Listener Origin Stories (Patreon Bonus Re-Release)

Listener Origin Stories (Patreon Bonus Re-Release)

Author: The War on Cars, LLC August 6, 2024 Duration: 1:19:35

Episode 133: Listener Origin Stories (Patreon bonus re-release)

We're taking a short break to work on our forthcoming book and some of our upcoming fall shows. We'll be back with new free episodes in early September. In the meantime, please enjoy this re-release of our Patreon bonus episode from December 26, 2023. You can get all of our Patreon bonus episodes and more subscriber-only content – plus stickers! – by signing up to support us at www.patreon.com/thewaroncarspod. (A new Patreon-exclusive bonus episode will be released in two weeks.)

* * * * *  

Last November we told you our origin stories. Everything from early driving lessons to our experience living in car-dependent places has informed our journey to becoming radicalized, so to speak, into The War on Cars.

Now it's your turn! We put out the call to our Patreon supporters for their origin stories, and — wow! — did you deliver. We heard from people all over the world about how they began to see the problems with car dominance, with stories ranging from gradual realizations to sudden epiphanies. Plus, we heard from a few friends and former guests of the podcast.  (Not all heroes wear capes, but one you'll hear from at the top of the show most certainly does.)

Honestly, we were so impressed and inspired by everyone's stories. We often tell people that we have the smartest and most engaged audience in podcasting and this episode is undeniable proof of that. Thank you for all you do in your neck of the woods to fight for safety, sustainability, equity, and more.

* * * * *  

Thank you to Bull Moose Soft Goods and Cleverhood for their support. For the latest discount codes, listen to the episode.

*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and you'll be tipped off to listener participation episodes like this one, and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, special bonus content, stickers, and more! ***

* * * * *  

Pick up podcast tees and other merch in our official The War on Cars store. Purchase books from podcast guests and support independent booksellers at our official Bookshop.org page.

This episode was edited by Ali Lemer. It was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. Transcriptions are by Russell Gragg. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.

TheWarOnCars.org

 


Imagine a world not built around traffic jams and parking lots, but shaped for people. The War on Cars is a dispatch from the front lines of that effort, a collective conversation questioning the automobile’s dominance over our cities, our environment, and our daily lives. Each episode digs into the real-world fight to reclaim public space, examining everything from the politics of a new bike lane to the history of how cars came to rule. You’ll hear from urban planners, activists, historians, and ordinary people pushing back, offering a mix of sharp analysis, on-the-ground reporting, and compelling narratives. This isn’t just about transportation; it’s about the culture and societal choices that have led us here, and the tangible, often inspiring work to create safer, quieter, and more connected communities. Tune in for a thoughtful and necessary critique of the status quo, a podcast dedicated to the idea that our streets can-and should-be for so much more.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The War on Cars
Podcast Episodes
EPISODE 170: A Doctor's View of Traffic Violence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 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 f…
PREVIEW: Let's Get Political [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:46
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, becom…
Tony Kushner on The Pushcart War [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 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 th…
America's Hidden Desire to Live Car-Free [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:54
Do people really like our all-enveloping autocentric system quite as much as everyone keeps saying they do? What kind of communities would they live in if given the choice? The answers, as a new study shows, are not exac…
Planning Livable Downtowns with Brent Toderian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:40
Brent Toderian has decades of experience in city planning, urban design, and transportation. He was chief planner for the city of Vancouver from 2006 to 2012, a time when the city hosted and was transformed by the Winter…
Superbowl Roundup with Ian Chillag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:56
Super Bowl LX had everything, from ads for weight loss drugs and male grooming products to spots touting tax prep services and calming fears about our AI overlords. It also had one outstanding halftime performance from B…
PREVIEW: Women Changing Cities with Melissa and Chris Bruntlett [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:33
***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, be…
The Importance of Livable Streets with Bruce Appleyard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:37
We talked with Dr. Bruce Appleyard, who has spent a lifetime thinking about what we mean when we talk about liveable streets—and why it is so important that we build our cities with human beings in mind, first and foremo…
The Creation of America's Car Culture, Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:16
Signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, otherwise known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, ushered in an unprecedented era of roadbuilding in the United S…