The Urbanist Agenda

Unpacking the financial burdens of car ownership, including hidden costs and rising expenses. Discussing the challenges of car repairs and skepticism towards overcharging. Exploring alternative transportation methods and critiquing the necessity of large vehicles in urban environments.

Discussion on the disparity between road and rail spending in Europe, including the decline of railway infrastructure in Berlin and the privatization of former train stations in East Germany. Exploration of the challenges and potential impacts of a rail infrastructure program. Highlight of the chronic shortage of train drivers in the Netherlands and the idea of automating train lines. Importance of maintenance in rail infrastructure and the benefits of clock face scheduling. Exploration of the decline and subsequent revival of night trains in Europe.

Mrs. NJB has lived car-free for 10 years with her family. They discuss the experience of living without a car, relying on alternative transportation methods, frustration with traffic, positive experiences with car share services, and dangerous incidents involving cars in their area. They also talk about choosing an electric bike over a car, living car-free in Toronto and the Netherlands, and how being car-free has been a convenient and enjoyable lifestyle.

Former die-hard truck driver turned cargo-bike riding urbanist, American Fietser, discusses his transition, the transformative experience of Dutch bike culture, embracing electric cargo bikes, practicality vs status symbols of trucks, marketing strategies of car manufacturers, frustrations with Amtrak, and future travel plans, all with humorous disclaimers about promoting anything.

Diana, a City Simulators expert, discusses the limitations of city-building games and their impact on understanding real cities. The topics covered include the divisive opinions on tree placement in Cities: Skylines 2, the historical development of US cities around walkable neighborhoods, challenges in creating realistic cities in the game, cultural assumptions in the game's design, and the lack of diversity in player-created cities.

Doug Gordon from the War on Cars podcast discusses the origins of the 'War on Cars' phrase, the history of the war on motorists, opposition to public transportation, the impact of municipal elections, and the importance of voting.

Podcast discusses the flaws and limitations of the Amsterdam Metro system, including the need for high frequency and convenient transfers, the shortcomings of train frequency and lack of information. They propose potential changes and the construction of a circle line. Challenges of public transportation in Amsterdam for tourists are also explored. The disadvantages of the Amsterdam Metro compared to cycling and the advantages of the extensive tram system are highlighted. The significance of trams in cities and their influence on urbanism are discussed, along with the fare box recovery and operational efficiency of the Amsterdam Metro. The chapter concludes with a conversation about Nebula and content creation.

Join Jason and Steph as they discuss the myopic approach of Traffic Engineers in America, and how it ruins cities. They explore the flaws in the profession, critique street-road hybrids, and highlight the loss of historic downtowns due to traffic planning. They emphasize the lack of prioritization for pedestrian safety and the overshadowing of national monuments by car infrastructure.

In this episode, Mrs. NJB shares her experiences living in the Netherlands for 5 years. They discuss bike parking convenience, HEMA stores' variety of products, independence of children in the Netherlands, safety concerns in Toronto, multicultural food scene in Toronto, cleanliness in Tokyo, weather in the Netherlands, and efficient train travel in the Netherlands.

Adam Something, a certified European, discusses the differences between car usage in Europe and Canada. Topics include contrasting attitudes on car ownership, racial segregation in Canada, the car-centric push in Europe, the overlap between rejection of good urbanism and climate change denialism, and the influence of car and oil industries on anti-urbanist politicians.