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

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Leading the Blind

Unfortunately, many city streets and subway stations are still not ADA compliant.

March 11, 2026

Trump’s Funding Freeze Has Derailed Transit, Undermining Growth and Economic Opportunity For All Americans

American cities used to have some of the longest per-capita rail networks in the world. Not anymore.

March 11, 2026

City of Cambridge Reports Better Bike Lanes Led to Surge In Bike Traffic

The city has recorded a 250 percent increase in bike traffic since 2004.

March 10, 2026

The Speeding Situation in New York City Is Even Worse Than It Seems

Speed cameras can’t ticket vehicles with ghost plates — which means we don't know how often their drivers break the law.

March 10, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines Are Worth the Money

Investing in transit generates a five-to-one return on the dollar.

March 10, 2026

How to Tell the Story of a Highway Teardown

This podcaster is traveling the country in search of stories about America's freeway-fighting movement. Is yours on the list?

March 9, 2026
See all posts