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HomeTransportation policy

Transportation policy

Media Analysis

Car and Driver endorsing Dan Gurney for prez showed auto media’s insularity

September 3, 2023 Steve 4

Journalist Bruce McCall (2002) once called Detroit a “self-isolated world” that “matches that of any West Virginia hollow for insularity.” I was reminded of his quip when reading Car and Driver magazine’s endorsement of Dan […]

Thurston BPA transmission station
Editor's Note

Ronnie Schreiber helps us hone our bullshit detectors

February 23, 2023 Steve 1

Ronnie Schreiber recently submitted a comment to our story, “Peter DeLorenzo draws questionable lessons from automotive history.” What follows is his entire comment in unedited form: “I find it interesting that the environmentalists who warned […]

1959 Pontiac
Letters to the Editor

Reader offers additional reasons for ‘lower, longer and wider’ trend

October 27, 2022 Steve 5

Our “Auto Paedia” article about Detroit’s tendency to make its cars “lower, longer and wider” during the post-war period continues to generate an interesting discussion in the comment thread. One comment I would like to […]

Olympia traffic at dusk
Quotes

1969 prediction: Traffic jams could lead to caps on auto production

January 4, 2022 Steve 0

“That bell you hear tolling ominously in the background could be for the automobile and driving as we know them. An ever-increasing number of individuals and organizations are expressing alarm over the proliferation of cars. […]

Olympia traffic at dusk
Current Events

Will the pandemic lead to a backlash against commuting?

May 21, 2021 Steve 0

A recent survey of Los Angeles Times employees found that as the pandemic eases, only 1.4 percent of respondents want to return to working in the office five days a week. Antipathy toward commuting was […]

U.S. Highway 101 and Interstate 5Collapse of civilization at U.S. Highway 101 and Interstate 5
Satire

Mature reflections about societal collapse on Interstate 5

December 26, 2020 Steve 0

The interchange between U.S. Highway 101 and Interstate 5 running north is an asphalt monument to automotive freedom. This river of highway descends from the elite cliffs of Olympia, Washington’s westside into its more plebeian […]

Quotes
Quotes

Peter DeLorenzo: A ‘wandering spirit’ defines nation

November 27, 2020 Steve 0

“(O)ur individual and collective experiences with cars and being on the road are seared in our memories and are irreplaceable. Where we’ve been has everything to do with who we are. This nation was transformed […]

  • Is Jaguar smart to run away from its design heritage?
    October 8, 2026 21
  • AMC Pacer clay model
    Why does Joe Ligo’s PBS series sanewash AMC’s mid-70s recklessness?
    October 6, 2026 20
  • 2026 Ram pickups
    A pyrrhic regulatory rollback and how poorly the 1978 Matador coupe sold
    October 2, 2026 12
  • 1962 Chrysler 300
    Did the 1962-65 Chrysler 300 ‘dilute’ the letter series?
    September 29, 2026 7
  • 1968 Ford Mustang
    Three rules led to a stultifying level of conformity in 1960s U.S. car design
    September 24, 2026 12
  • 1976ish Toyota Corolla
    Data on imports sheds light on their dramatic gains from 1964-80
    September 18, 2026 5
  • 1974 Chrysler New Yorker
    1974 Chrysler New Yorker was a tragedy that played out on four levels
    September 16, 2026 16
  • Internet problems reminded me of U.S. automakers in the 1970s
    May 2, 2026 1
  • 1956 Buick hood scoop
    Readers brainstorm ideas for future Indie Auto stories
    October 14, 2022 141
Society of Automotive Historian award to Indie Auto

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