Look Both Ways with David & Wes

Episode 21: The Car Industry + What Our Vehicles Say About Us

In this episode of Look Both Ways, David & Wes drive straight into the changing car industry and what today’s vehicles reveal about identity, status, and the future of transportation. From cheap Chinese EVs showing up near the U.S. border to the pressure they could place on Detroit, they explore whether companies like BYD and Geely could bring back the affordable car in America and why U.S. automakers may struggle to compete. It’s also a conversation about how transportation has become deeply tied to culture and identity in the United States, why so many people buy vehicles they barely use for their intended purpose, and what all of that could mean for the future adoption of autonomous vehicles.
Other topics: 🔹 Our favorite “buy low” city in America 🔹 Cheap Chinese EVs & whether Detroit can keep them out 🔹 Pickup trucks & the role of identity in vehicle choice 🔹 Rivian’s e-bike spinout
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Additional resources: The U.S. Wants to Ban China’s High-Tech Cars, but They’re Already Here in El Paso (Wall Street Journal) 
Upside Down: A Primer for the Looking-Glass World by Eduardo Galeano
You Don’t Need A Full-Size Pickup Truck, You Need a Cowboy Costume (The Drive) 
This Rivian spinoff is reinventing e-bikes in California with screens, software and swappable seats (LA Times)
 
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.lookbothwayspodcast.com, www.davidzipper.com, and www.wesmarshall.org

BONUS EPISODE: “Freedom to Drive” + Everyone Deserves Sidewalks (Live from Denver)

Freedom to Drive - In this very special episode of Look Both Ways recorded in front of a live audience on a rooftop in Denver, Jill Locantore of the Denver Streets Partnership joins David & Wes to dig into the Trump Administration’s “Freedom to Drive” initiative and what it says about how we think about congestion, mobility, and who the transportation system is really for. They contrast that national framing with a local story, Denver’s successful “Denver Deserves Sidewalks” campaign, which shifted responsibility for sidewalks from property owners to the city. It’s a conversation about competing visions of freedom, what it actually takes to build better cities, and how policy choices shape everyday experience on our streets.
Thanks to everyone that came out for a really fun event!
Other topics:
🔹 The surprising U.S. city where we could see ourselves living🔹 We also take some questions from the audience
Subscribe for biweekly conversations about all things transportation. 
Additional resources: The Freedom to Drive Initiative
 
David’s articles about sidewalks:Who Should Pay to Fix the Sidewalk?
The High Cost of Bad Sidewalks
 
Some of Wes’ research on sidewalks:Sidewalk Static Obstructions and Their Impact on Clear Width
Disparate Approaches to Maintaining Roads and Sidewalks: An Interview Study of 16 US Cities
An Evaluation of Sidewalk Availability and Width: Analyzing Municipal Policy and Disparities
Where the Sidewalks End: Evaluating Pedestrian Infrastructure and Equality
Evaluating Sidewalk Infrastructure & Prioritizing Investment
 
And a couple of Wes' sidewalk articles:Bad Sidewalks? City says it’s a YOU problem
Denver’s Sidewalks Need a lot of Help: Where Do We Start?
 
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.lookbothwayspodcast.com, www.davidzipper.com, and www.wesmarshall.org
 

Episode 20: Driver Assistance Isn’t Making Us Safer + Shrinking

Driver Assistance – David & Wes dig into driver assistance systems and the question of whether they’re actually making our roads safer. Following a recent NTSB hearing, they explore both the promise and the problems, from real potential safety benefits to the very real ways these systems can encourage overtrust. They talk through how “hands-off” can become “mind-off,” why supervising automation is harder than it sounds, and where responsibility really lies when things go wrong. 
Other topics:
🔹 The big U.S. city we DON’T want to live in🔹 The Apple TV show Shrinking & the collateral damage of fatal crashes🔹 We then open up the mailbag to answer some listener questions
Subscribe for biweekly conversations about all things transportation.
If you happen to be in Denver on April 21st, come out and see us! Look Both Ways LIVE Podcast Recording + Fundraiser for the Denver Streets Partnership
David speaking earlier that same day at The Road Ahead 2026
Additional resources: Systems that let drivers take their hands off the wheel don’t improve safety, NTSB head says
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.lookbothwayspodcast.com, www.davidzipper.com, and www.wesmarshall.org
 

Episode 19: Pedestrian Deaths are Finally Dropping? + Johnny Transportation Comes to Town

Pedestrian Deaths – David & Wes dig into a surprising shift in pedestrian safety and ask a harder question: are streets actually getting safer, or are we just seeing a temporary drop in risk? After years of rising fatalities, recent numbers suggest a modest improvement, but the pattern is anything but consistent. They explore whether this reflects real progress from design changes and enforcement, shifting travel behavior, or simply volatility in a system that still produces predictable danger. It’s a conversation about what it would actually look like if we knew how to make streets safer, and why the data do not quite tell that story yet.
Other topics: 🔹 The Secretary of Transportation’s road trip reality show 🔹 Gas prices & the resiliency value of transit 🔹 Should we be subsidizing ridehail commutes?
Check out our new website!
And subscribe for biweekly conversations about all things transportation.
Additional resources: GHSA’s Report on Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2025 Preliminary Data (January-June)
Wes Marshall & Alejandro Henao. "The shock heard round the suburbs: Assessing the vulnerability, resilience, and transportation affordability of higher fuel price scenarios." Transportation Research Record (2015). 
Rachael Bronson & Wes Marshall. "Alternative and adaptive transportation: What household factors support recovery from a drastic increase in gas price?." International Journal of Environmental Science & Technology (2014). 
Lyft brings pre-tax commuter benefits deal to 14 more cities 
Bruce Schaller. "Can sharing a ride make for less traffic? Evidence from Uber and Lyft and implications for cities." Transport Policy (2021). 
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.lookbothwayspodcast.com, www.davidzipper.com, and www.wesmarshall.org

Episode 18: The Upside of High Gas Prices + 190 MPH down Pennsylvania Avenue

Gas Prices – David & Wes dig into the upside of high gas prices and why the story is more nuanced than it often seems. While rising costs at the pump can create real challenges, they also explore how higher prices can make other modes more attractive, reinforce location efficiency, and shift how people think about transportation more broadly. It’s a conversation about how gas prices shape behavior, influence our transportation system, and what gets lost when we only talk about them as a political problem.
Other topics: 🔹 Our most harrowing driving experiences🔹 How we mismeasure road safety🔹 Indy cars on real Washington, DC streets🔹 St. Patrick’s Day Rail Drinks
Additional resources:
Check out Chapter 23 (The Mirage of More Mileage) in Wes' Book:
& David's Recent Article: The US Is Counting Traffic Deaths Wrong
International Transport Forum Road Safety Annual Report 2025
‘Freedom revs’: Trump administration, DC mayor unveil details of Washington IndyCar race
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org 

Episode 17: The Big Ol’ Mailbag Episode + David’s Forthcoming Book!

Mailbag! – David & Wes take listener questions on any and all things transportation. Before doing so, they talk about why David is at the Northwestern Transportation Library. The answer? He’s writing a book about congestion pricing called The Price of Traffic.
Other topics include: 🔹 Sovereignty Implications of Cars🔹 Bentley’s Law 🔹 Headlights 🔹 Insurance Companies Subsidizing Rural AVs 🔹 Our Favorite Intersections 🔹 Does Traffic Congestion Help or Hurt Safety? 🔹 BRT vs Subway 🔹 Value Capture Under- or Overused 🔹 Murder She Wrote (yup)
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org 

BONUS EPISODE: Live on Stage at the 2026 Safe Roads Summit in Ft. Lauderdale with Greg Stuart

Florida Men – David & Wes venture down to Fort Lauderdale for the 2026 Safe Roads Summit. After their respective talks, they jump on stage to record a live podcast episode with Broward MPO Executive Director, Greg Stuart.
Topics include: 🔹 The Brightline Train Destroying a Delivery Robot🔹 The Long History of Unsafe Streets in Florida🔹 Managed Lanes Moving from Nonstarter to Normal
Additional resources:
Delivery robot demolished by train in South Florida
Dangerous By Design Report by Smart Growth America
Find out more about Greg Stuart
And the Safe Roads Summit
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org
 

Episode 16: The Future (& Past) of Rural Transportation + The War on Bikes

Rural AVs – David & Wes take a deep dive into the future of rural transportation and why mobility challenges outside our cities deserve far more attention. From David’s experience trying to get around West Virginia to Wes’ take on “rural urbanism” and the awesomeness of some rural Main Streets, they explore what rural villages get right, where and why rural areas struggle, and how autonomous vehicles might help the cause even more so than in urban areas.
Other topics:
🔹 Iowa’s Anti-Bike Bill 🔹 Rural Transportation 🔹 The 2026 Safe Roads Summit
Additional resources:'The most anti-biking bill in history' — Iowa’s near-total bike ban proposal is bizarre and alarming
New Jersey Passes Most Restrictive E-Bike Law in the U.S.
Some Florida lawmakers look to strengthen e-bike laws
Disturbing Utah ‘Bikelash’ Bill Takes Aim at Salt Lake City Traffic Calming
David’s related articles: AV companies are ignoring rural America. That's a shame.
The Town That Took Downtown Renewal to the Next Level
Wes’ related research: Assessing urban/rural road safety disparities in the US
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org

Episode 15: The High Cost of Parking Meters + Devaluing that Asset (Taylor’s Version)

Parking Meters – David & Wes unpack the recent multi-billion-dollar resale of Chicago’s parking meter lease and why it matters. They explain the contract, including the compensation clause, and how it continues to hamstring Chicago’s ability to improve transportation. They also explore the less-discussed reality that some good has come from the deal such as a city that actually charges market rates for curbside parking. Then, borrowing a lesson from Taylor Swift, they explore how Chicago could someday afford to buy back their meters.
Other topics: 🔹 Amtrak quiet cars… and maybe some party cars?🔹 The future of useful transit🔹 Trump’s love for mini-cars (he may be right)
Stay tuned for biweekly conversations about all things transportation.
Additional resources:Chicago parking meter deal: City's meters sold to another private company, Mayor Johnson says
Henry Grabar’s Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World
RTD’s CEO says charging for parking, focusing on events could help transit recover
And David’s Mini-Car Stories...Tiny Cars, Big Opportunity 
What Do US Vehicle Regulators Have Against Tiny Cars?
 
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org
 

Episode 14: The Great Autonomous Vehicle Debate + David Under Fire

AV Safety – David & Wes explain why an online kerfuffle about autonomous vehicle safety unexpectedly put David himself in the spotlight. They unpack why autonomous vehicle debates so often generate more noise than insight, how narratives take on a life of their own, and what cities should be paying attention to right now. Listeners will come away with a clear sense of where autonomous vehicles truly stand and why context, logic, and governance matter more than bold promises.
Other topics:🔹 The quick start to the Mamdani era in NYC 🔹 Listener questions & what mode of transportation would win Survivor 🔹 A rehash of our first ever in-person Rail Drinks in DC
Stay tuned for biweekly conversations about all things transportation.
Additional resources:Officials showed off a robo-bus in D.C. It got hit by a Tesla driver
NCHRP Project 17-97: “Strategies to Improve Pedestrian Safety at Night”
David’s Original Stories… Bloomberg: We Still Don’t Know if Robotaxis Are Safer Than Human Drivers
Financial Times: Europe doesn’t need driverless cars
And the back-and-forth... Why David Zipper is Wrong
Why David Zipper is Right (by Peter Norton)
NYC doing things… Mamdani Takes the Bite Out of ‘the Bump,’ Paving Over Hated Road Hazard
Mayor Mamdani Announces City to Complete Redesign on McGuinness Boulevard
Fast Buses: Mamdani Administration Moves Forward With Stalled Madison Avenue Bus Lane Project
 
Music by Charlie Van Stee (courtesy of bensound)
Email us at lookbothwayspod@gmail.com or find us at www.davidzipper.com and www.wesmarshall.org