new book by journalist Jessie Singer, events that most people describe as accidents are anything but. Singer argues that who lives and dies by accident in America is not random but utterly predictable. Using

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30:29

What Uber Hath Wrought [Rerelease]

The War on Cars ·

2022/02/08

[This episode was originally released on October 16, 2019. We are re-releasing it in anticipation of the premiere on Showtime of the original dramatic series based on Mike Isaac's book. More new episodes are on the way!] For a few years after Uber launched in 2009, it seemed like the on-demand ride-hailing service might be an advance in the war on cars — a way for more people to share fewer vehicles and to reduce overall automobile dependence. Fast forward a decade, and the rise of Uber (along with

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31:10

The End of Uber with Cory Doctorow

The War on Cars ·

2022/01/26

Remember when Uber, the mobile phone taxi-hailing app, was going to revolutionize transportation, transform cities, and lead us to our glorious robot-car future? That wasn’t so long ago. So, what happened? Where did it all go? Cory Doctorow has some ideas. A prolific non-fiction author, sci-fi novelist, and technology activist Doctorow has been a keen observer and critic of Uber for years now. “Uber,” Doctorow writes, “is a bezzle. Every bezzle ends. And Uber’s time is up.” Plus: Reality has a well

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02:08

TEASER: Let's Crush These Dirt Bikes with Alex Pareene

The War on Cars ·

2022/01/18

***This is a preview of a short bonus episode just for Patreon supporters. Become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars for ad-free access to this and all our exclusive content. Plus, we’ll send you stickers!*** The New Republic's Alex Pareene joined us for Episode 78, "311 is a Joke," and we had a lot of fun. We chatted about the battle for scarce street space in the big city and the role that municipal government plays (and doesn't play) in sorting it all out (or not). As often happens when we

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34:10

311 is a Joke with Alex Pareene

The War on Cars ·

2022/01/11

Alex Pareene, a contributing editor to The New Republic and the author of The AP (Alex Pareene) Newsletter, joins the podcast to talk about his recent run of stories on cars, parking and the competition for scarce space on city streets. We discuss 311 — the non-emergency phone number for accessing municipal services — and what it tells us about how government works (or doesn't work). What message are police sending when they fail to enforce illegal parking? As far as driving is concerned, does

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03:58

TEASER: Cars as a Virus with Hermann Knoflacher

The War on Cars ·

2022/01/05

***This is a preview of a bonus episode. Become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars for ad-free access to this and all our exclusive content.*** Perhaps you've seen pictures of a person walking around in a large, wearable wooden frame meant to illustrate the space taken up by one person in a private automobile. That's the gehzeug — or walkmobile — and it was invented by the Austrian civil engineer and professor Herman Knoflacher. Professor Knoflacher, 81, is the head of the Institute of

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38:13

Curbing Traffic with Melissa and Chris Bruntlett

The War on Cars ·

2021/12/27

In 2019, Melissa and Chris Bruntlett and their two children moved from Vancouver to the small city of Delft in the Netherlands. The experience of transitioning to and living in a place that puts people first over automobiles forms the basis for Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in Our Lives. The book, the Bruntlett's second on the lessons offered by Dutch cities, explains the many benefits of car-free and car-lite spaces, from lower anxiety and stress, better social trust, improved

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30:10

Smells Like Teen Climate Anxiety

The War on Cars ·

2021/12/21

Young people want to live. It seems kind of basic, right? Anyone over the age of 35 or so probably grew up thinking that the desire to live was something to take for granted, at least on a societal scale. But many members of Gen Z worry that the places they live today will soon be uninhabitable. That they won’t be able to realize their dreams or raise their children the way previous generations did. That their very survival is at stake. And they don’t see meaningful action from the adults in charge

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38:58

Live in New York with Choire Sicha

The War on Cars ·

2021/12/14

On Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021, The War on Cars recorded a live show at Caveat on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Our special guest for the evening was Choire Sicha, an editor at large at New York Magazine, who joined us to talk about YIMBYism, "bike fascism" and life in the suburbs. Plus, why does Eric Adams, the newly elected mayor of New York City, need to fix his bike's front fork? This episode is sponsored by Rad Power Bikes and Cleverhood. For 20% off the purchase of Cleverhood rain gear,

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37:28

Not Just Bikes with Jason Slaughter

The War on Cars ·

2021/11/30

Jason Slaughter is the creator of Not Just Bikes, the wildly popular YouTube channel that covers urban design and daily living in the Netherlands. Jason's videos are informative and entertaining, and whether they're about the shaky finances on which the suburbs are built or something as simple as grocery shopping, each one helps viewers understand larger concepts about building cities for people, not cars. Doug sat down with Jason in Amsterdam to talk about the origins of Not Just Bikes and why

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