Right to the Road: How Marginalized American Motorists Fought to Drive and Park

Car ownership is a central issue in the U.S. culture wars about global warming, urban sprawl, and various social issues. Joseph A. Rodriguez's book "Right to the Road: How Marginalized American Motorists Fought to Drive and Park" explores the history of automobile regulations and their impact on marginalized Americans.

Format: Hardback
Length: 284 pages
Publication date: 25 July 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Car ownership has become a significant issue in the ongoing cultural wars surrounding global warming and urban sprawl in the United States. While the environmental concerns associated with car use are widely recognized, the car also plays a central role in debates about urban redevelopment, racially biased policing, women's employment, immigration, homelessness, and disability rights. In his book "Right to the Road: How Marginalized American Motorists Fought to Drive and Park," Joseph A. Rodriguez delves into the historical and contemporary impact of enforced automobile regulations on marginalized Americans. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the car's role in society, including:
Milwaukee's parking policies after World War II and the impact on urban redevelopment;
Chicago's traffic and parking policies and the post-war rise in crime;
the increased employment of white and Black women post-war and the harassment they faced from police officers and motorists;
the policing of Latino drivers and the sensationalization of automobile accidents by anti-immigrant activists to demonize Latinos as criminals;
the push for driving rights by the disabled community;
the debates in cities and suburbs over the right to park overnight in safe parking spaces; and
the use of automobiles and parking lots during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through his research, Rodriguez highlights the multifaceted nature of the car's role in society and how it has shaped American culture and politics. He argues that car ownership has become a symbol of freedom and mobility for many marginalized Americans, but it has also contributed to social and economic inequality. Rodriguez's book provides a valuable insight into the complex relationship between the car and marginalized communities and offers a call to action for policymakers to address the issues surrounding car ownership and use.
Car ownership has become a significant issue in the ongoing cultural wars surrounding global warming and urban sprawl in the United States. While the environmental concerns associated with car use are widely recognized, the car also plays a central role in debates about urban redevelopment, racially biased policing, women's employment, immigration, homelessness, and disability rights. In his book "Right to the Road: How Marginalized American Motorists Fought to Drive and Park," Joseph A. Rodriguez delves into the historical and contemporary impact of enforced automobile regulations on marginalized Americans. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the car's role in society, including:
Milwaukee's parking policies after World War II and the impact on urban redevelopment;
Chicago's traffic and parking policies and the post-war rise in crime;
the increased employment of white and Black women post-war and the harassment they faced from police officers and motorists;
the policing of Latino drivers and the sensationalization of automobile accidents by anti-immigrant activists to demonize Latinos as criminals;
the push for driving rights by the disabled community;
the debates in cities and suburbs over the right to park overnight in safe parking spaces; and
the use of automobiles and parking lots during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through his research, Rodriguez highlights the multifaceted nature of the car's role in society and how it has shaped American culture and politics. He argues that car ownership has become a symbol of freedom and mobility for many marginalized Americans, but it has also contributed to social and economic inequality. Rodriguez's book provides a valuable insight into the complex relationship between the car and marginalized communities and offers a call to action for policymakers to address the issues surrounding car ownership and use.

Weight: 608g
Dimension: 235 x 161 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666927740