In this episode of Look Both Ways, 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

In this episode of Look Both Ways, David & Wes discuss how robotaxis affect urban resilience after a blackout brought mayhem to San Francisco’s streets. As robotaxis expand in cities across the United States and Europe, how will they react to emergencies and unforeseen events? If autonomous vehicles freeze en masse, transportation networks could grind to a halt.

Other topics: 🔹 The quiet power of city sidewalks 🔹 Best ways to keep biking in the winter 🔹 The uncertain future of transportation & urban planning research under Trump

Subscribe for biweekly conversations about all things transportation.

Additional resources:

Info about the Waymo meltdown during the San Francisco blackout

David’s recent Bloomberg article questioning whether AVs really are safer than humans

Wes' paper with Peyton Gibson on the disparate approaches cities take to maintaining roads and sidewalks

Wes' paper with Nick Coppola about municipal policy impacts sidewalk availability & width

Wes' paper with Nick Coppola about how much static obstructions affect the clear width of sidewalks

David’s 2025 article in Bloomberg about Denver’s innovative sidewalk program

Crossroads, the “TRB alternative” taking place in DC Jan 15

David’s 2025 article about transportation research censorship under Trump

Look Both Ways with David & Wes is the transportation podcast by David Zipper & Wes Marshall.

Today, we're tossing our regularly scheduled programming out the window in order to recap the transportation news that made us laugh, cry, and shout in 2025 — and then we share what we'll be looking out for in 2026.

And yes, we still have some rail drinks at the end...

Some additional resources: David’s biggest laugh of the year (pedestrians told to keep to the left in Melbourne)

David’s favorite dress from Toronto’s 2025 bike wars

David’s most promising innovation: DADSS

David’s favorite article of the year, about vehicle blind zones changing over time

David’s most thought-provoking book: More and More and More by Jean-Baptiste Fressoz

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