The United States has built a transportation system centered around automobiles. But one-third of the nation’s population can’t drive, whether because of disability, age, financial hardship, immigration status, or any of a host of other factors. Those tens of millions of people are often invisible to planners and elected officials, and that’s why Anna Letitia Zivarts, herself a low-vision nondriver and a longtime activist for better transportation choices, has written a new book titled When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency (Island Press). We talked with Anna about how, by designing our transportation future for those who can’t or don’t feel comfortable driving, we could build a system that works better for everyone and that would be more equitable, safer, and more environmentally sustainable.
*** Support The War on Cars on Patreon and receive access to ad-free versions of all our episodes, exclusive bonus content and stickers. ***
This episode was sponsored by Cleverhood. Listen to the episode for the latest discount code.
LINKS:
Buy Anna Zivarts’s book, When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency, at The War On Cars Bookshop store or from your local bookseller.
You can follow Anna on X.
Buy t-shirts, stickers, hats and more in The War on Cars merch store. It's Bike Month so save 10% with code BIKEMONTH.
Find us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. It helps people find us!
This episode was recorded by Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio. It was edited by Ali Lemer. Our theme music is by Nathaniel Goodyear.
TheWarOnCars.org
Arrested Mobility with Charles Brown
TEASER: Into the Fold with Brompton's Will Butler-Adams
Why Does Hollywood Hate Bikes?
TEASER: You Can't Afford to Live Here Because of Cars
CONSPIRACY!
Feminist City with Leslie Kern
TEASER: Super Bowl Roundup
The War on Cars Turns 100
TEASER: Cars, Consumerism and Climate
Car Brain with Dr. Ian Walker
The High Cost of Free Parking with Donald Shoup
Deconstructing Muscle Car City
RERELEASE: There Are No Accidents with Jessie Singer
TEASER: What We Knew About Elon
Three is the Magic Number with Mike Radenbaugh
Muscle Car City: We Are in the Movie
TEASER: Deleted Scenes with Dan Savage
TEASER: Soccer and Cities with Tesho Akindele
Make Love Not Cars with Dan Savage
Walking the Walk with Jonathon Stalls
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL