How The Car Industry Stole Our Streets

Turns out we've been driving on McRoads this entire time.

Images of Barcelona I've used:
Thumbnail basis:

[AdamSomething]

Thanks to Morning Brew for the well-written and concise newsletters, and of course for sponsoring today's video!

[realcrys]

While I still lived in Germany, I never thought about how a city could be without/less cars. When I moved to Amsterdam, I realized how great city with little traffic can be...it's a complete game changer for living quality

[Darksvnn]

I love when you talk urbanization and socialization. We always talk about how people are socializing less because of the internet but never think about urban planning

[austinnewell]

Adam, showing pictures of European roads: “These streets are awful!”

Me, an American: “You ain’t seen nothing yet, partner.”

[zzasdfwas]

It's sad that Adam's examples of how bad streets have become are 1000% better than what we have in the majority of America.

[AKidWithNoAttitude]

When the lockdown first hit, and there were maybe 2 cars on the road, I was taken aback at how much space there actually was that was inaccesible due to car traffic. It looked like something out of the Walking Dead, and I honestly miss it. It was so liberating seeing the 4-5 lanes of empty space that was just there.

[SzuperBee]

crazy how prager u preaches that taking away cars is taking away our freedom when in reality giving us cars made us more distanced and isolated and than ever before

[danielschmidt]

The movie "Cars" by Jorge Ohwell is a very good dystopian sci-fi film about a world in which cars have completely taken over society to the point where humans become irrelevant. Humans literally cease to exist because of how much society has become centered around cars. Walking spaces no longer exist in such a dystopia.

[redgreen]

“It’s a type of insanity that we all go used to over the years and never stopped to consider it’s implications”
Oh, so it’s like everything then

[AJRailfan]

"Why don't you kids go and play outside like we used to in the old days?"

It's not because of the technology and exciting things to do inside, it's because of the lack of public spaces and exciting things to do outside.

[garth]

"You, as a human being, are banned from using most public places unless you purchase a motor-vehicle. Let that sink in..."

[flaviour]

You're such a blessing for YouTube. I've never even batted an eye on how cars "belong" on streets.

[TrainfanJanathan]

I'd like to see more of these, but Americans would likely call it "an attack on our freedom" or "one step closer to communism."

[hafa-]

In Morocco we are leaving our 1200 years old cities or as we call it "medina" with narrow streets to live in modern neighborhoods, the problem is that our ancestors understood that narrow streets are the only solution to find shade in strong sun light, but we ruined everything, now we have wide ugly sunny streets

[navzy]

funny how as a child i got excited when i learned about rockets and space, but now I'm excited over peaceful and quite public spaces

[MrIndiemusic]

You cant even hang out on the sidewalk anymore in certain areas. Cops will ticket you for loitering.

[filipkaravas]

While I’m a fanatic car guy and I would drive everywhere If I had the chance, I support this movement. The benefits in human psychology and well-being in such venture vastly outweigh any transportation problems that might arise. The streets actually belong to pedestrians.

[Absitiam]

Yeah it’s very strange when people blame the internet, but in actuality it’s that fact that urban planning prevents people from socializing. As a kid the ONLY reason me and neighborhood kids could play is because we had a bigass culdesac. If the culdesac wasn’t there, there would be no safe space for kids to play, other than in each others homes, which I doubt any parents wanted to deal with the messes afterwards.

[dustind]

Adam "So what is the solution? How do we fix this?"
Me: Oh boy trains it's gonna be trains
Adam: "One word"
Me: Choo choo motherfu-
Adam: "Superblocks!"
Me: ...You absolute magnificent bastard

[mariusnita]

Truly dystopian, never even thought about it. Crazy how much space we lost to cars.