Doug Gordon

Journalist Edward Niedermeyer has been reporting on the automobile industry — and its blind spots — since 2008. He co-hosts the Autonocast podcast, focusing on the future of transportation. And he is the author of “Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors.” In his book, Niedermeyer chronicles the electric car maker’s rise and lays bare the disconnect between the popular perception of Tesla and the day-to-day realities of the company, its products, and its peripatetic, billionaire CEO Elon Musk. Musk, Niedermeyer argues, is a huckster with a particular genius for selling implausible products and making old ideas feel futuristic and new. But his overwhelming wealth, influence, and cult-like following is making him a danger to the rest of us. 

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

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This episode is sponsored by Cleverhood. Receive 20% off anything in the Cleverhood store using the new coupon code in this episode. Good through the end of July. 

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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 sea turtles?

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

This episode was made possible in part by our friends at Radpower Bikes and Cleverhood.

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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 Wheels Good weaves connections between various bike booms and asks readers to consider an expansive and inclusive definition of “bicycle culture.” Plus, was there really a War on Horses?

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

This episode is sponsored by Radpower Bikes and Cleverhood. Receive 20% off in the Cleverhood store using the coupon code mentioned in the episode.

***Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to ad-free bonus content.***

LINKS:

Buy Two Wheels Good and books by other podcast guests at Bookshop.org.

Follow Jody Rosen on Twitter.

Read Sidewalks by Valeria Luiselli, which contiains the essay Manifesto a Velo Jody mentions in the episode.

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This episode was recorded by Walter Nordquist at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. It was edited by Doug Gordon. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear. Our logo was designed by Dani Finkel of Crucial D Designs.

TheWarOnCars.org

 

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 confronted with questions about safety? Plus, with e-bikes and scooters ascendant, will they one day take the auto out of the Auto Show?

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

This episode was sponsored by our friends at Cleverhood rain gear and Radpower Bikes.

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Aaron infiltrated the 2019 New York International Auto Show in Episode 17.

How big is the 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor? “The Raptor is a lane-filling 9.8 inches wider than the base Bronco,” according to Kelly Bluebook. Plus, it’s so tall that even the fenders “will be shadiing cars in the lanes beside you.”

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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’ trips to car-dependent parts of the United States.

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

Learn about what makes a good, walkable city from author and urban planner Jeff Speck at the Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education, June 13 & 14.

This episode is sponsored by Cleverhood. Receive 20% off anything in the Cleverhood store with coupon code HAPPYCOMMUTE now through the end of April.

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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 — paleoanthropologist Jeremy DeSilva and writers Garnette Cadogan, David Ulin and Antonia Malchik — about how walking contributes to our essential humanity, and what we lose when we build environments that make it impossible for people to walk.

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

This episode is sponsored by Cleverhood. Receive 20% off anything in the Cleverhood store using the coupon code HAPPYCOMMUTE.

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to ad-free bonus content.

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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 become a nation whose domestic politics and foreign policy are held hostage to its SUVs? 

This episode is sponsored by Radpower Bikes and Cleverhood. Receive 20% off in the Cleverhood store using the new coupon code announced in this episode. 

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to ad-free bonus content.

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

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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 by transportation reporter Nathaniel Minor, Ghost Train dives deep into the question that we ask here at The War on Cars: What does it to take to move American cities away from automobile dependence?

SHOW NOTES:

This episode was brought to you by Colorado Public Radio. 

The remaining three parts of the Ghost Train series…
Part 2: The Mission
Part 3: An Unexpected Solution
Part 4: Waiting On A Train

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***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 the public relations industry and the incredible cast of mid-20th century characters who invented it. We live in a world awash in spin, disinformation, and mistrust of institutions. Rigged helpus us understand how we got here.

 

 

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 and public relations. Amy helps us connect the dots between early PR efforts by oil companies, tobacco companies and the marketing techniques used by car companies today.

***This episode is sponsored by Radpower Bikes.***

Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive exclusive access to ad-free bonus content.

You can find the full transcript of this episode here.

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