Captive Driver
@captivedriver.bsky.social
Car culture, bikes and bike infrastructure. Boston centric.
Reposted by Captive Driver
Shifting money from roads to public transportation saved Illinois transit. A new map shows how other states can benefit from this approach.
Shifting money from roads to public transportation saved Illinois transit. A new map shows how other states can benefit from this approach. - Streetsblog Chicago
Last October 31, during the early-morning hours, Illinois public transportation boosters rejoiced after state legislators passed a robust transit reform/funding bill with $1.5 billion in new annual fu...
chi.streetsblog.org
January 13, 2026 at 10:36 PM
Shifting money from roads to public transportation saved Illinois transit. A new map shows how other states can benefit from this approach.
Reposted by Captive Driver
Hopefully, the laws will finally catch up to reality.
Congress Proposes 'SAFE Exit Act' To Change Terrible Tesla-Style Door Handles - Jalopnik
www.jalopnik.com
January 10, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Hopefully, the laws will finally catch up to reality.
Reposted by Captive Driver
In Victoria and NSW 15-2Omph over is an automatic suspension ... road death rates are about 1/3 of the US average
Seems like getting your drivers license revoked after going 100 mph+ should be the norm, rather than one possible outcome of an experimental pilot program.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
January 5, 2026 at 11:43 PM
In Victoria and NSW 15-2Omph over is an automatic suspension ... road death rates are about 1/3 of the US average
Reposted by Captive Driver
Congestion pricing is an unqualified success in NYC. It would be great to see it expanded to every city with decent public transit options. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Congestion pricing after one year: How life has changed.
How life has changed in the New York area, according to data on traffic, transit and the responses of 600 readers.
www.nytimes.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Congestion pricing is an unqualified success in NYC. It would be great to see it expanded to every city with decent public transit options. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Captive Driver
There's a global solar energy revolution happening led by China and it should have been one of the biggest stories of 2025.
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
Cheap Solar Is Transforming Lives and Economies Across Africa
www.nytimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:54 PM
There's a global solar energy revolution happening led by China and it should have been one of the biggest stories of 2025.
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
While the US is committing to a suicide pact with fossil fuels, the rest of the world is leapfrogging into cheap nearly limitless energy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
Sounds good but reality will hit pretty hard like it did with mayor Wu in Boston. NYC is a different beast from Boston but there are definitely entrenched interests there too.
January 2, 2026 at 4:38 AM
Sounds good but reality will hit pretty hard like it did with mayor Wu in Boston. NYC is a different beast from Boston but there are definitely entrenched interests there too.
Reposted by Captive Driver
“In simple terms: a heavier car offers diminishing safety benefits to the person inside it, while imposing rapidly increasing risk on everyone else.” (Graph from The Economist)
December 31, 2025 at 2:15 AM
“In simple terms: a heavier car offers diminishing safety benefits to the person inside it, while imposing rapidly increasing risk on everyone else.” (Graph from The Economist)
Reposted by Captive Driver
Incredibly, not one of these milestones scores as a “win” using the traffic engineering metrics that quietly dictate city planning.
Urban planning prof Jonathan Levine and I have one paper detailing why and another explaining why it has to change for any vision of abundance to succeed. Links below.
Urban planning prof Jonathan Levine and I have one paper detailing why and another explaining why it has to change for any vision of abundance to succeed. Links below.
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
December 30, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Incredibly, not one of these milestones scores as a “win” using the traffic engineering metrics that quietly dictate city planning.
Urban planning prof Jonathan Levine and I have one paper detailing why and another explaining why it has to change for any vision of abundance to succeed. Links below.
Urban planning prof Jonathan Levine and I have one paper detailing why and another explaining why it has to change for any vision of abundance to succeed. Links below.
Reposted by Captive Driver
Sales of electric vehicles tanked as the Trump administration eliminated rebates and banned policies that made moving to an EV easier: https://bit.ly/4jnJ2sS
Electric vehicles had a bumpy road in 2025 — and one pleasant surprise
A suite of pro-EV federal policies have been reversed. Well-known vehicles have been discontinued. Sales plummeted. But interest is holding steady.
www.wgbh.org
December 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Sales of electric vehicles tanked as the Trump administration eliminated rebates and banned policies that made moving to an EV easier: https://bit.ly/4jnJ2sS
A low miles 2020 honda fit still costs around what it cost in 2020.
A 2020 Honda Pilot has depreciated roughly 48% in the last 5 years, with current prices falling between $18,000 and $23,000, depending on your location.
Here's How Much A 2020 Honda Pilot Has Depreciated After 5 Years - Jalopnik
www.jalopnik.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:56 PM
A low miles 2020 honda fit still costs around what it cost in 2020.
Another argument for better bike infrastructure and transit (and walkable neighborhoods).
Short trips are worse for your car's engine than long drives because they don't allow the engine to reach its ideal operating temperature, which can cause wear.
Do Short Trips Really Wear Out Your Engine Faster Than Long Drives? - Jalopnik
www.jalopnik.com
December 29, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Another argument for better bike infrastructure and transit (and walkable neighborhoods).
Reposted by Captive Driver
“Car bloat”—increasingly oversized automobiles—worsens road safety, affordability and the environment.
Here are some of the stories I wrote in 2025 examining the trend and proposing solutions. 🧵
In @vox.com, I likened car bloat to secondhand smoke (which helped bring down the US tobacco industry).
Here are some of the stories I wrote in 2025 examining the trend and proposing solutions. 🧵
In @vox.com, I likened car bloat to secondhand smoke (which helped bring down the US tobacco industry).
Gigantic SUVs are a public health threat. Why don’t we treat them like one?
The anti-tobacco playbook could help turn the US public against their beloved oversized cars.
www.vox.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
“Car bloat”—increasingly oversized automobiles—worsens road safety, affordability and the environment.
Here are some of the stories I wrote in 2025 examining the trend and proposing solutions. 🧵
In @vox.com, I likened car bloat to secondhand smoke (which helped bring down the US tobacco industry).
Here are some of the stories I wrote in 2025 examining the trend and proposing solutions. 🧵
In @vox.com, I likened car bloat to secondhand smoke (which helped bring down the US tobacco industry).
Reposted by Captive Driver
I wrote this piece back in May. Good to see it being shared widely again. Screens were fitted to make cars look techy when, in fact, their main benefit was to auto makers because they were far far cheaper than physical switchgear.
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.
Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again
Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its…
wrd.cm
December 28, 2025 at 11:21 AM
I wrote this piece back in May. Good to see it being shared widely again. Screens were fitted to make cars look techy when, in fact, their main benefit was to auto makers because they were far far cheaper than physical switchgear.
I wonder if this can be utilized for bike infrastructure and pedestrian crossings.
The half black, half white stripes on highways increase the contrast between the markings and the concrete, improving safety and helping automated vehicles.
Those Half Black & White Stripes On The Highway Actually Serve A Clever Purpose - Jalopnik
www.jalopnik.com
December 24, 2025 at 3:57 AM
I wonder if this can be utilized for bike infrastructure and pedestrian crossings.
Reposted by Captive Driver
The automotive economy is a tremendous machine for the extraction and destruction of wealth.
December 20, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The automotive economy is a tremendous machine for the extraction and destruction of wealth.
Reposted by Captive Driver
An important factor at play in the free-fares vs. reduced-fares-for-low-income-people debate: A means-tested program will inevitably result in a large share of eligible people not using it.
The documentation required for NYC fair fares is a hurdle for some people, notably undocumented people.
The documentation required for NYC fair fares is a hurdle for some people, notably undocumented people.
December 18, 2025 at 5:06 PM
An important factor at play in the free-fares vs. reduced-fares-for-low-income-people debate: A means-tested program will inevitably result in a large share of eligible people not using it.
The documentation required for NYC fair fares is a hurdle for some people, notably undocumented people.
The documentation required for NYC fair fares is a hurdle for some people, notably undocumented people.
Reposted by Captive Driver
given how much cheaper touchscreens are than having to tool and manufacture physical switchgear, the safety data must be really bad for automakers to be voluntarily shifting back to real controls
New research finds that car touchscreens are so distracting that they induce "significant performance degradation" among drivers.
Meanwhile, in-vehicle touchscreens remain completely unregulated in the US.
doi.org/10.1145/3746...
Meanwhile, in-vehicle touchscreens remain completely unregulated in the US.
doi.org/10.1145/3746...
December 17, 2025 at 5:39 PM
given how much cheaper touchscreens are than having to tool and manufacture physical switchgear, the safety data must be really bad for automakers to be voluntarily shifting back to real controls
So many streets in Boston would benefit from this.
December 14, 2025 at 3:30 PM
So many streets in Boston would benefit from this.
Reposted by Captive Driver
It’s important to contextualize just how much less safe American drivers are than everywhere else in the world, and it’s getting worse!
December 13, 2025 at 5:15 PM
It’s important to contextualize just how much less safe American drivers are than everywhere else in the world, and it’s getting worse!
Reposted by Captive Driver
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Cycling like the Dutch would slash the world’s carbon footprint
If everybody cycled like the Dutch, we could offset the UK or Australia’s entire carbon footprint.
www.euronews.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:01 PM
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Reposted by Captive Driver
#boston we can do this
It's not just cutting traffic, it’s cleaning the air. A new Cornell study found that in the first six months of NYC's congestion pricing:
💨 Air pollution dropped by 22% in the core Manhattan zone.
🌳 The benefits spread to all five boroughs AND the suburbs!
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
💨 Air pollution dropped by 22% in the core Manhattan zone.
🌳 The benefits spread to all five boroughs AND the suburbs!
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
Congestion pricing improved air quality in NYC and suburbs | Cornell Chronicle
Cornell researchers tallied the environmental benefits of New York City’s congestion pricing program and found air pollution dropped by 22% in Manhattan, with additional declines across the city’s fiv...
news.cornell.edu
December 9, 2025 at 4:05 AM
#boston we can do this
Reposted by Captive Driver
Worth noting that cycle advocacy isn’t arriving from the cycle community alone.
A Better City is a “business-league” nonprofit deriving roughly 75% of revenue from business members, serving as an advocate for those members.
In other words, the corporate sector has embraced cycling.
A Better City is a “business-league” nonprofit deriving roughly 75% of revenue from business members, serving as an advocate for those members.
In other words, the corporate sector has embraced cycling.
OPINION: Bluebikes ridership has soared in Greater Boston. While there is no single solution to our many transportation challenges, the growing popularity of Bluebikes is showing that the region’s public bikeshare […]
E-bikes are supercharging the Bluebikes system - and that's a good thing - CommonWealth Beacon
Bluebikes ridership has soared in Greater Boston. While there is no single solution to our many transportation challenges, the growing popularity of
buff.ly
November 25, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Worth noting that cycle advocacy isn’t arriving from the cycle community alone.
A Better City is a “business-league” nonprofit deriving roughly 75% of revenue from business members, serving as an advocate for those members.
In other words, the corporate sector has embraced cycling.
A Better City is a “business-league” nonprofit deriving roughly 75% of revenue from business members, serving as an advocate for those members.
In other words, the corporate sector has embraced cycling.
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