David Zipper (@DavidZipper) / X

David Zipper

10.9K posts

David Zipper

@DavidZipper

Senior Fellow @MIT Mobility Initiative + Contributing Writer at Vox, focused on transport. Words in @Slate @TheAtlantic @CityLab davidzipper.com

Washington, DC

linktr.ee/davidzipper

Joined March 2011

Pinned
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Jun 27, 2023
Hey folks, I'm going to spend less time here and more on other platforms. To keep in touch: Bluesky: @DavidZipper.bsky.social Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/david-zippe… Mastodon: @[email protected] Paved with Good Intentions, my free newsletter: davidzipper.com/newsletter
14K
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Jan 1, 2023
Fun fact: Norway now wants fewer electric cars and more transit, biking, and walking. electrek.co/2022/05/17/nor…
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Dec 31, 2022
Replying to @jpr007
I’d like to thank the people of Norway again for their incredible support of electric vehicles. Norway rocks!! 🇳🇴
5.7M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Dec 2, 2023
Believe it or not, the US has no pedestrian impact regulations
4.1M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
May 26, 2024
Answer: The US has no pedestrian safety regulations. I’m entirely serious.
AutoPap
@AutoPap
May 25, 2024
In a land where you sue if your coffee is too hot, how the hell did this pass US pedestrian safety regulations?
2.1M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Aug 5, 2023
I’ve spent much of this year learning about car bloat, the process through which smaller vehicles are being replaced by increasingly massive SUVs and trucks. What I’ve learned: Huge cars are terrible for society, often in ways that are hidden. A summary 🧵
6.7M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Sep 4, 2022
Weekend reminder that SimCity's creators couldn't accurately reflect the scale of urban parking lots because if they did the game fell apart. theatlantic.com/technology/arc…
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Jun 8, 2023
One way to make traffic enforcement more equitable: Have fines scale with income. Last weekend one of Finland's wealthiest citizens was caught going 20 mph over the speed limit. His ticket was €121,000.
Finnish businessman handed €121,000 speeding ticket
From abcnews.com
2M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Aug 28, 2021
Meanwhile, in Bordeaux...
00:00
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Jul 6, 2023
A group of San Franciscans realized that they can disable Waymo and Cruise robotaxis by placing a traffic cone on the vehicle's hood. They're now encouraging others to do it: "Hell no, we do not consent to this."
00:00
4.9M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Jan 23, 2023
Today's F-150 owners like to describe their vehicle as "powerful" and "rugged" -- while using it mostly for "shopping/errands" and "pleasure driving." (The vast majority don't tow anything all year.) axios.com/ford-pickup-tr…
2.6M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Sep 30, 2022
Well, this is interesting: In NYC, a new bill would invite residents to submit photos of cars blocking bike lanes, schools, and sidewalks -- and then receive 25% of each $175 ticket.
NYC Proposal Offers Cash for Spotting Parking Violations in Bike Lanes
From bloomberg.com
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Sep 1, 2024
The Economist just published a deeply-researched story about car bloat, and it's very, very damning: "For every life that the heaviest 1% of SUVs and trucks save, there are more than a dozen lives lost in other vehicles." Well worth your time: economist.com/interactive/un…
2M
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Apr 16, 2024
Been a while since I've seen a book cover go this hard
384K
David Zipper
@DavidZipper
Apr 26, 2023
Good news: Automakers are finally realizing that car touchscreens are a disaster. Drivers hate them, and they're also dangerously distracting. Buttons and knobs are poised for a comeback. Me, in @Slate
The Glorious Return of an Old-School Car Feature
From slate.com
1.6M