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.
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.
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.
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?
You can find the full episode of this transcript here.
