Hey, Bike Haters, You Will Lose the Culture War You’re Starting … – Streetsblog USA
Last month, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released his Plan for Motorists, which reads like it was written by a car. In it, Sunak proposes to rid his polluted, congested nation of so-called anti-motorist measures such as 20 mph speed limits, dedicated bus lanes, and automated camera enforcement. Sunaks party has also bought into conspiracy theories that 15-minute cities, built so everything you need is within a 15-minute walk or bike ride away, are prisons for car owners.
In New York, politicians of all stripes are ratcheting up anger over the so-called (and eponymous podcast title) war on cars. Council Member Bob Holden (D-Queens) decried the arrival of Citi Bike in central Queens as a salvo from the fanatical anti-car movement, and Council Member Vickie Paladino (R-Queens) uses her office Twitter account to blast congestion pricing and even the transition to electric vehicles amount as Democrat-led cash grabs. Meanwhile, companies like Broadway Stages are flexing their muscle to get the mayors chief adviser who boasts that she hasnt ridden the subway in decades to reverse long-established safe street redesign protocols.
Its worth reminding oneself that this is the response to measures that aim to: a) make roadways safer; b) delay the worst effects of climate change; and c) make it easier to simply breathe outside. Such proposals barely ask Americans to make even a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things, but they do seek to encourage people to drive a little bit less, to drive a less-polluting vehicle, or to try (keyword: try) to give people the option of not driving at all.
In return, people who even mildly question the primacy of the automobile are met with a vitriolic backlash, one whose vehemence shows how deeply people associate themselves with the car. Initiatives that use less than 1 percent of a citys (mostly free) parking spots for something that isnt the private storage of vehicles on public space like bikeshare, outdoor dining or even getting disgusting trash out of the way of pedestrians are labeled a war on our way of life. (Or as conservative commentator Ann Coulter put it: $0 for the Wall. $5 Billion for bike paths.)
This car culture war will likely get worse, as Sunak, Holden, Paladino and their ilk show. Cities cant deliver on their climate goals without getting cars off the road. Cities cannot succeed in solving Americas road-death crisis without calming streets, reducing car speeds and creating more space for cyclists and pedestrians.
Meanwhile, Millennials and Gen Zers, who will soon dominate policy-making circles, want walkable communities and lives without cars. Thats good news for the future, but sets up a clash with the naysayers who still have a grip on power (and community boards).
But the revanchists should be aware: their culture war risks backfiring. The abortion fight is a telling example. Conservatives who pushed to repeal Roe v. Wade didnt expect people to respond by voting to preserve abortion rights, even in deep-red states. This was always one of Donald Trumps great flaws: by making everything political, you end up energizing a lot more people (who are usually apolitical) against you.
The same can be said about cars. Theres a clear demand for safer streets and better mobility options: bike lanes lead to more cycling, while pedestrianization leads to more walking (and spending). Polls often capture a wide swath of the population that would bike or walk more if conditions were safer or more pleasant. If opponents seek battles to prevent the changes we need, they shouldnt be surprised when people of all backgrounds show up in support.
Change, of course, is difficult and cars are potentially poised for the loudest outcry. You might not know someone who had to get an abortion, whose sexual identity or orientation are under attack, or whose school district banned fact-based history instruction, but its almost an absolute certainty that youve been in a car. In a recent interview, Sunak said exactly that when dodging questions about a major high-speed rail project that he cancelled: The vast majority of the journeys that people make are in their cars, he said, suggesting that trying to change that is futile and politically suicidal.
Weve been here before. (Time and time again.) In 1972, an angry taxi driver in Amsterdam was captured on video ripping down barricades for a kids-only street and exerting his right to drive anywhere at any time. Residents persevered, pushing the Dutch capital to become a hallmark of people-friendly streets (with still plenty of cars to go around) as the rest of the world gobbled up more space for the internal combustion engine.
In many ways, countless cities today are finally arriving at their 1972 Amsterdam moment, stuck between a gurgling culture war that threatens to enrage and enlist countless drivers by convincing them that their parking is more important than the Earth or a childs survival and a movement to reclaim space for everyone else.
Local leaders will just have to decide whether thats actually an equal fight.
Read more from the original source:
Hey, Bike Haters, You Will Lose the Culture War You're Starting ... - Streetsblog USA
- Ann Coulter - Fort Bend Herald - January 27th, 2025 [January 27th, 2025]
- ANN COULTER: A bad year for The Wall Street Journal - Indiana Gazette - January 27th, 2025 [January 27th, 2025]
- "Really ought to sit this one out" - Internet reacts as Ann Coulter calls out Megyn Kelly over slamming Lauren Sanchez racy inauguration... - January 27th, 2025 [January 27th, 2025]
- Ann Coulter Slams Pete Hegseth For Cheating In Past Relationships - OK! - December 5th, 2024 [December 5th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter: Tony Hinchcliffe Wrote Roast Jokes So Bad I Rejected Them - The Daily Beast - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Says Tony Hinchcliffes Comedy Central Roast Jokes Were So Bad That Even She Rejected Them - imdb - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Ann Coulter rejected roast jokes written by Trump MSG comic Tony Hinchcliffe - New York Daily News - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Says Tony Hinchcliffes Comedy Central Roast Jokes Were So Bad That Even She Rejected Them - Cracked.com - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Vivek Ramaswamy finally finds his reply to Ann Coulter: 'I never thought I'd vote for somebody non-Christ - The Times of India - October 11th, 2024 [October 11th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Daydreams About Donald Trump's Death While Fawning Over JD Vance - HuffPost - October 3rd, 2024 [October 3rd, 2024]
- Ann Coulter: Another Lie: Biden Is Deporting More Illegals Than Trump - Northwest Georgia News - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Opinion: Another Lie: Biden is Deporting More Illegals Than Trump Ann Coulter - Prescott eNews - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- ANN COULTER: Another lie - Biden is deporting more illegals than Trump - Indiana Gazette - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Rosie O'Donnell, Ana Navarro blast 'heartless' Ann Coulter for mocking Tim Walz's son - Entertainment Weekly News - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Tim Walz son Gus Walz shed DNC tears and proved Ann Coulter is a troll - MSNBC - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Rosie ODonnell and Ana Navarro Slam Ann Coulter for Mocking Tim Walzs Son: A Heartless Woman Who Needs to Leave Gus Walz the F Alone - Variety - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter blames Democrats for her calling Tim Walz's son 'weird' - MSN - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Fox News host says Ann Coulter 'should be in prison' for mocking Tim Walz's crying son - Raw Story - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Shrugs Off Insult to Tim Walzs Son With Misspelled Non-Apology - The Daily Beast - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Michelle Obama praises Gus Walzs reaction to dads speech swipes at critics after Ann Coulter mocked teen - The Independent - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Gus Walzs Proud Son Moment at DNC Gets Hate from Far-Right Pundits Like Ann Coulter. The World Is Siding with Gus - PEOPLE - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Who is Elizabeth Booker Houston (@BookerSquared)? Meet TikToker who smoked Ann Coulter for calling Gus Wa - The Times of India - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ouch! Ann Coulter gets roasted to death by DC comedian, and it's brutal (video) - Boing Boing - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter receives major backlash after mocking Gus Walz's outburst of emotion over his father Tim's Democra - Daily Mail - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- 'You Poorly Raised POS': Right-Wing Pundit Ann Coulter Ripped by Holly Robinson Peete for Bullying Tim Walz's Son with Special Needs - Atlanta Black... - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- The View Co-Host Ana Navarro Condemns Ann Coulter for Mocking Gus Walz - TV Insider - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Rosie ODonnell and Ana Navarro Slam Ann Coulter for Mocking Tim Walzs Son: A Heartless Woman Who Needs to Leave Gus Walz the F Alone - imdb - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Companion Piece: Ann Coulter and Gus - Daily Kos - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter criticized for now-deleted post mocking Tim Walzs son - MSN - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter is getting dragged to hell for her ableist Gus Walz comment - INTO - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- The Roast of Rob Lowe That Became the Roast of Ann Coulter Is Once Again Topical - Cracked.com - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Has Tim Walz Responded to Ann Coulter's Mean Tweet About 17-Year-Old Gus Walz? - Distractify - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter and MAGA are hating on Gus Walz, but these 35 reactions from Dems are giving us LIFE - Pride.com - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- 'You're a F------ Monster': Ann Coulter Torn Apart for Mocking Tim Walz's Son's Emotional Moment at the DNC - OK! - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Rosie ODonnell and Ana Navarro criticize Ann Coulter for mocking Tim Walzs son at the DNC - The Express Tribune - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Who Is Ann Coulter? 5 Things to Know About the Conservative Media Personality - HollywoodLife - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter responds to backlash after calling Tim Walzs neurodiverse son weird at DNC - The Express Tribune - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Criticized For Mocking Tim Walz's Son In X Post - MSN - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Gus Walz receives wave of support after Ann Coulter's 'heartless' post - MSN - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- "Have to be a special kind of heart-less mutant" - Ana Navarro slams Ann Coulter for mocking Tim Walz's son over DNC moment, Rosie O'Donnell... - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter's Criticism of Tim Walz's Son Led Some to Wonder if She's a Mother - Distractify - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Who is Ann Coulter? A Fearless Voice in Conservative Politics - Black Star News - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Faces Bipartisan Backlash for X Post About Tim Walz Son - What's Trending - August 25th, 2024 [August 25th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter calls Trump an awful, awful person but says shell vote for him - The Hill - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- ANN COULTER: My proposed deal with the MAGA base - Indiana Gazette - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter Bashes Trump as an Awful, Awful Person But Says Shes Voting for Him Anyway Because of JD Vance - Mediaite - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Why Ann Coulter Said the Best Thing Donald Trump Could Do for America Was to Die - Inquisitr - August 16th, 2024 [August 16th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter tells Vivek Ramaswamy she would never vote for him because youre Indian - Yahoo News Malaysia - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter: SCOTUS Girls Gone Wild the Right to Crap in the Streets - Northwest Georgia News - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- ANN COULTER: The right to crap in the streets - Indiana Gazette - July 15th, 2024 [July 15th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter tells Vivek Ramaswamy she would never vote for him 'because you're Indian' - Yahoo Singapore News - June 27th, 2024 [June 27th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter: How Trump Will Lose the Debate - Northwest Georgia News - June 27th, 2024 [June 27th, 2024]
- Ann Coulter: Happy Kwanzaa! The Holiday Brought to You by the FBI - Northwest Georgia News - January 3rd, 2024 [January 3rd, 2024]
- Ann Coulter: Revealed! Nikki Haley's husband and his Djibouti call - Marshall News Messenger - November 14th, 2023 [November 14th, 2023]
- A Week of Good and Bad News for Joe Biden - The New Yorker - November 14th, 2023 [November 14th, 2023]
- Ramaswamy team claps back at Ann Coulter Hindu business tweet - The Hill - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Bigoted Ann Coulter: Haley & Ramaswamy Are 'Hindu Business' - India West - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Ann Coulter Gets Byline in NY Times, Which She Wanted Bombed by Timothy McVeigh - The Daily Beast - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Opinion | 'I Don't Think Trump Will Be the Nominee': Three Writers ... - The New York Times - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Vivek Ramaswamy Is Happy to Be Talked About, Even if His Name ... - The New York Times - August 26th, 2023 [August 26th, 2023]
- Ann Coulter: The truth about legacies | Opinion ... - Marshall News Messenger - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- Ann Coulter: No biggie, just the end of civilization - Northwest Georgia News - May 16th, 2023 [May 16th, 2023]
- Tarleton State Honors Educators with Crystal Apple Awards - The Flash Today - May 16th, 2023 [May 16th, 2023]
- Homegrown review: Timothy McVeigh and the rise of the Trumpist threat - The Guardian - May 16th, 2023 [May 16th, 2023]
- Ann Coulter: The new baby-killers | Opinion | havasunews.com - Today's News-Herald - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- Bob Neal: The Countryman: Knitting a party back together - Lewiston Sun Journal - May 2nd, 2023 [May 2nd, 2023]
- Ann Coulter: The new baby-killers | Columns ... - Northwest Georgia News - April 28th, 2023 [April 28th, 2023]
- Ann Coulter: Who really cares about dead kids? - Marshall News Messenger - April 28th, 2023 [April 28th, 2023]
- Letters to the Editor: Free speech is alive and well, even on college ... - Los Angeles Times - April 19th, 2023 [April 19th, 2023]
- Statehouse Beat: Ignoring the will of the people not exclusive to WV ... - Charleston Gazette-Mail - April 19th, 2023 [April 19th, 2023]
- No Constitutional Right To Honk Your Car Horn, Federal Court Says - Reason - April 19th, 2023 [April 19th, 2023]
- Wisconsin's Supreme Court election is a bad omen for the GOP - MSNBC - April 13th, 2023 [April 13th, 2023]
- What if they gave a riot and nobody came? Conservatives arent marching to Trumps tune | Mulshine - NJ.com - March 28th, 2023 [March 28th, 2023]
- Ann Coulter: Heavy D don't tweet, he acts - Northwest Georgia News - March 26th, 2023 [March 26th, 2023]
- Singh 24: Nikki Haley's attempt to transcend race is a major setback ... - The Brown Daily Herald - March 26th, 2023 [March 26th, 2023]
- We've witnessed campus cancellation campaigns. Elder Holland ... - Deseret News - March 23rd, 2023 [March 23rd, 2023]
- Insults in the political world continue and theyre aimed at women | Quigley - NJ.com - March 19th, 2023 [March 19th, 2023]
- What the Irish immigrant experience can teach us about todays ... - Niskanen Center - March 19th, 2023 [March 19th, 2023]
- The Perils of Orthodoxy and Florida House Bill 999 - lareviewofbooks - March 19th, 2023 [March 19th, 2023]
- Where is Ann Coulter today? Her Bio: Husband, Net Worth ... - February 26th, 2023 [February 26th, 2023]