Cars and the Culture Wars

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?

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EPISODE NOTES:

Rob Ford: “There’s no secret about it, there’s a war on cars in the city!” (YouTube)

“The War on Cars” by Prager U. (YouTube)

“Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City,” by Peter Norton (MIT Press)

"'War on Cars': A History" by Eric de Place (Sightline Institute)

Rob Ford: "Yes, I have smoked crack cocaine." (YouTube)

Twitter: @TheWarOnCars, Sarah Goodyear @buttermilk1, Doug Gordon @brooklynspoke, Aaron Naparstek @Naparstek.

Questions? Suggestions? Want to be a part of our “Quit Your Car” segment? Email us: [email protected].