#TheTruthAboutTraffic

Slide from TODERIAN UrbanWORKS Inc @ToderianUW.bsky.social that says “If you design a city for cars, it fails for everyone, including drivers. You design a multi-model city, it works better for everyone, including drivers.”

The more people that choose to walk, bike and ride public transit to get around cities, the better cities work for everyone, including drivers.

EVERYONE.

There’s no “war on cars,” just an opportunity for more successful cities.

You’re being lied to. It’s time we tell #TheTruthAboutTraffic.

10 Myths About Short Car Journeys (That Will Make You Want to Bike) » TUMI Many people in Europe and North America have grown accustomed to short journeys by car. Whether it’s just popping to the store to grab a few groceries ...

“Trading out the four wheels [of a car] for a bicycle on trips under a mile could save nearly two million metric tons of CO2 each year in the US alone.”

This and 9 other myths about short trips in cities that might make you reconsider using a car for them.

Discuss.
#TheTruthAboutTraffic

People on bikes in a protected bike-lane in downtown Vancouver.

Never forget, when you’re being asked to prove that safe bike-lanes or pedestrian crossings across currently unsafe conditions are ‘needed,’ it's hard to justify a bridge by the number of people swimming across a raging river.

#TheTruthAboutTraffic

Cartoon: People in cars think g “if these people would just take the bus, I could be home by now.”

Here’s some common sense for you. If you want or need to drive in cities, your problem isn’t people choosing walking, biking & public transit because of smart, safe infrastructure. It’s all those people being forced to drive big cars instead, stuck in traffic in front of you. #TheTRUTHaboutTraffic

City of Kingston - The Truth About Traffic YouTube video by TheCityofKingston

Here it is, #TheTRUTHAboutTRAFFIC, my really blunt public presentation last week in Kingston Canada, available to watch any time (and since it covers a LOT of ground, you can break it into smaller viewing chunks).

Please watch, share widely, and discuss.

City of Kingston - The Truth About Traffic YouTube video by TheCityofKingston

Here it is, #TheTRUTHAboutTRAFFIC, @brenttoderian.bsky.social’s really blunt public presentation last week in Kingston Canada, available to watch any time (and since it covers a LOT of ground, you can break it into smaller viewing chunks).

Please watch, share widely, and discuss.

Can you handle #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

Things that DO make traffic worse:

- TOO MANY CARS
- SUBURBAN SPRAWL
- CAR DEPENDENCY (even for short trips)
- Bigger vehicles
- On-street parking
- ride-hailing

Things that DON’T make traffic worse (actually mitigate congestion):

Bike lanes
Bus lanes
Decongestion pricing

#TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

Explore this important, expanding thread, and add your own thoughts on #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC.

Slide with text saying “truth: no one is telling you that you have to use a bike to get your kids to hockey practice across town in a snowstorm with your hockey bag on your shoulder.”

TRUTH: No one’s forcing anyone to use a bike, or bus, or feet, for every trip.

(Yes, I hear scenarios like the one below all the time. And I don’t debate whether they “actually could”)

The point is that if others can choose different ways to get around, EVERYONE MOVES EASIER! #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

Slide with text saying “TRUTH: no one is trying to force anyone out of their car. Good cities offered more choices.”

TRUTH: Multi-modal cities aren’t about forcing anyone out of their cars. But they ARE about tackling car DEPENDENCY by adding MORE CHOICES (for you Americans, more freedom) in how u get around, which works better for everyone, INCLUDING DRIVERS! That’s geometry, & common sense. #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

Slide with text “TRUTH: The “War on the Car” is a lie.

Maybe the MOST IMPORTANT truth for better transportation in cities:

The “War on Cars” narrative fuelled by populist politicians, click bait media and such, IS A LIE.

Cars have almost all the space, budget etc, and ANY effort to add even a bit more CHOICE is attacked this way. #TheTruthAboutTraffic

STARTING IN 10 MINUTES! And you can WATCH FREE LIVE from anywhere! Just follow the instructions in the link. #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

TONIGHT! And you can WATCH FREE LIVE from anywhere, in your pajamas, at a viewing party, or however you want! Just follow the instructions in the link. #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

People on bikes, waiting at an intersection in a protected bike lane in downtown Vancouver

Never forget, when you’re being asked to prove that safe bike-lanes or pedestrian crossings across unsafe conditions are ‘needed,’ it's hard to justify a bridge by the number of people swimming across a raging river.

#TheTruthAboutTraffic

I agree! #TheTruthAboutTraffic

Very happy to see this idea — a VIEWING PARTY for my live-streamed presentation tomorrow night on #TheTruthAboutTraffic plus our all-star local leadership panel! Thanks @reconnectroc.bsky.social! Everyone, you can tune in from anywhere… join in! It’s all for our Kingston Integrated Mobility Plan.

10 Myths About Short Car Journeys (That Will Make You Want to Bike) » TUMI Many people in Europe and North America have grown accustomed to short journeys by car. Whether it’s just popping to the store to grab a few groceries ...

“Trading out the four wheels [of a car] for a bicycle on trips under a mile could save nearly two million metric tons of CO2 each year in the US alone.”

This and 9 other myths about short trips in cities that might make you reconsider using a car for them.

Discuss.
#TheTruthAboutTraffic

Can you handle The TRUTH ABOUT TRAFFIC? THIS WEEK! Live tickets have been sold out for a while, but you can watch the FREE LIVESTREAM FROM ANYWHERE! So mark your calendars, keep the link handy, and please help us spread the word! #TheTRUTHaboutTRAFFIC

Can you HANDLE the TRUTH? (About Traffic?)

Live tickets now sold out for @brenttoderian.bsky.social’s public presentation next week on “The Truth About Traffic” in Kingston… but you can plan to WATCH VIRTUALLY FREE FROM ANYWHERE on live-stream! Mark your calendars and join in! #TheTruthAboutTraffic

Tickets almost sold out for my public presentation I’m calling “The Truth About Traffic” next week in Kingston, Ontario… but I’m told there’s no limit to how many of you can plan to tune in virtually from anywhere to the live-stream! Mark your calendars and join in! #TheTruthAboutTraffic

“If you design a city for cars, it’s fails for everyone, including drivers. If you design a multi-modal city, it WORKS BETTER FOR EVERYONE INCLUDING DRIVERS.” — Brent Toderian

FACT: The more people choosing to walk, bike & take public transit to get around cities, the better cities work for EVERYONE, including DRIVERS.

Anyone claiming that less car dependency is a “war on cars” doesn’t understand how cities (or geometry) work.

It’s time we tell #TheTruthAboutTraffic.

“The Truth About Traffic” poster

If you want to hear “The Truth About Traffic,” you can get a free ticket to be there in-person in Kingston (limited capacity), OR you’ll be able to watch live on-line from anywhere!

See you June 5th! #TheTruthAboutTraffic

Can you HANDLE the TRUTH about Traffic? #TheTruthAboutTraffic

Places designed for driving are a failure for everyone, including drivers. #TheTruthAboutTraffic

Cartoon with road full of gridlocked cars with drivers thinking “If these idiots would just take the bus, I could be home by now.”

Here’s some common sense for you. If u want to or need to drive in cities, your problem isn’t people choosing walking, biking & public transit because of smart, safe infrastructure. It’s all those people being forced to drive big cars instead, stuck in traffic in front of you. #TheTRUTHaboutTraffic

Images of freeways with many lanes filled with car traffic that will never be solved by adding more lanes

Images of freeways with many lanes filled with car traffic that will never be solved by adding more lanes

Images of freeways with many lanes filled with car traffic that will never be solved by adding more lanes

Images of freeways with many lanes filled with car traffic that will never be solved by adding more lanes

"Adding highway lanes to deal with traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity." - Lewis Mumford in 1955.

We’ve known this for a LONG time, but we’ve put massive energy, money, space, and time into pretending we don’t know it. #TheTRUTHaboutTraffic
#InducedDemand #lawofcongestion

There’s a lot of misunderstanding & misinformation about what REALLY “causes” traffic, & what the real solutions are to moving more people with more choices in cities as they grow.

What if we unapologetically set out to change the conversation? What if we told #TheTruthAboutTraffic?

More to come.

Slide from @ToderianUW.bsky.social that says “If you design a city for cars, it fails for everyone, including drivers. If you design a multi model city, it works better for everyone, including drivers.”

The more people that choose to walk, bike and ride public transit to get around cities, the better cities work for EVERYONE, including DRIVERS. There’s no “war on cars,” just an opportunity for more successful cities.

It’s time we tell #TheTruthAboutTraffic.

Working in something new. Stay tuned.