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The War on Cars

The War on Cars

The War on Cars, LLC 242 Episodes Jul 21, 2026

The War on Cars is a podcast that covers news, commentary, and stories about the global movement to undo the damage caused by automobiles. It explores the history and future of car-centric urban planning and advocates for safer, more sustainable transportation. The show features interviews with activists, urban planners, and policymakers. It aims to inspire listeners to rethink their relationship with cars and support alternatives like walking, biking, and public transit.

Episodes

Final Dispatches from Book Tour
Final Dispatches from Book Tour Jul 21, 2026 01:10:55 Our final Life After Cars book tour roundup episode is here, with our reports from Atlanta, Memphis, Chicago, Montréal, Orlando, Portland, Maine, and many, many more great North American cities! We get into the good, the bad, and the ugly of everything we saw out there on the road. Plus a discussion of…Reverse Copenhagen Syndrome? Become a Patreon supporter for access to ad-free episodes and exclu
Sidewalk Nation
Sidewalk Nation Jul 7, 2026 01:06:00 In most parts of the United States and elsewhere, sidewalks exist in a legal grey area. They are public spaces that, at least when it comes to things such as maintenance and snow removal, are largely the responsibility of private property owners. They are subject to all manner of laws that govern what kinds of activities can take place on them, laws that change not just from city to city, but some
PREVIEW: Urban Planning Pop with Pondless
PREVIEW: Urban Planning Pop with Pondless Jun 30, 2026 03:05 ***This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars.*** The musical artist known as Pondless, who as a civilian goes by the name of Aaron Oliver, writes and performs pop songs about urban
Rethinking Criminal Consequences for Drivers Who Kill
Rethinking Criminal Consequences for Drivers Who Kill Jun 23, 2026 01:01:47 What should happen to drivers who kill or injure someone with their car? Does a focus on punishment for "reckless" or "dangerous" drivers let everyone else off the hook and never force them to look at the larger harms of a transportation system based around personal car ownership? Those are the questions asked by Ian Loader, a professor of criminology at the University of Oxford, who argues that t
Changing Lanes
Changing Lanes Jun 9, 2026 58:45 What does it take to make a street safer for everyone? In the US, it typically requires a combination of tragedy, grassroots organizing, and political leadership. Even when these ingredients come together, success is never guaranteed, as so many projects become battles about more than just bike lanes. Changing Lanes, a new documentary from director Ben Wolf, covers the fight to make McGuinness Bou
PREVIEW: Sean Duffy's Great American Road Grift
PREVIEW: Sean Duffy's Great American Road Grift May 26, 2026 08:21 This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars. See the USA in your... Toyota? That's what US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and his family have done with their reality-style onl
Taking the Transportation Fight to Congress from NY-7
Taking the Transportation Fight to Congress from NY-7 May 19, 2026 02:05:22 Antonio Reynoso, Claire Valdez, and Julie Won are all running in the June 23 Democratic primary for New York's 7th congressional district. That's the seat that opened up when veteran Democratic politician Nydia Velazquez announced she was retiring. It's a traditionally progressive district, covering neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. This isn't just about New York, though. Federal funding is in
A Physical Education with Casey Johnston
A Physical Education with Casey Johnston May 12, 2026 56:51 Just as it is with road safety, so much of how Americans talk about health pushes the responsibility for eating right and exercising onto the individual, ignoring the many structural barriers that prevent people from making "good" choices. Through her newsletter, She's a Beast, and her bestselling book A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting, Casey Johnston
Streets for Play, Streets for Freedom
Streets for Play, Streets for Freedom Apr 28, 2026 42:33 Streets can be more than places to move and store cars—they can be  places for children to grow and thrive. Alice Ferguson and Tim Gill are the UK-based authors of a new paper called "Streets for Play, Streets for Freedom: How a 'child lens' would transform transport policy." Each of them has decades of experience in envisioning a world where children can use streets safely and happily. Together t
A Doctor's View of Traffic Violence
A Doctor's View of Traffic Violence Apr 7, 2026 56:56 We talk with a guest who knows firsthand just how destructive cars can be. Dr. Rex Tai is a physician who works in long-term care. Many of his patients are the victims of traffic violence. His experience providing care for these people has been part of his growing awareness of how our country's car-dependence creates and exacerbates inequality and division in our society and even in our global pol
PREVIEW: Let's Get Political
PREVIEW: Let's Get Political Mar 31, 2026 08:46 This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars. For a long time, safe streets and transit advocacy organizations have had to play a careful game. While non-profit organizations can advoc
Tony Kushner on The Pushcart War
Tony Kushner on The Pushcart War Mar 17, 2026 57:45 The Pushcart War—written by Jean Merrill and illustrated by Ronni Solbert and first published in 1964—is a charming and provocative children's novel that tells the story of a band of pushcart vendors who fight against the organized forces of big trucks on the congested, contested streets of New York City. For Tony Kushner, the Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright, screenwriter, and author, reading th

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