Podcast #49 – Andy Singer Explains Why We Drive

runofcarFor the second week in a row, the podcast conversation with a guy named Andy about his new book. Only this time, I’m talking to Andy Singer, a cartoonist, writer, and bicycle advocate who lives in Saint Paul. For decades, Andy has drawn No Exit, a one-panel cartoon that appears in papers around the world. While Andy’s work ranges all over the usual cartoon territory, over the years he has become famous for his work about transportation policy, drawing panels that lampoon highway spending or reveal the frustrating paradoxes behind our car-centric urban priorities. Earlier this summer, Andy released a new book called Why We Drive, a collection of cartoon and essays about the history and breadth of automobility in US cities. The book combines Andy’s deep knowledge of transportation design with his cynical sense of humor, and makes for a quick and enjoyable read.

A few months ago, after a Twins/Oakland game, Andy and I sat down at Gluek’s Bar in downtown Minneapolis to blab about the book, biking in the Twin Cities, and why MN-DOT remains stuck in drive mode.

Like to the audio is here. Page through the whole funny section via the audio feed.

Bill Lindeke

About Bill Lindeke

Pronouns: he/him

Bill Lindeke has writing blogging about sidewalks and cities since 2005, ever since he read Jane Jacobs. He is a lecturer in Urban Studies at the University of Minnesota Geography Department, the Cityscape columnist at Minnpost, and has written multiple books on local urban history. He was born in Minneapolis, but has spent most of his time in St Paul. Check out Twitter @BillLindeke or on Facebook.