The Trafficist
Who knew? It turns out that one of New York City's most captivating and articulate voices for Livable Streets is a guy who spends most of his day analyzing right and wrong as the New York Times Magazine's acclaimed "Ethicist."
2:54 PM EST on November 6, 2007
“It seemed to me that what was significantly undermining the ordinary daily happiness and health and economic life of both me and my fellow New Yorkers was the private car.”
–– Randy Cohen, “The Ethicist”
Who knew? It turns out that one of New York City’s most captivating and articulate voices for Livable Streets is a guy who spends most of his day analyzing right and wrong as the New York Times Magazine’s acclaimed “Ethicist.”
Open Planning Project Director Mark Gorton recently interviewed Randy Cohen on the ethics of urban automobility. The result may very well be the best StreetFilm we’ve ever produced. Clarence Eckerson has put together a short teaser to whet your appetite and, perhaps, provide some moral underpinning for this evening’s Livable Streets workshop on the Upper West Side. The full interview will be published later this month.
Aaron Naparstek is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Naparstek's journalism, advocacy and community organizing work has been instrumental in growing the bicycle network, removing motor vehicles from parks, and developing new public plazas, car-free streets and life-saving traffic-calming measures across all five boroughs. He was also one of the original cast members of the "War on Cars" podcast. You can find more of his work on his website.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog New York City
Opinion: Sean Duffy’s ‘Golden Age’ of Dangerous Streets
Sean Duffy is calling for a "golden age" of civility in American travel. He should start by ending barbaric policies that get people killed on the ground and in the skies.
Ethan Andersen
December 15, 2025
‘I’m Always on the Bus’: How Transit Advocacy Helped Katie Wilson Become Seattle’s Next Mayor
"I really think that our public transit system is such a big part of people's daily experience of government," says the incoming mayor of the Emerald City.
December 12, 2025
Watchdog Wants Hochul To Nix Bus Lane Enforcement Freebies for MTA Drivers
Lawmakers think the bill prevents MTA employees from getting a "slap in the face" for doing their jobs, but it could open the door to abuse.
December 11, 2025
More Truck Routes Are Coming To A Street Near You
The DOT wants to rein in freight trucks by adding more than 45 miles to the city’s existing network of truck routes.
December 11, 2025
Upstate County’s New Bus Service Will Turn A Transit Desert Into A Rural Network
Jefferson County was one of the few counties in New York without a bus service. Now job seekers and students will have previously unfathomable options in their North Country communities.
December 11, 2025
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.