Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Friday Video

Friday Video: How America Got Hooked on Cars

CNBC put together a solid 15-minute explainer on car dependency that's perfect for sending to anyone who's never thought about the role of automobility in their life.

Photo: Still from CNBC

It's Valentine's Day — but U.S. residents aren't all driving for the love of it. And on a recent episode of the CNBC series "Shifting Gears," experts unpacked exactly how more than a century worth of polices have put so many of us in long-term relationships with automobiles, whether we like it or not.

Featuring Peter Norton, Greg Shill, and a few other faces that will be familiar to longtime Streetsblog readers, it's the perfect video to send to folks who have never thought about why Americans rely so heavily on their cars, and what our country might look like if we supported a wider range of options — even if we don't break up with driving outright.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Safety’s Last for Tuesday’s Headlines

A ProPublica investigation found 30 instances where DOT actions under President Trump endanger lives.

November 25, 2025

Is Austin a Vision Zero Leader Hiding In Plain Sight?

Changes have been slow in Bat City, but they are meaningful and starting to show success.

November 24, 2025

‘Dirty and Embarrassing’: Disgraced Former Gov. Fights Against Street Safety in Mayoral Run

All eyes are on the Garden State's second city, where a former governor plots a comeback with a divisive, anti-safety campaign.

November 24, 2025

Monday’s Headlines Are Bussin’

The U.S. DOT released $2 billion for 165 agencies to buy 2,400 new buses.

November 24, 2025

Friday Video: The Largest U.S. City With No Transit

Can communities really keep people moving without fixed-route transit? Find out on this visit to Texas.

November 21, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Tread Carefully

The Washington Post too a deep dive into the epidemic of pedestrian deaths, which rose from 4,300 in 2010 to more than 7,000 in 2023.

November 21, 2025
See all posts