Captive Driver
@captivedriver.bsky.social
Car culture, bikes and bike infrastructure. Boston centric.
Reposted by Captive Driver
Most people, even very smart people, truly do not understand the extent to which car dependency was manufactured in the United States, and how decisions made 100 years ago are why cities and towns look the way they do today.
I'm really tired of people acting like car dependency happened organically when even a cursory look at history will make it clear that automakers pushed infrastructure and even zoning to juice car sales.
November 19, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Most people, even very smart people, truly do not understand the extent to which car dependency was manufactured in the United States, and how decisions made 100 years ago are why cities and towns look the way they do today.
Reposted by Captive Driver
We need to get real #mapoli. The state’s approach to reducing transport sector emissions is failing, was flawed from the start, & it’s time to correct it. We need to shift from our “EV only” policy toward a multimodal approach that encourages mode shift. commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
House punts on sweeping energy bill that would dial back state climate commitments - CommonWealth Beacon
After intense blowback to a draft House bill to weaken the state’s 2030 clean energy target, the chamber’s budget chief says the topic is on hold until next year.
commonwealthbeacon.org
November 18, 2025 at 11:43 AM
We need to get real #mapoli. The state’s approach to reducing transport sector emissions is failing, was flawed from the start, & it’s time to correct it. We need to shift from our “EV only” policy toward a multimodal approach that encourages mode shift. commonwealthbeacon.org/energy/house...
Reposted by Captive Driver
Lyft's 2016 projection vs Lyft's 2025 reality
November 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Lyft's 2016 projection vs Lyft's 2025 reality
Reposted by Captive Driver
Imagine if media outlets wrote that someone who committed tax fraud "filed all forms" or "filed their taxes before the deadline".
Media outlets love writing that drivers "stayed at the scene" which is what they legally have to do. But I guess it's news when drivers follow the law.
"The driver of the BMW [did not hit and run]"
November 14, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Imagine if media outlets wrote that someone who committed tax fraud "filed all forms" or "filed their taxes before the deadline".
Reposted by Captive Driver
Overall, this tells the disappointing reality of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 4 years after:
—Construction cost inflation ate up most of the increased spending
—There was no move to increase support for transit—in fact, there appears to have been a greater focus on highway than before
—Construction cost inflation ate up most of the increased spending
—There was no move to increase support for transit—in fact, there appears to have been a greater focus on highway than before
November 12, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Overall, this tells the disappointing reality of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, 4 years after:
—Construction cost inflation ate up most of the increased spending
—There was no move to increase support for transit—in fact, there appears to have been a greater focus on highway than before
—Construction cost inflation ate up most of the increased spending
—There was no move to increase support for transit—in fact, there appears to have been a greater focus on highway than before
Reposted by Captive Driver
“Believe it or not, electric bikes offer more exercise than pedal bikes on average. That fact might sound strange, but the science is clear.”
Why e-bikes actually give more exercise than “acoustic”bikes. (but both/either are excellent when it comes to better cities)
electrek.co/2024/02/20/w...
Why e-bikes actually give more exercise than “acoustic”bikes. (but both/either are excellent when it comes to better cities)
electrek.co/2024/02/20/w...
Why electric bikes actually give more exercise than pedal bikes
Believe it or not, electric bikes offer more exercise than pedal bikes on average. That fact might sound strange (and...
electrek.co
November 30, 2024 at 4:45 AM
“Believe it or not, electric bikes offer more exercise than pedal bikes on average. That fact might sound strange, but the science is clear.”
Why e-bikes actually give more exercise than “acoustic”bikes. (but both/either are excellent when it comes to better cities)
electrek.co/2024/02/20/w...
Why e-bikes actually give more exercise than “acoustic”bikes. (but both/either are excellent when it comes to better cities)
electrek.co/2024/02/20/w...
Reposted by Captive Driver
The part that stuck with me in the @thewaroncars.bsky.social book was when they highlighted a developmental psychologist who, in the 70's, wrote that a 6-yr-old should be capable of traveling solo 4-8 blocks to school, store, friends, playground, etc.
We've lost something important.
We've lost something important.
November 12, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The part that stuck with me in the @thewaroncars.bsky.social book was when they highlighted a developmental psychologist who, in the 70's, wrote that a 6-yr-old should be capable of traveling solo 4-8 blocks to school, store, friends, playground, etc.
We've lost something important.
We've lost something important.
A big reason I’m concerned is that there’s been an increase in assaults on cyclists in the Boston area (minuteman path incidents, caltrops on SW corridor). shrinking away from bike safety does not help.
Great for NYC. But getting very concerned if @wutrain.bsky.social is going to pause or walk back important street safety and bicycle improvements in Boston during her second term.
Reviewing Mamdani's past comments about transportation and getting pretty excited
www.reddit.com/r/Micromobil...
www.reddit.com/r/Micromobil...
November 12, 2025 at 1:56 PM
A big reason I’m concerned is that there’s been an increase in assaults on cyclists in the Boston area (minuteman path incidents, caltrops on SW corridor). shrinking away from bike safety does not help.
Great for NYC. But getting very concerned if @wutrain.bsky.social is going to pause or walk back important street safety and bicycle improvements in Boston during her second term.
Reviewing Mamdani's past comments about transportation and getting pretty excited
www.reddit.com/r/Micromobil...
www.reddit.com/r/Micromobil...
November 12, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Great for NYC. But getting very concerned if @wutrain.bsky.social is going to pause or walk back important street safety and bicycle improvements in Boston during her second term.
Reposted by Captive Driver
This is why I only buy bosch ebikes that can be serviced after the manufacturer goes under. Wish they we more affordable like they are in Europe and Asia though. Americans are getting ripped off.
Rad Power Bikes is in a tenuous position, and could shut down by early next year if it doesn't find new funding.
escapecollective.com/rad-power-bi...
escapecollective.com/rad-power-bi...
Rad Power Bikes faces possible shutdown after failed funding deal
Once the insurgent face of U.S. e-bikes, the Seattle brand may soon go dark.
escapecollective.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:51 PM
This is why I only buy bosch ebikes that can be serviced after the manufacturer goes under. Wish they we more affordable like they are in Europe and Asia though. Americans are getting ripped off.
Reposted by Captive Driver
We're looking at Tesla's sales figures in China, as well as the end of the short-lived Nexperia chip shortage and more.
Tesla Loses Even More Ground In China - Jalopnik
www.jalopnik.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:10 PM
We're looking at Tesla's sales figures in China, as well as the end of the short-lived Nexperia chip shortage and more.
Reposted by Captive Driver
literally every failing automaker tries this, and it never works
Tesla's latest gambit: become a rental car company. As cars pile up in showrooms and storage lots, Elon is trying to rent his way out of a crisis. Good luck, bud. #teslatakedown #MuskMustFall electrek.co/2025/11/10/t...
Tesla can’t sell its cars anymore so it is renting them now
Tesla is launching a new car rental program out of its stores in the US, as sales are crashing due...
electrek.co
November 10, 2025 at 5:02 PM
literally every failing automaker tries this, and it never works
Reposted by Captive Driver
The fact is that there are plenty of auto firms around the world making profitable EVs.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
Exclusive: Ford considers terminating the electric version of its F-150 pickup, a move that would make the money-losing truck America's first major EV casualty.
Exclusive | Ford Considers Scrapping Electric Version of F-150 Truck
Once hyped as a ‘smartphone that can tow,’ production of money-losing EV pickup may be shut down for good.
on.wsj.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The fact is that there are plenty of auto firms around the world making profitable EVs.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
If the US wants to pursue bringing back manufacturing with this kind of profound uncompetitiveness, the country is heading towards an even more wasteful and plutocratic future than the present.
Reposted by Captive Driver
car dependency is a curse, but also it just seems like low to mid-priced basic compact cars dont exist anymore?
November 4, 2025 at 8:35 PM
car dependency is a curse, but also it just seems like low to mid-priced basic compact cars dont exist anymore?
Reposted by Captive Driver
Meanwhile, in the far-left progressive bastion of ... entire State of Utah:
"The plan shows 3,100 miles of paths. The network would come within a mile of 95% of Utahns, connect to 33 school campuses, 31 state/national parks, and 74 high-capacity transit stations."
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/10...
"The plan shows 3,100 miles of paths. The network would come within a mile of 95% of Utahns, connect to 33 school campuses, 31 state/national parks, and 74 high-capacity transit stations."
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/10...
Utah rolls forward on statewide freeway system for bikes. Here’s where the trails would go.
Utah plans to build a statewide network of paved trails that will act like an interstate system for bikes.
www.sltrib.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Meanwhile, in the far-left progressive bastion of ... entire State of Utah:
"The plan shows 3,100 miles of paths. The network would come within a mile of 95% of Utahns, connect to 33 school campuses, 31 state/national parks, and 74 high-capacity transit stations."
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/10...
"The plan shows 3,100 miles of paths. The network would come within a mile of 95% of Utahns, connect to 33 school campuses, 31 state/national parks, and 74 high-capacity transit stations."
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Captive Driver
“The data also reveal a deep racial disparity, with the vast majority of the red light summons, or around 81 percent, going to people of color this year, with Hispanic New Yorkers making up the largest share at 39 percent.”
NYPD Criminal Bike Crackdown Continues Even as Mamdani Makes Overtures to Tisch - Streetsblog New York City
Street safety advocates should not be pleased by Zohran Mamdani's decision to invited NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch to stay on. Here's why.
nyc.streetsblog.org
November 3, 2025 at 11:44 AM
“The data also reveal a deep racial disparity, with the vast majority of the red light summons, or around 81 percent, going to people of color this year, with Hispanic New Yorkers making up the largest share at 39 percent.”
I feel that the term “gentrification” is adversarial and attempts to place blame on a group of people rather than land use and transportation policies that lead to a dearth of the kinds of places people find desirable.
"we should retire the word 'gentrification' altogether and speak plainly about what actually matters: affordability and displacement.... The better question, morally, isn’t how to bar newcomers but how to absorb them without harming those already there."
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/m...
Is It Bad to Buy Into a Gentrified Neighborhood?
www.nytimes.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I feel that the term “gentrification” is adversarial and attempts to place blame on a group of people rather than land use and transportation policies that lead to a dearth of the kinds of places people find desirable.
Reposted by Captive Driver
Great and cool how the future of the US auto industry looks like the Malaise era again.
"GM to cut 1200 jobs at Detroit EV plant, hundreds more at Tennessee, Ohio battery sites" www.detroitnews.com/story/busine...
GM to cut 1,200 jobs at Detroit EV plant, hundreds more at Tennessee, Ohio battery sites
Automaker cites "slower near-term EV adoption and an evolving regulatory environment" in latest pullback on electric ambitions.
www.detroitnews.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Great and cool how the future of the US auto industry looks like the Malaise era again.
Reposted by Captive Driver
Sarcasm aside, it's perhaps worth pointing out that the evidence suggests that weather disasters reduce economic growth for decades - the idea that there's rapid bounceback, or even extra growth stimulated by recovery, has proved wrong
www.newscientist.com/article/mg23...
www.newscientist.com/article/mg23...
We all get poorer every time a climate disaster strikes
Long-term economic effects of global warming could be far greater than thought, making many countries poorer and hurting even those of us spared direct impacts
www.newscientist.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Sarcasm aside, it's perhaps worth pointing out that the evidence suggests that weather disasters reduce economic growth for decades - the idea that there's rapid bounceback, or even extra growth stimulated by recovery, has proved wrong
www.newscientist.com/article/mg23...
www.newscientist.com/article/mg23...
Why would wealthy people “flee” from a place with one highest QOLs in the world? Rich people know you pay for quality.
WELL HOW ABOUT THAT
"A millionaire levy in Massachusetts has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing significant high-profile departures from the state."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
"A millionaire levy in Massachusetts has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing significant high-profile departures from the state."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Why would wealthy people “flee” from a place with one highest QOLs in the world? Rich people know you pay for quality.
Reposted by Captive Driver
The message consultants all say that when you discuss urbanism you're definitely never supposed to bad-mouth cars, lest you turn off thin-skinned suburbanites. But fuck it, I'm not running for office, the world is burning, & YOLO, so: cars fucking suck!
Yes, you weenies: a war on cars
Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon join me to discuss their new book and why a future with fewer cars is a happier one.
www.volts.wtf
October 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The message consultants all say that when you discuss urbanism you're definitely never supposed to bad-mouth cars, lest you turn off thin-skinned suburbanites. But fuck it, I'm not running for office, the world is burning, & YOLO, so: cars fucking suck!
Reposted by Captive Driver
US downtowns are covered with car parking.
According to this new study, off-street parking takes up:
🔹 20.5% of downtown Dallas
🔹 22.3% of downtown Los Angeles
🔹 31.7% of downtown Tulsa
According to this new study, off-street parking takes up:
🔹 20.5% of downtown Dallas
🔹 22.3% of downtown Los Angeles
🔹 31.7% of downtown Tulsa
October 21, 2025 at 12:25 PM
US downtowns are covered with car parking.
According to this new study, off-street parking takes up:
🔹 20.5% of downtown Dallas
🔹 22.3% of downtown Los Angeles
🔹 31.7% of downtown Tulsa
According to this new study, off-street parking takes up:
🔹 20.5% of downtown Dallas
🔹 22.3% of downtown Los Angeles
🔹 31.7% of downtown Tulsa
Reposted by Captive Driver
Reposted by Captive Driver
It will be funny if we find out the phthalates we grind into our food, air, and water from tires of our giant he-man pickup trucks turn out to be a leading cause of endocrine disruption in fetuses, causing all kinds of health issues he-man truck owners hate.
We live in stupid times. t.co/O9GEmy6jxU
We live in stupid times. t.co/O9GEmy6jxU
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2025/plastic-chemicals-phthalates-pregnancy-infertility/
t.co
September 4, 2025 at 6:07 PM
It will be funny if we find out the phthalates we grind into our food, air, and water from tires of our giant he-man pickup trucks turn out to be a leading cause of endocrine disruption in fetuses, causing all kinds of health issues he-man truck owners hate.
We live in stupid times. t.co/O9GEmy6jxU
We live in stupid times. t.co/O9GEmy6jxU
I was a year round bike commuter for almost 30 years. A little over a year ago I had two very traumatic experiences back to back during two separate commutes. I’ve tried numerous times to get back into it since then but each time I get stressed out and then take another month or two to try it again.
The huge hidden demand of people that want to cycle, but feel they can’t, because of perceived or actual danger
Customer return: "My kids love it and I love it, but drivers in our area are not used to bikes. If I go in the car lane, people are cursing and honking at us for slowing them down. I can't find a route that feels safe." 😡#bunchfam
September 2, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I was a year round bike commuter for almost 30 years. A little over a year ago I had two very traumatic experiences back to back during two separate commutes. I’ve tried numerous times to get back into it since then but each time I get stressed out and then take another month or two to try it again.