Doug Gordon

Barcelona, Spain is testing out a powerful new weapon in the war on cars. It’s called the Superilla or, in english, the “Superblock.” Last October, Vox Media’s energy and environment reporter David Roberts spent ten days in Barcelona taking a deep dive into the city’s ambitious plan to reclaim more than half of its total street space from motor vehicles by creating five hundred Superblocks. In this one-on-one conversation, David sits down with TWOC co-host Aaron Naparstek and tells the inside story of Barcelona’s visionary car-fighting, air-cleaning and neighborhood-empowering strategy. Could Superblocks even be a solution for fixing dysfunctional liberal democracies? It’s so crazy it just might work.

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SHOW NOTES: 

Barcelona’s Radical Plan to Take Back Streets From Cars is David Roberts’ must-read five-part series at Vox. Seriously, it’s great.

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What do comedy and fighting the war on cars have in common? For answers, Doug talks with Adam Conover, the creator and host of TruTV’s “Adam Ruins Everything.” The show, a new season of which premieres on August 13th, combines humor, sharp writing and deeply sourced research to deconstruct the conventional wisdom about subjects most Americans take for granted, including cars. In this special one-on-one interview, Adam explains why taking the bus in LA is better than driving, discusses how excited he was to tell people the history of the word “jaywalking,” and offers lessons on presenting information to anyone fighting their own war on cars.

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In this TWOC extra, we present co-host Doug Gordon’s full interview with Ray Magliozzi of “Car Talk,” conducted in February 2019 at the WBUR studios in Boston and previously available only to Patreon supporters. Hear more about Ray’s thoughts on how cities are changing to be more friendly to people who aren’t in cars and learn why he sometimes runs red lights on his bike.

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No, you’ve not tuned into late-night Lite FM radio. In this special mailbag episode, Sarah and Doug hear from listeners around the world, taking your questions and comments on everything from disabled cyclists, how to make bike lanes as common as sidewalks, when to take the car keys from aging parents and grandparents, the frustrations women feel when told what to wear when riding a bicycle, whether or not cyclists should share a friendly wave with other cyclists and how to find joy while fighting a daily War on Cars.

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

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Autonomous cars? Who needs ’em. If you want to improve your city then design it so that children have more autonomy. In this episode we hit the playground with architecture critic Alexandra Lange, the author of “The Design of Childhood.” To grow up into healthy, functional adults, kids need opportunities to experience freedom and independence. Alexandra argues that car-dominated streets make that more difficult. A city designed for cars is a city that’s lousy for families — and pretty much everyone else. Plus: The surprising history of playgrounds.

In celebration of our twentieth episode, the first twenty people who enlist in The War on Cars Patreon campaign after this episode drops will receive a bonus #BanCars sticker. 

Buy a War on Cars t-shirt at Cotton Bureau.

Rate and review the war effort on iTunes.

Show Notes: 

Visit Alexandra Lange’s web site and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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How can we fight a War on Cars when cars might be turning into the last bastion of affordable housing in many cities and suburbs? In this episode, we talk about how the crises in transportation, housing and climate are converging in California parking lots — some of which are becoming de facto communities. Stepping in to help us understand what’s going on in the Golden State is Alissa Walker, who writes for Curbed LA and cohosts LA Podcast.

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more.

Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau.

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It’s the most controversial question in all of urban biking: Why do cyclists run red lights, ride on sidewalks and go the wrong way down one-way streets? In this episode, Aaron, Sarah and Doug talk to New York City cyclists about why they behave the way they do. Plus, we seek out a higher authority for an interpretation of the legal and ethical dilemmas people on bikes confront while moving through cities. When cyclists flout the law, is it a sign that they’re all selfish scofflaws? Or are they engaging in a simple act of civil disobedience that can lead to better, safer streets and rules that reflect the difference between bikes and cars?

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, T-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more.

Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau.

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Once a year, the world descends on Manhattan for the New York International Auto Show, an extravagant, multimillion-dollar celebration of all things car. From the most “sinister” Dodge Challenger to a Kia that can sense a driver’s mood and adjust the vehicle’s interior accordingly, the Auto Show isn’t just a showcase for new products, it’s a vision of the future of the North American city—a future that is built around the car. What will it take for foot soldiers in the War on Cars to go up against this well-funded juggernaut? Is it possible that a band of guerrilla activists, spurred by tragedy and armed with nothing more than red cups and tomatoes, can take on an empire?

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive stickers, t-shirts, exclusive access to special audio content and more.

Buy an official War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau.

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In 2002, Theresa Sareo, an up-and-coming singer, had her life changed forever when a reckless driver hit her as she stood on a Manhattan sidewalk waiting to cross the street. She lost her leg and nearly died, making her one of the millions of people injured by automobiles in the United States every year. In New York City alone, the toll was more than 59,000 people in 2018. Theresa tells her story of recovery and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and get exclusive TWOC stickers and other rewards.

Buy a War on Cars T-shirt at Cotton Bureau.

Rate and review the podcast on iTunes.

Show notes:

Find Theresa Sareo on Instagram, @ladytcup.

Read the New York magazine article about the crash and its aftermath.

Find data about auto-related injuries and fatalities on New York City’s crash data map.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheWarOnCars. Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, and Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek. This episode was produced and edited by Sarah Goodyear.

Do you have an issue you want to discuss with us on the show? Send a voice memo to: [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.

The War on Cars, the podcast about car culture, mobility and the future of cities, is hiring a producer.

We’re looking for someone with experience in either narrative journalism or talk show formats. Creativity plus a burning passion to liberate your city from space-hogging, horn-honking, exhaust-spewing, human-squashing, planet-cooking metal boxes on wheels is a big plus.

The War on Cars is co-hosted by Sarah Goodyear, Doug Gordon and Aaron Naparstek. We are seeking a producer who can help us with the following:

• Crystallize episode ideas, co-write and edit scripts collaboratively.
• Direct and advise us in the studio during recording sessions.
• Edit and mix episodes after they’ve been recorded.

This part-time role would start immediately, run through early July, break for summer and then start up again in fall. At the moment we can afford to pay about $750 per episode.

We launched The War on Cars in the fall of 2018 and have published fifteen episodes so far. We release a new episode approximately every other week. We have already built a remarkably loyal and enthusiastic audience, social media following, and Patreon supporter base. We have outstanding ratings and reviews on iTunes and we are rapidly building the show and the brand. This is a fun project to be a part of. 

If you’d like to apply, please send your resume, a quick blurb on why you’d be a good fit for the The War on Cars and a relevant sample of your work to [email protected]. 

Thank you!