Welcome to the OoruLabs podcast. Ever complained how bad our cities are? How bad your commute is? You’ll get to hear from people who are working to solve these problems. This is your weekly soapbox for Urban Sustainability with Sathya Sankaran

In this episode of the OoruLabs podcast, Sathya Sankaran and Sonal Kulkarni discuss the future of cycling as a commuting vehicle in cities with Professor Ruth Oldenziel. They delve into the history of the automobile industry and its impact on urban planning, as well as the factors needed for successful cycling infrastructure. Listen in to learn more about the role of cycling in sustainable transportation and the challenges faced in promoting it in different contexts.

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About Prof Ruth Oldenziel in the Eindhoven University of Technology: https://www.tue.nl/en/research/researchers/ruth-oldenziel

Peter Norton’s book - Fighting Traffic, The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City: https://www.amazon.in/Fighting-Traffic-American-Inside-Technology/dp/0262516128 

Cycling cities: Is your city next?: http://www.cyclingcities.info/your-city-next/

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Timecodes

00:00 - Intro and context

02:12 - Cycling and its many facets

04:54 - Perceptions and cycling

09:15 - American influence on mobility

14:01 - Public policy to blame 

18:39 - The silver bullets: five of them

23:39 - The silver bullets in Dutch history

26:50 - History through the cycling cities project

34:35 - Influence of culture on cycling

42:00 - One more secret

45:02 - Join the cycling cities

45:29 - Technology and cycling

48:17 - What we have learned