Everyone seems to think they’re a great driver but your scuffed bumper might disagree. How can we learn to improve our driving in the age of infinite distractions? Do you even need to own a car these days? We’re talking with Jalopnik writer Kristen Lee about cars in the city, safer driving, and virtues of manual transmissions.



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This Week’s Discussion

Driving in the 21st century ain’t what it used to be. So many of us in the city don’t even own a car, instead relying on apps like Uber and Lyft when we need a ride or Zipcar for longer errands. Kristen admits that even though she’s a car nut, a lot of us don’t really need one. (Of course, it’s a whole different conversation depending on where you live.)


Ride Sharing Showdown: Uber vs. Lyft The ride sharing services Uber and Lyft both make it easy to grab a ride with your phone, get you… Read more

But for those of us who do drive, how the heck can we improve? A lot of it simply comes down to paying attention. Paying attention to where every other driver on the road intends to go, and paying attention to how your own actions will be interpreted by the drivers around you. Kristen recommends you look at a driver’s eyes, as their gaze will tell you what direction they intend to go regardless of their blinker (or lack thereof). And modern cars are replete with sensors and cameras but don’t put too much faith in their ability to alert you. A nervous robot isn’t always the best copilot.

Listen to the show to hear about how Kristen became interested in cars herself, the future of self-driving vehicles, and my emotional confession of never learning to drive stick. (It’s fine, whatever. Fine unless I want to take a road trip in Europe.)


Our Upgrades of the Week

Every week we like to round out the show with the little upgrades we’ve made in our own life. This week we’re talking shame, comfort, and toys.


Kristen : Kristen learned that shame is a great motivator to go to the gym. Kristen! Shame doesn’t sound like the most pleasant motivational life hack but she’s being her own tough boss.



: Kristen learned that shame is a great motivator to go to the gym. Kristen! Shame doesn’t sound like the most pleasant motivational life hack but she’s being her own tough boss. Melissa : Melissa has rediscovered the wonders of a heating pad. A heating pad can alleviate both mind and body of all sores and woes. Maybe not your mind but it sure is comfy. Kristen recommends sitting on it like a hen sitting on a nest—if the nest were warming the hen. A reverse chicken, basically.



: Melissa has rediscovered the wonders of a heating pad. A heating pad can alleviate both mind and body of all sores and woes. Maybe not your mind but it sure is comfy. Kristen recommends sitting on it like a hen sitting on a nest—if the nest were warming the hen. A reverse chicken, basically. Andy: Myself, I treated myself to a model kit. I don’t really care about the end product that much; it’s the process that relaxes me Strandbeest model kit




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