Why 'Car Culture' Is About So Much More Than Cars (Robert Braun and Richard Randell)

Why 'Car Culture' Is About So Much More Than Cars (Robert Braun and Richard Randell)

Author: StreetsblogUSA July 26, 2022 Duration: 26:04

Car culture is all around us. But is it really just about vehicles, roads, motorists and violent commercials on TV, or is it is a political system as deeply entrenched in cultures around the world as our governments, economic systems, and structures of oppression? 

On this episode of the The Brake, we sat down with authors Robert Braun and Richard Randell to talk about their book Post Automobility Futures, and how our collective obsession with speed, efficiency, and ruthless technological progress has transformed the way we define what public space is for and what forms of violence we find acceptable.  And they argue that this obsession began long before the automobile — and that getting beyond it will require dismantling a value system that is becoming more and more deep set, even as the car as we know it evolves. 

This is part one of a two-part conversation; check back in two weeks for the second installment. And in the meantime, check out our earlier conversation with Braun and Randell about their work. 


You hear a lot about electric cars and futuristic transit, but what about the fundamental shift required to build cities where driving isn't a daily necessity? That's the terrain explored on The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast. Hosted by the team at StreetsblogUSA, this series moves beyond the headlines to engage with the activists, planners, writers, and community members who are actively reimagining American streets. Each conversation digs into the real-world work of dismantling car dependency, examining the policy choices, cultural norms, and historical decisions that got us here. The discussions are grounded in the intersecting categories of society, commentary, culture, and news, offering a nuanced lens on everything from bike lane debates and public transit equity to the subtle ways our built environment shapes daily life. This isn't just a technical talk about infrastructure; it's about the human stories and the political movement fighting for safer, more connected, and less congested communities. Tune in for a podcast that acts as a vital pit stop for understanding the complex, often frustrating, but ultimately hopeful push to take our foot off the gas and build a different future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

The Brake: A Streetsblog Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Does 'Vision Zero' Need a Reset? (David Harkey) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:11
Cities across America have been trying — and mostly failing — to achieve Vision Zero for more than a decade. But is it really time to trade the goal of ending road deaths and serious injuries for the aim of reducing them…
What's Missing From the 'Safe Systems' Approach (Roger Millar) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:03
If you've been following Streetsblog for a while, you might have heard of famed planner/engineer/all-around transportation superstar Roger Millar, not least for his recent leadership as the head of the Washington state D…
When You Can't Drive in America's Hottest City (Mayor Kate Gallego) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:43
More than a decade ago, Kate Gallego had a seizure that temporarily cost her the ability to drive – and opened her eyes to the difficulty of getting around her city of Phoenix, Arizona without a car. Now, in her third te…
How to Build a Car-Light Neighborhood From Scratch — Even in Texas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:10
Across America, a new class of developers are building car-free neighborhoods from scratch — or at least, they're building places where residents don't need to drive quite as much as their suburban neighbors. But can the…