The Bottom-Up Revolution - Car Ownership Versus the Promise of Convenience

The Bottom-Up Revolution - Car Ownership Versus the Promise of Convenience

From Think and Act Locally by Think & Act Locally

July 21, 2026 · 16 min

About this episode

Andrew Price discusses his experiences living without a car and the implications of car ownership on urbanism.

Andrew Price spent nine years living without a car in Hoboken, New Jersey, where most daily trips could be handled on foot or by transit. Once he bought a car, even routine outings came with a new calculation: where he would park, how much it would cost, and whether driving was actually the easier option. An early Strong Towns member, Price examined places, non-places, and the difference between fine-grained and coarse-grained urbanism in articles. He reflects on how owning a car made him a stronger urbanist, a realization that connects back to his first years in Arkansas, where lawns, roads, and parking lots filled the landscape, but finding a place to sit outside with lunch still meant getting back in the car. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Andrew Price ( Blog , LinkedIn , X [Twitter] ) Places and Non-Places and Fine-Grained vs. Coarse-Grained Urbanism by Andrew Price (Articles) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here. This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members . Thank you! Join fellow members discussing this episode in The Commons .

Topics covered

More episodes of Think and Act Locally

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Think and Act Locally podcast page.