EPISODE 104: Arrested Mobility with Charles Brown

Hey, War on Cars friends and supporters:

Did you know that in Huntsville, Alabama, it’s illegal to play ball on any street, alley, or sidewalk? And in Lewiston, Maine, pedestrians need to keep to the right half of the crosswalk while crossing the street. In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, bicyclists are strictly prohibited from any kind of “fancy riding.” If these laws sound vague, arbitrary, and difficult to enforce, well, that might just be the point.

In a groundbreaking new report, urban planner Charles Brown painstakingly identifies the vast array of transportation-related rules, regulations and policies that are used to limit the mobility and freedom of Black Americans while providing no real benefit to public safety. Brown gives this repressive policy regime a name. He calls it: Arrested Mobility.

Brown's report is an eye-opener, as is his podcast of the same name. We really got a lot out of this conversation with Charles and hope that you enjoy this ad-free version of the episode too. Let us know what you think in the comments section or on social media.

As always, thanks so much for your support. As a token of our appreciation, we are running a sale on all of the apparel in The War on Cars store through the end of May. For 10% off on t-shirts, hats, and other clothing items, use discount code BIKEMONTH when you check out.

Aaron, Sarah and Doug

P.S.

Have you read “Walkable City” by Jeff Speck? It’s a great book that belongs on every War on Cars listener’s collection. Now you can join Jeff for a two-day course on the most effective arguments, tools, and techniques for improving walking, biking, and transit. The Walkable City course takes place June 15-16, in-person, on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You’ll learn powerful strategies for building stronger, healthier, more equitable places by focusing on walkability. And you’ll get hands-on experience working on a project in the City of Watertown. Whether you’re already an urban design professional, you aspire to become one, or you just want to learn more about how to make your own community more walkable, Jeff's course is meant for you. And, hey, when it's all done you can be one of those pretentious people who says they "went to school in Cambridge."

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