0
SPEAKER_01
I m David Farrier, a New Zealander accidentally marooned in America, and I want to figure out what makes this country tick.
0
SPEAKER_01
Back in episode 52, I went with Monica to the DMV to get my driver s license.
0
SPEAKER_01
It was a harrowing episode, but I emerged victorious.
0
SPEAKER_00
Yes!
0
SPEAKER_00
I m so proud of you.
0
SPEAKER_00
That was very scary.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s taken me over a year to do this.
0
SPEAKER_01
I ve put it off so many times.
0
SPEAKER_01
We had that huge failure last time and I have you to thank for that because you ve been here every step of the way through the failures and the passes.
0
SPEAKER_01
With my California driver s license in hand, I got my first car, joining 278 million Americans who drive around this giant melting pot of a country.
0
SPEAKER_01
I joined 278,065,727 Americans to be precise.
0
SPEAKER_01
Now thanks to me it was 278,065,728.
0
SPEAKER_01
And looking at driving statistics in America, I discovered I was part of a trend.
0
SPEAKER_01
An upward trend in car ownership of 3.6% since 2017.
0
SPEAKER_01
Why is car ownership still growing I wondered?
0
SPEAKER_01
Why do 92% of American households have at least one car?
0
SPEAKER_01
Why do Americans love their cars?
0
SPEAKER_01
I started to realise it when I got my car.
0
SPEAKER_01
I d lived in America for about a year and a half without one, and I d gotten used to that life.
0
SPEAKER_01
But once I had a car, I began having a completely different experience of America.
0
SPEAKER_01
I realised that this country is built for the car.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s not meant to be walked or cycled, this is a country built to be driven.
0
SPEAKER_01
Or as Rihanna said,
0
SPEAKER_01
She wasn t subtle.
0
SPEAKER_01
And Springsteen wasn t all that subtle either.
0
SPEAKER_01
Born to run?
0
SPEAKER_01
Springsteen meant born to drive.
0
SPEAKER_01
There s something baked into the American psyche about hitting the road.
0
SPEAKER_01
There s a reason Route 66 is a term everyone knows the world over.
0
SPEAKER_01
I wanted to learn more about how America has shaped the car, and more importantly, how the car has shaped America.
0
SPEAKER_01
So, get behind the wheel and prepare to put the pedal to the metal, because this is the Cars episode.
0
SPEAKER_01
Five minutes Five minutes for a touchdown in America
0
SPEAKER_01
You re back from your trip.
0
SPEAKER_00
I am back.
0
SPEAKER_01
Did you have a good time?
0
SPEAKER_00
In the flesh.
0
SPEAKER_00
I did have a good time.
0
SPEAKER_01
You re rejuvenated, refreshed.
0
SPEAKER_00
I m not.
0
SPEAKER_01
A new person.
0
SPEAKER_00
I feel tired.
0
SPEAKER_01
Well, no, you don t look tired.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh, good.
0
SPEAKER_00
You seem great.
0
SPEAKER_00
Thank you.
0
SPEAKER_00
I have a new eye cream.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh, that s cool.
0
SPEAKER_00
So that could be why I don t look tired.
0
SPEAKER_01
I ve started using a facial moisturizer for the first time in my life.
0
SPEAKER_00
For the first time.
0
SPEAKER_01
First time ever.
0
SPEAKER_00
Do you mind sharing the brand?
0
SPEAKER_01
It s...
0
SPEAKER_01
I don t know.
0
SPEAKER_01
I saw it at the chemist and I just like, maybe I should try a moisturizer.
0
SPEAKER_01
Like I m 40, I need to start looking up to the skin, you know, before it starts wrinkling and falling off my face.
0
SPEAKER_01
When do you mean to put it on?
0
SPEAKER_01
I put it on at night.
0
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, you can, night and morning.
0
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
0
SPEAKER_00
Do you wash your face?
0
SPEAKER_01
No.
0
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
0
SPEAKER_01
I take the Dax method of letting itself clean.
0
SPEAKER_00
I think you re going to want, especially if you re moisturizing, I would appreciate if you washed it first.
0
SPEAKER_01
To clarify, I put water on it.
0
SPEAKER_01
Like I shower, I just don t like soap it up.
0
SPEAKER_01
I get pimples and stuff.
0
SPEAKER_01
If I start using soap or like a thing,
0
SPEAKER_00
Okay, well, look, your skin looks great, so maybe you don t need to wash it.
0
SPEAKER_00
The idea of not washing my face... Fills you with dread.
0
SPEAKER_00
Incredible dread.
0
SPEAKER_00
That would not work for me.
0
SPEAKER_01
My friend in New Zealand, Dan, started using a facial moisturizer in New Zealand.
0
SPEAKER_01
He s a man s man, Dan.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh, okay.
0
SPEAKER_00
Burly?
0
SPEAKER_01
He s not burly.
0
SPEAKER_01
He s quite lithe, actually, but he s a manly man.
0
SPEAKER_01
And he decided he needed to moisturize.
0
SPEAKER_00
His arms are out?
0
SPEAKER_01
His arms are out.
0
SPEAKER_01
He keeps his in, actually.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh, really?
0
SPEAKER_00
He wears long sleeves?
0
SPEAKER_01
But his face started going quite red.
0
SPEAKER_01
He was like, this moisturiser s weird.
0
SPEAKER_01
And he realised that he d been using a facial cleanser.
0
SPEAKER_01
He d been putting that on in the morning and leaving it on.
0
SPEAKER_01
And he did that for about three weeks.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s one of the funniest things he s ever done.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s so funny.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then after a while, he was like, this is sort of burning and my skin s not feeling great.
0
SPEAKER_00
Ew, oh my God.
0
SPEAKER_00
Okay, well, I think whatever you re doing seems to be working for you.
0
SPEAKER_00
I m not gonna impart my skincare routine, although I do have an extensive skincare routine.
0
SPEAKER_01
Maybe I ll get your notes and see if it could work for me.
0
SPEAKER_01
Okay.
0
SPEAKER_01
Because your skin s good too.
0
SPEAKER_00
I feel unethical about something.
0
SPEAKER_01
Oh, okay, hit me.
0
SPEAKER_00
Because I didn t know what the topic was today.
0
SPEAKER_00
Cars.
0
SPEAKER_00
That s what s fun for us, right?
0
SPEAKER_01
Cars in America.
0
SPEAKER_00
But it feels very unethical to do an episode on cars and not include DAX.
0
SPEAKER_00
It feels weird.
0
SPEAKER_01
To be honest, it does.
0
SPEAKER_01
I also, I feel like we need to feel it out between us.
0
SPEAKER_00
Okay, that s fair.
0
SPEAKER_01
But I agree, it is weird, but also kind of funny.
0
SPEAKER_00
I guess it s the elephant in the room.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s the elephant in the room.
0
SPEAKER_00
Not in the room.
0
SPEAKER_01
Just some quick admin about America, because I ve been feeling American this week.
0
SPEAKER_01
I m reapplying for my visa.
0
SPEAKER_01
And that s reminded me that America is so hard to stay in.
0
SPEAKER_01
The end of my three-year work visa is coming up.
0
SPEAKER_01
And so I have to apply again with you guys as my sponsor.
0
SPEAKER_01
But I m doing all the same thing.
0
SPEAKER_01
I m gathering reference letters.
0
SPEAKER_01
I ve got to give them 200 pages of text basically proving that I m worthy to be here.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s such a process.
0
SPEAKER_00
Who s writing you letters?
0
SPEAKER_01
Well I m, it s weird because I sort of write them.
0
SPEAKER_01
You sort of write them for other people and then get them to sign them.
0
SPEAKER_01
I kind of ghost write them.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh wow.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then they kind of make sure it s all okay and they ll change a few words.
0
SPEAKER_00
Is that common, like a real- Maybe I shouldn t be airing this.
0
SPEAKER_01
I think I ve signed one.
0
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, no, I mean everyone does it.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s like you kind of like- Well I haven t signed one.
0
SPEAKER_01
I ll write one.
0
SPEAKER_01
Could you write one for me?
0
SPEAKER_01
It has to be about a page.
0
SPEAKER_01
I ll give you the format.
0
SPEAKER_01
It basically starts- Double spaced?
0
SPEAKER_01
No.
0
SPEAKER_00
It s tiny.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s size 10 point and not double spaced.
0
SPEAKER_01
It needs to start with your address.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then you say, dear, I don t know, like.
0
SPEAKER_01
Mr. Biden.
0
SPEAKER_01
Dear Mr. Biden.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then you need to spend a paragraph establishing why you re the person that should be writing it.
0
SPEAKER_01
So you re important.
0
SPEAKER_01
So you would establish your worthiness to be writing a letter.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh, I love this.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then you need to segue into how you know me.
0
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then you need to do about two pages, just praising me and how amazing I am.
0
SPEAKER_00
I thought you said it was one page total.
0
SPEAKER_01
Two.
0
SPEAKER_00
Oh, fuck.
0
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, it s a lot.
0
SPEAKER_00
I m busy.
0
SPEAKER_00
I can t.
0
SPEAKER_01
They re deranged, these letters, and everyone that applies for this O1 has to go through this process.
0
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
0
SPEAKER_01
If ever I m having a low day, I ll just get out my O1 letters.
0
SPEAKER_00
That you wrote yourself.
0
SPEAKER_01
And I ll just read them.
0
SPEAKER_01
Okay, moving on.
0
SPEAKER_01
The other thing, mail.
0
SPEAKER_01
I ve been thinking about doing an episode about the US Postal Service, because a while ago I ordered a tiny little white socks cap for Rob s new child.
0
SPEAKER_00
And it just never turned up.
0
SPEAKER_01
And then about a year after I d ordered it, when Vincent said it was probably too big to fit this tiny hat, I got the package.
0
SPEAKER_01
It looked like it had been kicked across the United States.
0
SPEAKER_01
This box was taped up with all this different tape.
0
SPEAKER_01
It was so wrecked.
0
SPEAKER_01
Weird.
0
SPEAKER_01
I opened it and there was a letter.
0
SPEAKER_01
And I love this so much.
0
SPEAKER_01
Dear Mr. Farrier, the contents of this package were given to FedEx Ground in Houston, Texas on August the 11th.
0
SPEAKER_01
They were transferred to us by a driver from the U.S.
0
SPEAKER_01
Postal Service in a package swap that we do once per month for packages tended to the wrong carrier.
0
SPEAKER_01
According to the driver, your package was one of several that they had found in a cargo bin containing primarily DHL packages, and he added that the packages may have been there for quite a few months.
0
SPEAKER_01
We explained to him that we were FedEx and had no way to move DHL packages and gave them back to him to return to the USPS distribution center.
0
SPEAKER_01
Upon examining the packages, I noticed that your package had a ship date of 21st of the 6th of 22 and had been bouncing around between delivery companies for over a year, never landing with the original intended delivery company.
0
SPEAKER_01
I instructed one of my quality assurance administrators to re-box your package and create a FedEx label so that we could finally forward the package to you.
0
SPEAKER_01
We re almost there.
0
SPEAKER_01
Since the bottom packing tape had dried out and could no longer stick, we can open the bottom flaps and the contents.
0
SPEAKER_01
A small white socks infant s baseball cap appears to be intact and undamaged.
0
SPEAKER_01
I realize that the cap may no longer fit the toddler.
0
SPEAKER_01
So if it s a lifetime baseball fan myself, maybe he or she can save it for one of their children.
0
SPEAKER_01
Go Sox.
0
SPEAKER_00
Holy shit.
0
SPEAKER_00
You have to frame that.
0
SPEAKER_01
It s beautiful.
0
SPEAKER_00
That s unbelievable.
0
SPEAKER_01
The effort this person went to to get this infant cap to me.
0
SPEAKER_01
Because you always hear nightmare stories and in the episode I sort of want to look at how the male system works.
1
SPEAKER_00
because you always hear about packages missing.
1
SPEAKER_00
This is the opposite.
1
SPEAKER_00
This is a beautiful person that has just gone through hell.
1
SPEAKER_02
Oh, to get you this little baby cap.
1
SPEAKER_02
That is so, I love this person.
1
SPEAKER_02
This person makes me feel bolstered by humanity.
1
SPEAKER_00
Completely.
1
SPEAKER_00
Which we need right now.
1
SPEAKER_00
We really need it right now.
1
SPEAKER_02
Did he sign his name?
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, I was worried not to say it in case you re not meant to be doing that.
1
SPEAKER_02
How about the first name?
1
SPEAKER_00
Vernon.
1
SPEAKER_00
Beautiful, right?
1
SPEAKER_01
I love this.
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
So anyway, I m going to do an episode about the mail.
1
SPEAKER_01
Okay, great.
1
SPEAKER_01
And maybe you can interview Vernon.
1
SPEAKER_00
Just quickly, also, I went to the Taylor Swift concert film.
1
SPEAKER_00
It was fun.
1
SPEAKER_00
I posted on Instagram that I was going, and I also posted the cinema, so some flightless bird people ended up buying tickets, which is really, I mean, it s sweet.
1
SPEAKER_00
They made some, because you re meant to give bracelets to each other.
1
SPEAKER_02
That s right, Swifty bracelets.
1
SPEAKER_00
And they made these.
1
SPEAKER_00
I m going to give these to you.
1
SPEAKER_02
Oh, do you want to throw me one?
1
SPEAKER_02
Both?
1
SPEAKER_00
I m going to throw you.
1
SPEAKER_00
I ve got one that says cinny.
1
SPEAKER_00
I just threw it over Monica s head and it landed on the floor behind you.
1
SPEAKER_00
They re beautiful and they say flightless bird and they re really... What was that?
1
SPEAKER_00
Rob s going in to get them.
1
SPEAKER_02
Thank you.
1
SPEAKER_00
That took me back to physical education class at school.
1
SPEAKER_00
We had to throw a ball and the baseball episode.
1
SPEAKER_00
Just can t throw.
1
SPEAKER_02
The baseball episode.
1
SPEAKER_02
Ding, ding, ding.
1
SPEAKER_02
Baseball cap.
1
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_02
Okay.
1
SPEAKER_02
These are adorable.
1
SPEAKER_00
They re cute, right?
1
SPEAKER_02
Swifty bracelets.
1
SPEAKER_02
Flightless bird.
1
SPEAKER_02
How sweet.
1
SPEAKER_02
I think that s the sweetest thing.
1
SPEAKER_02
I m going to wear it.
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
This woman, I didn t catch her name, but she was really lovely.
1
SPEAKER_00
She had a service dog with her that was basically the base.
1
SPEAKER_00
This dog was loving it.
1
SPEAKER_00
Sitting there experiencing front row of a Taylor Swift concert.
1
SPEAKER_00
And it was the cutest thing.
1
SPEAKER_02
Well, that s for another episode, which I cannot wait for.
1
SPEAKER_00
And the passion of the fans is real.
1
SPEAKER_00
And just finally, in my American summary, I m also working on an episode about, do you know those trees?
1
SPEAKER_02
I know exactly what you re about.
1
SPEAKER_00
They want a certain smell.
1
SPEAKER_02
Yes.
1
SPEAKER_00
I m working on an episode about those because I found out that they were sort of they re from China originally.
1
SPEAKER_02
OK.
1
SPEAKER_00
They smell like jizz.
1
SPEAKER_02
So that s funny because you also posted about that and you said that they smell like cum.
1
SPEAKER_02
I guess a lot of people think of it like that.
1
SPEAKER_02
Is it the Bradford pear, right?
1
SPEAKER_00
The Bradford pear tree.
1
SPEAKER_02
Yes.
1
SPEAKER_02
We had so many fucking Bradford pears outside of my high school.
1
SPEAKER_00
Right.
1
SPEAKER_00
Amazing.
1
SPEAKER_02
But we used to say they smelled like period.
1
SPEAKER_00
Oh, that s interesting.
1
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_02
And then a lot of people think they smell like semen.
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
So bodily fluid-ish.
1
SPEAKER_00
Yes.
1
SPEAKER_00
That s so interesting.
1
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
1
SPEAKER_00
I m going to die because I am going to definitely go and talk to people on the street about this and find out what they think it smells like.
1
SPEAKER_00
Fish is another common sort of thing people seem to... That s kind of more in the period realm.
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
But I m finding out some really fascinating things about this tree and it goes places.
1
SPEAKER_02
Oh, I can t wait.
1
SPEAKER_02
This is exciting.
1
SPEAKER_02
These are good Easter eggs.
1
SPEAKER_02
I got you a present when I was in New York, but I m not going to give it to you until it s relevant.
1
SPEAKER_00
Oh, it s relevant to an upcoming epi?
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
I m excited about this.
1
SPEAKER_00
I wonder what?
1
SPEAKER_02
I ll have to keep it in my purse because I don t know when.
1
SPEAKER_00
When I m going to bring this episode out.
1
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
1
SPEAKER_00
I like this.
1
SPEAKER_00
I m excited.
1
SPEAKER_00
Okay, that s the admin out of the way.
1
SPEAKER_00
Cars.
1
SPEAKER_02
You re a fan of the car.
1
SPEAKER_00
You drove here today.
1
SPEAKER_02
I drove here today begrudgingly.
1
SPEAKER_02
I would have preferred to have locked.
1
SPEAKER_00
Why did you drive?
1
SPEAKER_02
Timing.
1
SPEAKER_02
If I m running late, I have to drive.
1
SPEAKER_00
You gotta drive.
1
SPEAKER_02
Also, I just so happen to be able to walk to this job, but mostly you can t walk to your job.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s a rarity, right?
1
SPEAKER_00
Yes.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I m the same.
1
SPEAKER_00
I walk here, but now I ve got the car.
1
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
1
SPEAKER_00
It changes the way your brain works in America, I think.
1
SPEAKER_00
And you do start to just drive places you wouldn t normally walk.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I m fascinated by that, what that s doing to me.
1
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, what would you say percentage-wise, like did you drive here today?
1
SPEAKER_00
I walked today.
1
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
1
SPEAKER_00
Because the weather s kind of different today.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s a bit overcast and it s like a fun atmosphere to kind of be out in.
1
SPEAKER_00
But no, I d say my driving like 50-50 sometimes.
1
SPEAKER_00
And the car provides you with this sort of, it s like a respite from the day almost.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s like the car is this one place in, I feel in life where you re just completely alone and it s your own time.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I think that s maybe why I like driving here.
1
SPEAKER_02
OK, I want to be clear because I don t think it s fair and we re going to get some pushback.
1
SPEAKER_02
I think everyone would agree that mostly in America you drive.
1
SPEAKER_02
But in New York, you don t have to drive and a lot of people don t and don t know how.
1
SPEAKER_00
Totally.
1
SPEAKER_00
Totally.
1
SPEAKER_00
I m always amazed by people in New York that don t have a driver s license.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s kind of amazing.
1
SPEAKER_00
No driver s license.
1
SPEAKER_02
No driver s license.
1
SPEAKER_02
She doesn t know how to drive.
1
SPEAKER_00
That s so mad to me.
1
SPEAKER_00
So New Zealand is very similar to LA in that I think per capita, our car ownership is pretty much on par with LA.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s very similar in that our public transport kind of sucks and everyone drives.
1
SPEAKER_00
That s just a thing.
1
SPEAKER_00
And, you know, ideally that shouldn t be the case.
1
SPEAKER_00
There should be public transport and other systems in place.
1
SPEAKER_00
But you re very similar in that way.
1
SPEAKER_02
It s just very widespread, the city.
1
SPEAKER_02
That s how Atlanta is too.
1
SPEAKER_02
I mean, we do have, there s MARTA there.
1
SPEAKER_00
What s that?
1
SPEAKER_02
It s a public transportation, but often you then have to drive to the MARTA station, right?
1
SPEAKER_02
And then you get where you need to get, but it s just, some places have it dialed and others don t.
1
SPEAKER_00
Absolutely.
1
SPEAKER_00
The other thing I find kind of fascinating, and this is where this ends up going, is the concept of parking, because that is something we really take a swerve into parking.
1
SPEAKER_00
I love that.
1
SPEAKER_00
Actually, let s just, I m going to get into the dog and we ll come out of it and chat about it.
1
SPEAKER_00
Cars in America intertwined.
1
SPEAKER_00
When I started thinking about how much America loves cars, I couldn t stop thinking about it.
1
SPEAKER_00
I think that s because being in Los Angeles, driving is inevitable.
1
SPEAKER_00
Back when I didn t have a car, I still needed to drive, so I d order Lyfts or Ubers, or wait for a friend to pick me up.
1
SPEAKER_00
Sure, there s public transport here, but in my short experience, it s not particularly great.
1
SPEAKER_00
And so, in LA, people drive.
1
SPEAKER_00
And it can be slow and frustrating.
1
SPEAKER_00
You re stuck in the traffic at the grocery store parking lot, or you re inching on and off the freeway.
1
SPEAKER_00
You crawl through drive-thrus.
1
SPEAKER_00
Drive-thru Starbucks, drive-thru McDonald s, drive-thru In-N-Out.
1
SPEAKER_00
From what I can tell, you only ever get out of your car in America when you need to fight someone.
1
SPEAKER_04
This video is coming to us from Santa Clarita, where people in these two cars can be seen throwing things at each other.
1
SPEAKER_04
This is in an in-and-out drive-thru.
1
SPEAKER_04
They threw bleach, juice, water bottles, all of it going back and forth along with a lot of nasty language.
1
SPEAKER_00
Out of all the US states, California has the most cars.
1
SPEAKER_00
About 14 million of them.
1
SPEAKER_00
Just because it s so dense.
1
SPEAKER_00
But when it comes to cars per capita, Montana is top dog.
1
SPEAKER_00
Just because pretty much everyone in Montana needs a car.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s similar in South Dakota and Wyoming.
1
SPEAKER_00
Because those places are so vast, you need a car to get around.
1
SPEAKER_00
But then, America is vast.
1
SPEAKER_00
The whole thing is vast.
1
SPEAKER_03
I think I had long been conscious of just what a car-dominated country America is, and just what a seismic effect on American landscape, society, and the economy.
1
SPEAKER_00
For this episode, I m talking to Henry Grabar, a staff writer at Slate who writes about cars and transportation, urban policy and housing.
1
SPEAKER_00
And he s been thinking a lot about how much of America is taken up by the car and what that s done to America.
1
SPEAKER_03
That stuff I felt like I was pretty conscious of in my early career as a journalist when I started covering cities and I would write about
1
SPEAKER_03
land use and transportation, housing, and of course, the automobile, automobile dependency, the creation of the interstate highways, the destruction of black neighborhoods to build roads.
1
SPEAKER_03
All this stuff was very much something that I was aware of.
1
SPEAKER_00
The more he thought about it, the more he saw the ways in which cars affected the American landscape.
1
SPEAKER_00
See, most of us, including me, think of cars as being speedy and fast.
1
SPEAKER_00
It s how they ve been sold to us for decades.
1
SPEAKER_05
In a world where less is too often tolerated, Cadillac offers you more.
1
SPEAKER_05
In luxury and performance, Cadillac stands alone.
1
SPEAKER_00
But as Henry thought about it, he realised most of the time, cars aren t moving at all.
1
SPEAKER_00
They re stationary.
1
SPEAKER_00
Useless.
1
SPEAKER_00
Being stored.
1
SPEAKER_00
They re parked.
1
SPEAKER_00
And I realised this episode wasn t going to be about speedy cars.
1
SPEAKER_00
It was going to be about parked cars.
1
SPEAKER_00
Because that s exactly what most of America s cars are doing.
1
SPEAKER_03
When you really get down to it, parking in some ways, is my conclusion anyway, is more important to the actual position of the car in American society than the actual roads themselves.
2
SPEAKER_02
because the car spends 95% of its time parked, and parking takes up all this space.
2
SPEAKER_02
And so when you think about the car s actual spatial impact on the city, on the landscape, it s actually not in the roads themselves, it s in the parking spaces.
2
SPEAKER_01
Look, if you want a podcast about fast, speedy cars, Dax has an F1 show you can listen to.
2
SPEAKER_01
It s really good.
2
SPEAKER_01
But I was curious about this often not talked about aspect of American cars and car culture.
2
SPEAKER_01
Parking.
2
SPEAKER_01
In his book, Henry calls America a paved paradise.
2
SPEAKER_02
Believe me, there s nothing I hate more than being in the car and having no place to park it, especially when you have to pee and you re driving around in circles and you ve got a kid in the back of the car who s screaming.
2
SPEAKER_02
No, it s a bad situation.
2
SPEAKER_02
It s one of the unfortunate consequences of creating a society in which we have no other way to get around.
2
SPEAKER_02
And so, for a lot of people, finding parking is a precursor to doing literally anything.
2
SPEAKER_01
Maybe this explains why in America, on average, there are up to six parking spaces for every car.
2
SPEAKER_01
In his book, Henry interviewed someone from the Boston City Council about parking, who told him, the issue speaks to a basic principle of what it means to be an American.
2
SPEAKER_01
Like the gold miner and the pioneers, residents have the right to stake their claims.
2
SPEAKER_01
In this case, their claim on a parking space.
2
SPEAKER_01
Once you start thinking about how many cars are parked, you can t stop thinking about it, and you can t unsee it.
2
SPEAKER_01
I look out my window right now at the road, and there are parked cars everywhere.
2
SPEAKER_01
But as Henry puts it, a parking space is nothing less than the link between driving and life itself.
2
SPEAKER_01
There are so many cars parked, or trying to park in America, it almost defies belief.
2
SPEAKER_01
It s why the long-running SimCity video game franchise didn t include parking spaces or parking lots.
2
SPEAKER_01
They just look too unrealistic.
2
SPEAKER_01
No one would believe it.
2
SPEAKER_01
SimCity, the game, or maybe it was The Sims, just did away with parking altogether because it was just too ugly in the game.
2
SPEAKER_01
Just visually, you d look at the game and it wouldn t make sense.
2
SPEAKER_01
I think that says a lot.
2
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, I think about that a lot.
2
SPEAKER_01
They actually went out.
2
SPEAKER_02
They started measuring things.
2
SPEAKER_02
They went out to their local supermarket with a tape measure and they were like, all right, well, how big is all this stuff?
2
SPEAKER_02
You know, if we re going to create a convincing representation of the real world.
2
SPEAKER_02
And they said, no, no, no, this is not going to work.
2
SPEAKER_02
Nobody s going to play this game.
2
SPEAKER_02
They said in the SimCity game you have to pretend that the parking is underground.
2
SPEAKER_01
But in real life, parking is a priority.
2
SPEAKER_01
Overall, housing cars has become more important than housing people, as factors built into zoning laws.
2
SPEAKER_02
These are the laws that govern what can be built where in every city and suburb.
2
SPEAKER_02
And they blanket the United States and they can be very, very specific in determining exactly what kind of stuff you can build.
2
SPEAKER_02
And the laws almost always
2
SPEAKER_02
have a maximum on the amount of housing that can be built on a certain property, and they almost always have a minimum on the amount of parking that can be built on a certain property.
2
SPEAKER_02
And so you really find yourself in many places devoting more square footage to parking than you are to housing.
2
SPEAKER_01
People get precious about their parks.
2
SPEAKER_01
Henry opens his book recounting an incident in Queens where two drivers were both jostling for a spot outside the Rainbow Bakery.
2
SPEAKER_01
Things escalate, the drivers get out of their cars and punches are thrown.
2
SPEAKER_01
One passenger comes out with a baseball bat.
2
SPEAKER_01
Eventually, one of them decides to use their car as a weapon, hitting the other driver before jumping the curb and driving directly through the front window of the bakery.
2
SPEAKER_01
It s carnage, and it s all over a parking space.
2
SPEAKER_04
Surveillance video shows the moment a white Audi plunges into a flushing bakery.
2
SPEAKER_04
Neighbors say the crash was deliberate, but the store wasn t the target.
2
SPEAKER_00
You know, so shocked.
2
SPEAKER_00
People were so panicked.
2
SPEAKER_04
You can see four men duking it out on Casino Boulevard.
2
SPEAKER_04
Witnesses say the two parties were fighting over a parking spot.
2
SPEAKER_04
One man armed with a baseball bat starts swinging at the Audi driver.
2
SPEAKER_01
While I wouldn t go that far myself over a parking space, I ve definitely felt frustration trying to find a park.
2
SPEAKER_01
But the issue of parking and finding a park extends beyond tit-for-tat parking shenanigans we experience.
2
SPEAKER_02
You begin to realize there s actually this more fundamental parking fight that s going on.
2
SPEAKER_02
And it s not two people duking it out with a baseball bat.
2
SPEAKER_02
It s neighbors determined to preserve and create as much parking as possible, and neighbors fighting for more parking.
2
SPEAKER_02
And this is actually an extremely influential force in American neighborhood planning, which is the level of planning in this country that matters the most, right?
2
SPEAKER_02
That s where new apartment buildings get approved or denied.
2
SPEAKER_02
And when it comes to building new housing, which is something this country desperately, desperately needs,
2
SPEAKER_02
Too often, neighbors see that new housing coming in the form of stolen parking spaces.
2
SPEAKER_02
It s like they visualize new neighbors as coming in parking-sized packages.
2
SPEAKER_02
They re not there to attend school with their kids or grill with you on the sidewalk on the afternoon.
2
SPEAKER_02
They re there to take your parking spaces.
2
SPEAKER_02
And so a lot of this debate about the direction of the neighborhood, the city, the country gets swallowed up in this fight over parking spaces.
2
SPEAKER_01
And parking isn t cheap to build.
2
SPEAKER_01
It holds back some housing from being built because it s too expensive, when it comes to underground car parks especially.
2
SPEAKER_01
Turns out, they can be harder building down than building up.
2
SPEAKER_01
When you break it down, it costs about $28,000 to build each individual parking space in a parking garage.
2
SPEAKER_01
They re essentially like bridges.
2
SPEAKER_02
I mean, it s post-tensioned, reinforced concrete.
2
SPEAKER_02
So they ve got these concrete slabs with these steel cables running through them.
2
SPEAKER_02
And it s a relatively sophisticated form of construction that costs quite a bit of money.
2
SPEAKER_02
And this explains a lot about parking, because once you realize how much money it costs to build a garage,
2
SPEAKER_02
you begin to realize there s actually a very, very small number of places geographically where parking pencils out as a business opportunity.
2
SPEAKER_02
It s really just downtowns, sports arenas, and airports, maybe a hospital or a university.
2
SPEAKER_02
Aside from that, no one s ever going to build a garage with the expectation of getting people to pay money for it.
2
SPEAKER_01
There are examples over the last five years from where the rules have loosened in regards to the minimum number of carparks required when building new housing for human beings.
2
SPEAKER_01
And some surprising things have happened.
2
SPEAKER_01
Certain parts of the city have started to look different.
2
SPEAKER_01
Maybe a bit like SimCity.
2
SPEAKER_01
When all those parking spaces are taken away, things can start to look better.
2
SPEAKER_02
In almost every city that has done away with these laws, what we ve seen is fewer parking spaces getting built with every new project.
2
SPEAKER_02
And in turn, that makes new projects more affordable.
2
SPEAKER_02
And perhaps more fundamentally, it opens up new possibilities for the types of things that can be built.
2
SPEAKER_02
Because I think one of the shocking things about architecture in this country after the implementation of these parking laws
2
SPEAKER_02
is that we lose touch with the vernacular American style that characterized many of our favorite neighborhoods in our favorite cities.
2
SPEAKER_02
I m talking about things like bungalow courts in Los Angeles, or brownstones in Brooklyn, or triple-deckers in Boston.
2
SPEAKER_02
All these things become illegal to build.
2
SPEAKER_02
And that was a real shame.
2
SPEAKER_02
I mean, that was a terrible mistake.
2
SPEAKER_02
We didn t mean to do it necessarily.
2
SPEAKER_02
We meant to just make sure that every new house had an ample number of parking spaces.
2
SPEAKER_02
But in effect, we did outlaw these types of buildings from being constructed because the parking just stopped penciling out.
2
SPEAKER_02
And in the last five years, as these laws have been repealed, you ve begun to see a resurgence in those building types, which is great.
2
SPEAKER_01
Stay tuned for more Flightless Bird.
2
SPEAKER_01
We ll be right back after a word from our sponsors.
2
SPEAKER_01
Flightless Bird is brought to you by Helix Sleep.
2
SPEAKER_01
Are you a fan of your mattress, Monica?
2
SPEAKER_03
I do like my mattress.
2
SPEAKER_03
It s changed my life.
2
SPEAKER_03
It s not a small thing.
2
SPEAKER_03
It s not a small thing.
2
SPEAKER_03
If you have a bad one, you don t even necessarily realize how much it s affecting your sleep, which then is affecting your day.
2
SPEAKER_01
I was traveling recently and slept on a friend s couch, and it made me remember how much I like my Helix mattress.
2
SPEAKER_01
It s like a very different situation.
2
SPEAKER_01
The Helix lineup offers 20 unique mattresses, including the award-winning Luxe Collection and the newly released Helix Elite Collection.
2
SPEAKER_01
And you basically go to their website, you take a quiz about how you sleep and what you like.
2
SPEAKER_03
I like that, more personalized.
2
SPEAKER_01
Oh my god, it s really good.
2
SPEAKER_01
And then like magic, it just turns up at your front door, take it out of the box, boom, springs to action.
2
SPEAKER_01
There it is.
2
SPEAKER_03
I love that part, seeing it poof out.
2
SPEAKER_01
It s like magic.
2
SPEAKER_01
It s like a magic trick.
2
SPEAKER_01
I took the Helix Sleep Quiz and got matched with a midnight mattress because I wanted something that felt like a medium kind of firmness and plus I sleep on my side and back a lot.
2
SPEAKER_01
So that s the thing that worked for me and I ve been having really good sleep.
3
SPEAKER_02
here in America.
3
SPEAKER_02
Helix is offering 25% off all mattress orders and a free bedroom bundle for our listeners in honor of Black Friday.
3
SPEAKER_02
The bundle includes two free pillows as well as a set of sheets and even a mattress protector.
3
SPEAKER_02
Go to helixsleep.com slash bird and use code helixpartner25.
3
SPEAKER_02
This is their best offer yet and it won t last long.
3
SPEAKER_02
With Helix, better sleep starts now.
3
SPEAKER_02
Flightless Bird is brought to you by Aura Frames.
3
SPEAKER_02
I have been gifting these frames to people for a little while now.
3
SPEAKER_02
Rob s got one.
3
SPEAKER_00
I know, it s kind of your thing.
3
SPEAKER_02
Honestly, giving someone a digital frame that s pre-loaded with photos of them that are either like really lovely or you can also take the more comedic option and just load it with what you want.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s a really fun gift and honestly people, their little eyes light up.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s a very thoughtful gift.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
I m going back to New Zealand, I think soon for a little bit, and I m going to give my parents a frame because my mum and dad always want to know what I m doing here.
3
SPEAKER_02
And I email them, but photos, they bring it to life.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s really easy to set up.
3
SPEAKER_02
It takes a couple of minutes per frame using the Aura app.
3
SPEAKER_00
I think it s really cool also because you can add unlimited photos and videos and you can invite multiple people to a frame.
3
SPEAKER_02
The other thing I like is that you can update the frame.
3
SPEAKER_02
So if you have set it up as a gift, you can send other photos to it.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s kind of the perfect gift for any occasion.
3
SPEAKER_02
From now through Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Aura is having their best deal of the year.
3
SPEAKER_02
Listeners can save $40 on their best-selling Carver matte frame using auraframes.com slash bird.
3
SPEAKER_02
That s A-U-R-A frames dot com slash bird.
3
SPEAKER_02
Use promo code bird to get $40 off their best-selling frames.
3
SPEAKER_02
Parking, Monica, it s everywhere.
3
SPEAKER_02
I feel like once you start thinking about it, even walking here today, just parked cars everywhere, houses, garages on the street, people circling the street, looking for parking, going to get coffee with like Maru with Rob, you just circle, circle.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_00
I find myself conflicted in this doc.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
No, I m just curious what your reaction is.
3
SPEAKER_02
So he s written this book, Pave Paradise, and I just picked it off a bookshelf.
3
SPEAKER_02
And it was just basically about how parking in America and other countries as well, but just because America is so car-centric, it s big here.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
Just how much it affects a city.
3
SPEAKER_02
You know, you see cars drive, never thought about just the concept of every car has to be plonked somewhere.
3
SPEAKER_00
Somewhere, yeah, it needs a spot.
3
SPEAKER_02
And that s such a weird thing.
3
SPEAKER_02
And it s like, it s one of those things that s right in front of you, but you never think about it.
3
SPEAKER_02
And once you start thinking of it, it s just so odd.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, no, it is.
3
SPEAKER_00
And you re right.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s something none of us ever think about.
3
SPEAKER_02
Because you texted me, coming in here, you texted me like, I can t find a park.
3
SPEAKER_02
Just tell me what was different about how normally it s like.
3
SPEAKER_02
Had something changed the parking today?
3
SPEAKER_00
So two things, one, in the neighborhood today, everyone s parked on the street, partly because parts of the street are blocked off, where you would normally be parking.
3
SPEAKER_00
Now it s like all jammed up.
3
SPEAKER_00
Also, sometimes when it s crowded in the neighborhood, I park on an adjacent street, but that street today has street cleaning.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, so everyone can t be on that side of the street.
3
SPEAKER_00
So no one can be on one side of the street, so they re parked on the other side of the street, so there s no parking on that side of the street.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, so I was late, because I was just driving around, kind of in circles, waiting.
3
SPEAKER_02
And you re trapped.
3
SPEAKER_02
And the other thing I find, and I m getting used to this, having a car now, and I m sure it s different in different cities, obviously, in different states, but so much of going to a destination, you can do the route on Google Maps and say, it ll take me 22 minutes to get there.
3
SPEAKER_02
Factoring in how long it s going to take you to car park is this wild card at the end of any trip, right?
3
SPEAKER_00
It is.
3
SPEAKER_00
I was so stressed out when I first moved to L.A.
3
SPEAKER_00
because city parking is so different than suburban parking.
3
SPEAKER_01
Totally.
3
SPEAKER_01
You don t worry about it in the suburbs.
3
SPEAKER_00
Never, because there are parking lots and you never have to worry about like finding a spot on the street or parallel parking or anything like that.
3
SPEAKER_00
And so when I first moved here, I was so, so stressed out about parking and I was really bad at parallel parking.
3
SPEAKER_00
So I had to just drive and drive until I could find a spot that I didn t have to parallel park in.
3
SPEAKER_02
And then walk for like 20 minutes to get to where you want to go.
3
SPEAKER_00
So far, yes.
3
SPEAKER_02
That s the other funny thing I find when you go to park in America in a parking lot at a grocery store there s such competitions for parks closer to the space and I wonder like the amount of time people spend circling looking for a closer spot be so much quicker if they parked further away and then walked all that mentality I just since reading this book I can t stop thinking about this stuff
3
SPEAKER_00
It is funny.
3
SPEAKER_00
Whenever I m home, we go to this specific mall in Georgia.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s an outdoor mall, kind of like the Grove here in LA.
3
SPEAKER_00
And it s so funny, every time we re going there, or really anywhere that s not in our normal routine, my parents are always like, what s the parking like?
3
SPEAKER_00
Like, they re so obsessed with the parking.
3
SPEAKER_02
Same with my dad.
3
SPEAKER_02
Okay, so this is an international thing.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, my parents obsessed with parking and the spot.
3
SPEAKER_00
It gets me so irritated.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_00
I m like, we ll find something.
3
SPEAKER_00
But anyway.
3
SPEAKER_02
But it does dictate the journey.
3
SPEAKER_02
It does.
3
SPEAKER_02
Like the park at the end.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s just such an interesting aspect to life here.
3
SPEAKER_00
Well, and when I was on shrooms.
3
SPEAKER_02
Uh oh.
3
SPEAKER_00
The one major thing I remember is, cause I was, I had like a panic attack basically.
3
SPEAKER_00
And then Dax took me outside to walk around and I noticed all the cars.
3
SPEAKER_02
Oh, you had a revelation.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yes.
3
SPEAKER_00
Because they, they felt to me, they looked like they were wrapped in Saran wrap.
3
SPEAKER_02
Okay.
3
SPEAKER_00
And that they also seemed like little characters, but then there were so many, yes.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, you re awakened to this thing.
3
SPEAKER_02
I think I ve just had a similar awakening, but not on shrooms, of just being like, holy shit, cars everywhere.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s tricky though, because I don t know how we would do it any differently.
3
SPEAKER_00
In fact, this is part of the dilemma of parking here is that there are seemingly not enough spots.
3
SPEAKER_00
So that s why everyone s panicked and it takes forever.
3
SPEAKER_02
Totally, yeah, that statistic is crazy.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s at the far end of the estimate of there being six parking spots for every car.
3
SPEAKER_02
That s across the whole country.
3
SPEAKER_02
Obviously, in LA, it s weighted very differently.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s like half or 0.1.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, it s this huge mission to find a spot.
3
SPEAKER_01
When I was in Chicago, I was working in the city, and I had to reserve a parking spot.
3
SPEAKER_01
I was leasing a spot monthly, paid 200 bucks to have this spot that I could park in every morning because you can t deal with that in downtown.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
I also find that mentality where a new neighbor or a new apartment block just represents a parking size package coming to your neighborhood.
3
SPEAKER_02
And every new neighbor is one less car park for you if you rely on street parking.
3
SPEAKER_00
I know.
3
SPEAKER_00
I m going to be Dax right now.
3
SPEAKER_00
I found that a little extreme.
3
SPEAKER_00
Maybe subconsciously people are feeling that way, but I have never
3
SPEAKER_02
I felt that way.
3
SPEAKER_02
It s not a good way to feel.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
When new people move in.
3
SPEAKER_02
If you don t have a garage.
3
SPEAKER_02
Oh, if you don t have a garage.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
See, I m on the street.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
3
SPEAKER_02
So I park in LA on the street.
3
SPEAKER_02
And so I remember when a new neighbor came in and they had a car, I noticed that car would often be parked where I used to park.
3
SPEAKER_00
Oh, for sure.
3
SPEAKER_00
Okay.
3
SPEAKER_02
That mentality completely shifts.
3
SPEAKER_02
Having a garage is this huge, amazing thing to have because holy shit, it s a guaranteed park.
3
SPEAKER_02
Every day is like a weird lottery.
3
SPEAKER_02
You shouldn t feel that way towards a neighbor.
3
SPEAKER_02
It should be like, hey, welcome to the neighborhood.
3
SPEAKER_02
But internally you re going, less parking space.
3
SPEAKER_00
I guess that does make sense.
3
SPEAKER_00
And apartments here, definitely if there s a garage or, I mean, I can t even call it, I would call it like a carport.
3
SPEAKER_02
They re pretty rare, right?
3
SPEAKER_02
Like to have a garage, or there s limited numbers of parks.
3
SPEAKER_00
They won t have a garage, but they ll have a carport.
3
SPEAKER_00
Basically a hut with little divisions.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, little nubs.
3
SPEAKER_00
Uh-huh.
3
SPEAKER_00
You have one inch on either side of your car.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s so hard to get in and out of those fucking things.
3
SPEAKER_00
Hence why my car was in the shop recently.
3
SPEAKER_00
So there s like eight spots and you hope you get one.
3
SPEAKER_00
When I first moved into that apartment, I had to wait for someone to move out in order for me to be able to get a spot.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, crazy, right?
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, and those apartments that have parking like that, they re definitely at a premium.
3
SPEAKER_00
They can raise the price because it s a huge asset in LA to have a parking spot.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, I got my apartment cheaper because it didn t come with a parking spot.
3
SPEAKER_02
And I was like, that s great.
3
SPEAKER_02
But then every day, it s like this weird bit of trivia built into my day about, am I going to need to park today?
3
SPEAKER_00
I hate that.
3
SPEAKER_02
Or am I going to park like two streets over?
3
SPEAKER_02
I don t know.
3
SPEAKER_01
What do you do about street cleaning?
3
SPEAKER_01
Do you have like a calendar reminder to move it every week?
3
SPEAKER_01
I ve got a calendar reminder, sweet, yeah, but I park on the side.
3
SPEAKER_00
Also, street cleaning we should talk about because that does not happen everywhere.
3
SPEAKER_02
We re going to get into that a little bit because yes, street cleaning is... It was new to me when I moved here.
3
SPEAKER_00
I ve never seen it.
3
SPEAKER_02
Bonkers.
3
SPEAKER_02
On a Wednesday, you can t park on this side of the street.
3
SPEAKER_02
On a Friday, you can t park on the other side of the street.
3
SPEAKER_02
I mean, it s a revenue collecting for the city because they can fine you if you don t do it.
3
SPEAKER_02
Obviously, they have to like sweep and that s good.
3
SPEAKER_02
Keeping the city clean.
3
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, it is.
3
SPEAKER_00
They have to, I think.
3
SPEAKER_00
It s a dirty city.
3
SPEAKER_00
It ll be nasty.
3
SPEAKER_02
Yeah, totally.
4
SPEAKER_00
And it s a way, I think, for the city to check that cars aren t being stored there.
4
SPEAKER_00
When I went to New Zealand for that back stuff, I had to find a friend s garage to park it in, because if I left it on the street, it would have been amazing to see what finds it had gathered.
4
SPEAKER_00
But yeah, it s also an excuse for a city to move people on.
4
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, we get into a bit of this in the next bit, so I m going to play it.
4
SPEAKER_00
There s another thing I find interesting about cars and parking cars.
4
SPEAKER_00
I ve noticed it a lot in Los Angeles.
4
SPEAKER_00
As I look at house prices, I see how expensive everything is.
4
SPEAKER_00
The average house here is about a million dollars.
4
SPEAKER_00
Houses are expensive.
4
SPEAKER_00
Land is expensive.
4
SPEAKER_00
You know what s not that expensive?
4
SPEAKER_00
Curbside parking.
4
SPEAKER_00
We explored this a bit in the RV episode, and it s a concept that s stuck with me ever since.
4
SPEAKER_00
At five in the morning, you re allowed to pull in here.
4
SPEAKER_00
And then at sundown, you can cruise right out.
4
SPEAKER_00
But that s at nine o clock at night.
4
SPEAKER_00
So you got a free, beautiful sanctuarium in the middle of, I mean, God land right here for free.
4
SPEAKER_00
This is heaven.
4
SPEAKER_00
Curbside parking can be a kind of hack.
4
SPEAKER_00
Free real estate.
4
SPEAKER_00
free rent.
4
SPEAKER_01
It goes back to the taco truck, the ice cream truck.
4
SPEAKER_01
I mean, those were some of the first people to say, wait a second, why would I pay for real estate when I can do my business here for free, right at the curb?
4
SPEAKER_01
And now, sadly, because the housing crisis has become so intense in California, you re seeing that arbitrage getting taken advantage of by people who need a place to live.
4
SPEAKER_01
And it started in domestic garages, right?
4
SPEAKER_01
That started in the garages of single family homes, people living in what they call garage units, granny flats, accessory dwelling units, etc.
4
SPEAKER_01
And it s estimated that tens of thousands of people live in garages in Los Angeles, which
4
SPEAKER_01
only became legal about five years ago, but the practice far predates that.
4
SPEAKER_01
Because, again, it was illegal to create a new housing unit, but the garage was just sitting there, and so people just did what they felt they had to do.
4
SPEAKER_01
And now you re seeing this practice spread to the curb.
4
SPEAKER_01
The curb is free, and housing is really expensive, and for a very desperate group of people in Los Angeles, that s the only place they can afford to live.
4
SPEAKER_00
For some, a parking space is somewhere you pull into so you can rush out and get a coffee.
4
SPEAKER_00
For others, it s their home, which is a pretty strange thing to be reckoning with.
4
SPEAKER_00
Of course, there s the flip side too.
4
SPEAKER_00
Not all parking is free when it comes to parking in the city, especially if you forget to pay for it.
4
SPEAKER_01
New York City makes about twice as much money from parking fines as it does from parking fees.
4
SPEAKER_01
So it makes twice as much money from people parking illegally as it does from people parking legally.
4
SPEAKER_01
And you might even say the city has a financial incentive to have people continue to park illegally because it s a major cash cow.
4
SPEAKER_01
And a very concrete example of that is the biggest illegal parkers in New York are the delivery trucks who take care of our burgeoning e-commerce economy.
4
SPEAKER_01
I m talking about Amazon, UPS, FedEx, etc.
4
SPEAKER_01
Those guys pay sometimes tens of thousands of dollars per truck per year in fines.
4
SPEAKER_01
That s a huge cash cow for the city.
4
SPEAKER_01
Now, the problem could be solved by creating loading zones on every block where a truck would have a place to pull over and make their deliveries instead of blocking traffic.
4
SPEAKER_01
But the city doesn t do that.
4
SPEAKER_01
And I think one of the reasons the city doesn t do that, it s a little bit cynical, but I think it s because they make so much money from the fines.
4
SPEAKER_00
It s estimated that about a third of congested traffic in a city is just people driving around looking for parks.
4
SPEAKER_00
And that s not a victimless crime, right?
4
SPEAKER_01
Like double parking is a huge contributor to traffic congestion, which creates pollution, slows everybody down, strangles the economy and lots of other ways that are more significant than those tens of thousands of dollars in fines that are raised.
4
SPEAKER_01
And yet it s harder to see the big picture when you are getting that influx of cash.
4
SPEAKER_00
The most I ve been ticketed in LA is $65, because I forgot to move my car on street sweeping day.
4
SPEAKER_00
The biggest scam of all the scams.
4
SPEAKER_00
In New York, fines can range from $35 to a whopping $515.
4
SPEAKER_00
Thousands of cars are ticketed in New York each day.
4
SPEAKER_00
That adds up to hundreds of millions in revenue for the city.
4
SPEAKER_00
It gets pretty bad in LA too.
4
SPEAKER_00
I think a lot of the time you just end up getting fined there because the signs are so hard to interpret.
4
SPEAKER_00
I find the signs for parking incredibly hard to decipher.
4
SPEAKER_00
I often have to park, get out of the car and then look, read a multitude of signs and kind of do the math about what I m allowed to do.
4
SPEAKER_00
Is that an issue across the United States or is that a Los Angeles thing that I ve encountered?
4
SPEAKER_01
Oh, yeah.
4
SPEAKER_01
I think that throughout the United States, parking rules are some of the most complicated and Byzantine regulations from city to city.
4
SPEAKER_01
And I think this is one reason that it s so irritating to people.
4
SPEAKER_01
It s not legible.
4
SPEAKER_01
It s not logical.
4
SPEAKER_01
People don t understand what the city is trying to accomplish.
4
SPEAKER_01
And I think that s because, again, there is a disconnect between
4
SPEAKER_01
city policy, and what makes most sense.
4
SPEAKER_01
Cities are managing this space often not at all.
4
SPEAKER_01
It hasn t been decided according to any logical scheme of how we re going to make the most of our precious curb space.
4
SPEAKER_01
It s actually just a holdover from what the previous administration did and what the previous administration did, and things get tacked on here and there, and none of it makes any sense.
4
SPEAKER_01
And I think that s true of the fines as well.
4
SPEAKER_01
In a perfect world, a parking fine wouldn t be very expensive.
4
SPEAKER_01
The crime you ve committed by illegally parking is not a very serious one by overstaying the meter or something like that.
4
SPEAKER_01
And the reason that they are so expensive is because enforcement is relatively rare because we don t have very many parking agents and we refuse to use the technology employed elsewhere in the world of having cars with cameras go around.
4
SPEAKER_01
automate the enforcement.
4
SPEAKER_01
And so as a result, we re stuck with this weird big fine that s supposed to be deterrence rather than sort of proportional punishment for the crime.
4
SPEAKER_01
And obviously that makes a lot of people very mad.
4
SPEAKER_01
And that s another example of a case where parking policy really hasn t been thought through.
4
SPEAKER_00
There are so many things about parking that I find confusing and weird here.
4
SPEAKER_00
Like, back to the street sweeping thing again.
4
SPEAKER_00
Every Wednesday I have to park on one particular side of the road.
4
SPEAKER_00
On a Friday, it s the other side.
4
SPEAKER_00
Is this actually so they can clean the streets, or is it a way to raise revenue and fines when you forget to move?
4
SPEAKER_00
Or is it just to make sure you don t leave your dungar of a car parked in the same spot for a year?
4
SPEAKER_00
I think of parking meters, another weird thing.
4
SPEAKER_00
They were originally built to sort of regulate parking, to keep people moving along.
4
SPEAKER_00
But I feel like in 2023 they re just there as an excuse to fine you.
4
SPEAKER_00
America just feels like it needs to catch up a little bit.
4
SPEAKER_00
Even the parking meters, they re often so old-fashioned.
4
SPEAKER_00
Feeding coins in?
4
SPEAKER_00
I mean, in small-town New Zealand, you ll be surprised when you come across a parking meter that takes coins.
4
SPEAKER_00
You re like, holy shit, one of these things?
4
SPEAKER_00
Here in Los Angeles, in this giant, amazing, you know, I m in fucking Hollywood, and I m trying to find coins to feed in.
4
SPEAKER_00
It s such an odd thing.
4
SPEAKER_00
Like, it feels like you ve gone back in time or something.
4
SPEAKER_01
I couldn t agree more.
4
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
4
SPEAKER_01
I mean, I think this gets to a broader American issue, which is a reluctance sometimes to look at what s happening in other places and say, hey, I could work here.
4
SPEAKER_01
It s not always a kind of a sense of superiority.
4
SPEAKER_01
I think sometimes we are very ready to acknowledge that some things work better in other places.
4
SPEAKER_01
But when that happens, we ll always say, well, but that s because that s that place.
4
SPEAKER_01
and it couldn t work here because we have our own problems.
4
SPEAKER_01
And that in itself is a kind of American exceptionalism.
4
SPEAKER_01
It s not like a good American exceptionalism, it s a bad American.
4
SPEAKER_01
Like we re exceptionally bad and we can t fix this problem because we re so bad.
4
SPEAKER_01
And that is the case with parking and a number of other things.
4
SPEAKER_00
I don t mean to end this whole thing on a downer.
4
SPEAKER_00
We started this episode with Rihanna and Springsteen, thinking about cars as methods of freedom, the dream way to see America.
4
SPEAKER_00
And they are.
4
SPEAKER_00
I mean, I love driving in America.
4
SPEAKER_00
America and the car are intertwined.
4
SPEAKER_00
But I guess what I ve learned is that cars have led to this infrastructure here that s a bit wonky.
4
SPEAKER_00
And I keep thinking of that stat.
4
SPEAKER_00
Up to six parking spots for every car.
4
SPEAKER_00
A paved paradise of parking.
4
SPEAKER_00
Or figuring out how to store cars when they re not roaming the open road.
4
SPEAKER_00
Henry s thought about this a lot more than I have.
4
SPEAKER_00
And he thinks America is already making some positive changes.
4
SPEAKER_00
Changing the way we look at cars and parking.
4
SPEAKER_00
Motivated a bit by how others have done it.
4
SPEAKER_01
I really like what s been going on in Paris, France, recently, because the mayor there has made a really conscious decision that she s going to get rid of as many on-street parking spaces as possible.
4
SPEAKER_01
And her thinking is, if you want to drive a car in the city, you better have a place to park it in a garage.
4
SPEAKER_01
And there s lots of garages in Paris.
4
SPEAKER_01
But what has happened since she started doing this is, obviously, fewer people are driving.
4
SPEAKER_01
And that has achieved a number of goals that the city s been after for a while.
4
SPEAKER_01
I mean, there were a couple months this spring where nobody was killed in traffic in Paris, which for a city that size is just unbelievable.
4
SPEAKER_01
I mean, in New York City, like a dozen people are killed in traffic every month.
4
SPEAKER_01
That s an example of the kinds of benefits that can be unlocked when you start to convert those parking spaces into other uses.
4
SPEAKER_01
And then that s to say nothing of what you can unlock with those other uses, right?
4
SPEAKER_01
I mean, restaurant space, green space, places
5
SPEAKER_00
for elderly people to sit, for children to play.
5
SPEAKER_00
I mean, all this stuff is possible once that parking space has been re-envisioned as public space.
5
SPEAKER_00
And suddenly, it s up for grabs.
5
SPEAKER_00
Places where this stuff has been tried, and it s been tried in places like New York, Philly, Boston, San Francisco, there s all kinds of examples of people turning parking spots into other things and then being like, wow, this is really great.
5
SPEAKER_00
We re not going back.
5
SPEAKER_01
And that concludes my TED Talk on parking in America.
5
SPEAKER_02
I truly do not remember the last time I was at a meter and they didn t take credit cards.
5
SPEAKER_01
There are cards in a lot of them, it s true.
5
SPEAKER_02
I mean, I truly don t remember.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, I think they re all almost that long.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yes, so that s not fair.
5
SPEAKER_01
No, I think defending your country is very reasonable and you re right.
5
SPEAKER_01
I think what sort of got me is these parking meters are so ancient and they can still take coins.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s just a weird experience for me.
5
SPEAKER_01
And I guess it s good they take coins because people that have coins and don t have credit cards can use it.
5
SPEAKER_01
That s great.
5
SPEAKER_01
But they just strike me as these ancient machines.
5
SPEAKER_01
I m trying to read the screen.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s all faded.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s all kicked up.
5
SPEAKER_02
But we d also be mad if we spent a ton of money updating those machines.
5
SPEAKER_02
People would be pissed if tax dollars went to that.
5
SPEAKER_03
Yeah, but long term it could be really good.
5
SPEAKER_03
The alternatives are those boxes that you type in the numbers.
5
SPEAKER_03
I know, I hate that.
5
SPEAKER_03
You gotta download an app.
5
SPEAKER_03
That s way more annoying than the... I agree.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, but efficient.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s more easily policed because it knows when your time runs out.
5
SPEAKER_01
Saves the city more over time.
5
SPEAKER_02
Well, I think the city would make more money.
5
SPEAKER_02
See, that s the thing.
5
SPEAKER_02
It s a trade-off.
5
SPEAKER_02
The fine is higher currently.
5
SPEAKER_02
It s, I would say, 50-50 that you actually get the ticket.
5
SPEAKER_01
Oh, it s like a fun gambling trick.
5
SPEAKER_01
It is.
5
SPEAKER_01
Totally.
5
SPEAKER_01
As an individual, it can feel really good and freeing, because it s like you might not be charged a thing.
5
SPEAKER_02
Well, right.
5
SPEAKER_02
So then if it s all monitored, and then you re 100% gonna get fined.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, but I mean, that s so good as well because it keeps things moving.
5
SPEAKER_01
The fines aren t crazy.
5
SPEAKER_02
I guess.
5
SPEAKER_02
I mean, the thing is, is if you re five minutes after the two hour thing and you get fined, I d be pissed, even if it s $20 as opposed to 65.
5
SPEAKER_02
65 that I m probably not five minutes after.
5
SPEAKER_01
But if everyone s paying for it then and the fine is less and it all creates like a bit more balance, it feels like.
5
SPEAKER_01
But this is like, it s hard.
5
SPEAKER_01
I can t argue a certain point.
5
SPEAKER_01
I don t know.
5
SPEAKER_01
People don t want to pay for parking.
5
SPEAKER_01
I think that s really interesting.
5
SPEAKER_01
I don t want to pay for parking.
5
SPEAKER_01
I m always trying to look for free parking.
5
SPEAKER_01
Of course.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
5
SPEAKER_01
You end up in these parts of LA as well, where you re not allowed to park on the street.
5
SPEAKER_01
You go to Beverly Hills or something and you can t just park up there.
5
SPEAKER_01
So you end up in a parking building and then you re annoyed at paying money there.
5
SPEAKER_01
I don t even know what my point is.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s just like parking is just chaotic.
5
SPEAKER_03
There was a scandal in Chicago.
5
SPEAKER_03
They privatized the parking meters at one point where a company owns it and makes money on it.
5
SPEAKER_03
They leased them.
5
SPEAKER_03
It looks like they paid $1 billion for a 75-year lease.
5
SPEAKER_03
Oh, wow.
5
SPEAKER_03
So they manage it, I don t think taxpayers are paying for it, but they re also maybe getting money for it.
5
SPEAKER_01
Profiting a decent amount from that.
5
SPEAKER_01
Is the overall reaction like it s a good thing or bad?
5
SPEAKER_01
People weren t happy about it, I remember.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, right.
5
SPEAKER_01
The other thing that s going to be sneaking up on us is the whole electric car thing, because at the moment, you don t have an electric car, right?
5
SPEAKER_01
Rob s got an electric car.
5
SPEAKER_01
At the moment, you can find a charging station, but I guess as we slowly convert all cars to that, where are we all going to charge?
5
SPEAKER_03
It depends on where you are.
5
SPEAKER_03
Like, I was at Big Bear this weekend and it was impossible to find a charger.
5
SPEAKER_01
So what do you do in that situation?
5
SPEAKER_01
You charge it from your accommodation?
5
SPEAKER_03
Yeah, I was staying at an Airbnb and I have one that plugs into a regular wall outlet.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, right.
5
SPEAKER_01
And how long does it take to charge from like a socket in an Airbnb?
5
SPEAKER_03
You get like four miles per hour.
5
SPEAKER_01
Really?
5
SPEAKER_03
But I mean, we were an hour away from a real charger.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, right.
5
SPEAKER_01
And I guess probably with the new building codes, every apartment that s built will have to come because retrofitting, I think he talked about this a bit, it costs the city about $40,000 for each electric charging station to be built, which is so expensive.
5
SPEAKER_01
But if they come packaged with a building, when an apartment gets okayed, then it ll be like a more affordable way to build them.
5
SPEAKER_01
But retrofitting is so crazy expensive.
5
SPEAKER_01
So that s this weird thing.
5
SPEAKER_02
Like converting at this point.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
5
SPEAKER_01
So that s a whole other chaotic thing with parking and having to charge.
5
SPEAKER_02
It will be very interesting once more and more people start driving electric.
5
SPEAKER_02
They re going to have to build a lot more stations.
5
SPEAKER_01
The other thing I thought about while I was writing this episode was your specific car as well.
5
SPEAKER_01
Cause I feel like I sort of want to do another episode on you pay for storage facilities.
5
SPEAKER_01
I think a lot of people have stuff in storage.
5
SPEAKER_01
You use your car as kind of a storage base, almost like your boot.
5
SPEAKER_01
See a car park for you almost represents you re paying for storage as well, right?
5
SPEAKER_02
Well, yes, I m lucky to have two cars, and one of them truly is storage right now.
5
SPEAKER_02
It is sitting outside my house, filled with junk from my basement.
5
SPEAKER_01
That s so funny.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
5
SPEAKER_01
Ding, ding, ding.
5
SPEAKER_02
They had to clear it out.
5
SPEAKER_02
Ding, ding, ding.
5
SPEAKER_02
They had to clear it out, and I just moved it all into my car.
5
SPEAKER_01
Oh, so that little car, the one that I went to take my driving test in, that s just filled with stuff now?
5
SPEAKER_01
Yes.
5
SPEAKER_01
Storage facility.
5
SPEAKER_02
It s a storage facility.
5
SPEAKER_01
That s so funny.
5
SPEAKER_02
I saved money.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, yeah.
5
SPEAKER_01
But that car has to have a little space, right?
5
SPEAKER_01
Wherever you are, wherever your car is, you ve got to have a little spot for it.
5
SPEAKER_01
And where we are, like at the attic as well, obviously Dax had a lot of cars and I imagine he battles with storage.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s a mad problem to have.
5
SPEAKER_01
You buy this car and then you ve always got to have somewhere to dump it.
5
SPEAKER_01
And depending on where you are, it costs different amounts of money.
5
SPEAKER_01
Sometimes it s free to park.
5
SPEAKER_01
Sometimes I went to see a movie, it cost me $30 to park.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s just so crazy and
5
SPEAKER_01
all over the place, and I just find it fascinating.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
5
SPEAKER_02
What percentage of people in New York City own cars?
5
SPEAKER_01
Oh, I have no idea.
5
SPEAKER_01
That would be interesting because it d be super low, right?
5
SPEAKER_01
Like so, so low.
5
SPEAKER_02
It has to be.
5
SPEAKER_01
And it feels like the city really fights you if you do have one.
5
SPEAKER_02
Exactly.
5
SPEAKER_02
And storing that
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, when we were shooting Tickled, I drove a lot in Manhattan and it was so stressful.
5
SPEAKER_02
I d be so scared to drive there.
5
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, I ve never been tooted at more or abused more and it was just so scary.
5
SPEAKER_03
So it looks like 45% of households in the city own a car in New York.
5
SPEAKER_02
Wow, that s much more than I expected.
5
SPEAKER_01
There must be a lot of cars that are probably just sat somewhere, right?
5
SPEAKER_01
Like in a garage or on a street, like they re not all being driven.
5
SPEAKER_02
Although our friend Emma, Emma has a car in the city.
5
SPEAKER_01
She s got a car in the city.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yeah.
5
SPEAKER_01
Is she using it very often?
5
SPEAKER_02
She uses it, but not that often.
5
SPEAKER_02
I don t think so.
5
SPEAKER_02
It is interesting.
5
SPEAKER_03
Looks like New York is the lowest though.
5
SPEAKER_02
What s LA?
5
SPEAKER_02
I m sure we re like probably 95.
5
SPEAKER_02
I mean, they re not even on this list.
5
SPEAKER_01
Honestly, having a car here just changes your entire experience in the city.
5
SPEAKER_01
I did a year and a half without one.
5
SPEAKER_01
And I think what pushed me over the edge was just a few Uber rides with drivers that were just really bad.
5
SPEAKER_01
And I felt unsafe.
5
SPEAKER_01
And I was like, I can t be doing this, like hurtling along for 40 minutes with like a lunatic.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yes, it s partly because the high traffic cities, you have to have one because relying on Uber to take you an hour and a half to Santa Monica, like, no.
5
SPEAKER_01
And that s the other thing.
5
SPEAKER_01
Obviously, people in LA who don t have cars, it just takes them so much longer to do everything.
5
SPEAKER_01
Going to a job when you re taking a bus is like this two hour ordeal as opposed to a half hour one.
5
SPEAKER_01
So that s such a big difference in those lives as well.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s chaotic.
5
SPEAKER_03
New Zealand ranks higher for car ownership per capita.
5
SPEAKER_03
Oh, you re third.
5
SPEAKER_03
Eight hundred and sixty cars per thousand people in the world.
5
SPEAKER_03
Yeah.
5
SPEAKER_02
Wow.
5
SPEAKER_03
United States is eight hundred and eleven cars per thousand people.
5
SPEAKER_02
Where are we ranked fourth or fifth?
5
SPEAKER_02
Who s number one?
5
SPEAKER_03
San Marino, then Monaco, New Zealand, Iceland, United States.
5
SPEAKER_01
It s amazing having this country that s known as being clean, green, beautiful, and we ve got our highest per capita car ownership.
5
SPEAKER_01
And again, that s because our public transport, like LA, it sucks.
5
SPEAKER_01
And so people don t use it.
5
SPEAKER_01
And anytime a politician in New Zealand tries to get more cycleways or more public transport, there s just this huge angry push.
5
SPEAKER_01
Because New Zealanders, we love cars.
5
SPEAKER_01
And we re kind of bad
5
SPEAKER_01
drivers as well and like that s where we let our anger out because we re so mellow in person when we drive we love to road rage oh yeah that s how we express you ve seen me yeah that s how we express our emotions in the car so the idea of taking our cars away from us means like we can express our emotions less and so we get really angry about that
5
SPEAKER_02
I want to push back on one more thing.
5
SPEAKER_02
I just remembered the point about we often say we can t compare ourselves to some of these other countries because we re a different country, right?
5
SPEAKER_02
And so I understand feeling like that can be a cop out, but it is also true.
5
SPEAKER_02
And I don t think it s fair when people are always comparing us or saying like Sweden has this.
5
SPEAKER_02
Yes, Sweden is very specific.
5
SPEAKER_02
They are all essentially one race.
5
SPEAKER_02
I would prefer some of the problems we have for the tradeoff of diversity.
6
SPEAKER_01
and people just make it all equal.
6
SPEAKER_01
It s not the same.
6
SPEAKER_01
And not about parking, but he was saying in regards to a lot of things, we do that and we do, but I don t think that s necessarily fair to say all things are equal because they re not.
6
SPEAKER_00
I think it s a balance.
6
SPEAKER_00
Like it doesn t always hold.
6
SPEAKER_00
But I also think, God forbid we ever do a gun episode, which is something I m just gonna, it s, I mean, it s like, what fresh thing can I offer to that debate?
6
SPEAKER_00
With that debate, I always think there s always those, everyone s just like, but those countries are different.
6
SPEAKER_00
Those countries are different.
6
SPEAKER_00
I mean, I think if you applied the logic to, again, like gun control, it would be so good.
6
SPEAKER_00
America isn t that unique.
6
SPEAKER_00
We could do what other countries have done with gun laws and it would be so much better.
6
SPEAKER_01
We could have, it would have been, I mean, and I m not saying, cause I am so pro zero guns.
6
SPEAKER_01
Like I m so anti-gun.
6
SPEAKER_01
I wish there was no guns in America.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, you d be a good New Zealander.
6
SPEAKER_00
I would be so good.
6
SPEAKER_01
I would love that.
6
SPEAKER_01
We do have so many millions of guns.
6
SPEAKER_01
At this point, it is a harder problem than just- Solving it s crazy hard.
6
SPEAKER_00
Exactly.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, getting rid of guns is hard.
6
SPEAKER_01
That s the thing.
6
SPEAKER_01
I think people are like, well, we just have to do what other countries are doing.
6
SPEAKER_01
But at this point, it s hard.
6
SPEAKER_01
They re out there.
6
SPEAKER_01
Then what do we do?
6
SPEAKER_00
Like trade back- America s dug itself into a bit of a- A big hole.
6
SPEAKER_00
A big old hole.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_00
And there s so much money involved now.
6
SPEAKER_01
I just think to make things so
6
SPEAKER_01
this or that or black and white, or we could do it just like this.
6
SPEAKER_01
It s just not exactly accurate.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_00
And I don t think he was saying that s the one thing that s holding us back.
6
SPEAKER_00
It is an excuse I think sometimes people use.
6
SPEAKER_00
We could never do that because that country is so different.
6
SPEAKER_00
When it comes to like education or guns or cars or anything.
6
SPEAKER_01
Paternity leave, like those things for sure.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, there s a way that it s like, oh, we re different, but also it s not an excuse to not try at all.
6
SPEAKER_00
I agree.
6
SPEAKER_00
I totally agree with that.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_00
So I don t know, look again, how do you even begin to solve the car issue?
6
SPEAKER_00
Like LA, it is the way it is.
6
SPEAKER_00
We re not something in a magic app, a public transport system.
6
SPEAKER_01
Right.
6
SPEAKER_00
Everyone s so addicted to their car.
6
SPEAKER_00
It s never going to be unwound.
6
SPEAKER_01
The car in LA and in America, I would say, but definitely in LA is a part of your identity.
6
SPEAKER_00
And that s not to keep bringing up with the guns, but that s such an interesting thing.
6
SPEAKER_00
That is part of an identity for many people.
6
SPEAKER_00
It means more than just a thing.
6
SPEAKER_00
It s like where it s freedom and we can do what we want.
6
SPEAKER_00
And yeah, the car is.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_00
People take such pride and it s this thing.
6
SPEAKER_01
They re driving.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_01
It kind of says something about you and what you picked and.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, all those things.
6
SPEAKER_00
It s deeper than just how you get from point A to point B. And again, it s like, since I had a car, I think cars overall, terrible.
6
SPEAKER_00
They re not a great thing to have, but I love having a car.
6
SPEAKER_00
So it s that thing.
6
SPEAKER_00
Like, I love listening to my heavy metal music turned up real loud in there.
6
SPEAKER_00
I like the freedom it allows me.
6
SPEAKER_00
And so that love of that feeling of driving overrides the practical thing I know, which is that we should all be pushing towards public transport and making that a viable thing, because it s just going to be so much better for everyone.
6
SPEAKER_01
Right.
6
SPEAKER_01
I mean, people try.
6
SPEAKER_01
I feel like there s some attempts to do that here.
6
SPEAKER_01
And I don t know if it s happening or not, but in the meantime, I mean, this is an overall question and it s going to sound very demoral- It s going to sound- We can end on a downer.
6
SPEAKER_00
We ll end on a downer and then we ll try and think of a happy thing to end on after.
6
SPEAKER_01
There s a part of me that s like, so what are you, David, you not driving, gonna do for public transportation in Los Angeles?
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, that s the tricky thing.
6
SPEAKER_00
It s not gonna do anything.
6
SPEAKER_00
But if we all do that, then it s gonna be so wonderful.
6
SPEAKER_01
But no, it s not, because that costs money.
6
SPEAKER_01
It s more about that than the issue of if just no one had cars.
6
SPEAKER_00
It depends what order, it s like a chicken and egg thing.
6
SPEAKER_00
What comes first?
6
SPEAKER_00
I mean, ideally a city should come up with goals to have like a public transport system that works so well, you suddenly go, fuck, I m going to use this train or this bus because I don t need to worry about a car park at the other end.
6
SPEAKER_00
This just works so well, it ll happen.
6
SPEAKER_00
And then slowly you migrate to that.
6
SPEAKER_00
suddenly free up all this parking space, there ll be beautiful dining on curbsides instead of parking, there ll be parks, old people can play with their kids, all that stuff, you know?
6
SPEAKER_00
It could be so much better, but it s what comes first and who makes the push to do it.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_00
2-2.
6
SPEAKER_01
All right, well, that was a good pivot.
6
SPEAKER_01
I liked that cars turned into parking.
6
SPEAKER_00
Cars turned into parking.
6
SPEAKER_00
And I think maybe anyone listening, walking around, feel like Monica did on her little mushroom trip.
6
SPEAKER_00
Yeah.
6
SPEAKER_00
And look at all the cars.
6
SPEAKER_00
Saran wraps.
6
SPEAKER_00
Instead of just going, holy shit, what is this world?
6
SPEAKER_00
Look at all these cars everywhere.
6
SPEAKER_00
This is crazy.
6
SPEAKER_00
Because it is kind of crazy.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, there s a lot of them.
6
SPEAKER_00
More American or less American?
6
SPEAKER_00
I mean, I didn t go through any great personal change in this episode, but I feel like I thought about cars more, and parking, and I think that makes me more American.
6
SPEAKER_01
Okay, then sure.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yes, I ll give it to you.
6
SPEAKER_01
Yes.
6
SPEAKER_01
Okay.
6
Okay, bye.
6
Bye.