I spent last week at a tobacco control conference, where some of my colleagues expressed surprise at the idea that the liveable cities work is more of a challenge than trying to convince governments to pass policies on tobacco control. We are used to the idea of the tobacco industry as an enormously wealthy and fearsome opponent. Well, yes, but it is insignificant compared to the combined forces of cars, road building, and oil. In the face of all the industry lobbying, trying to convince governments to give true importance to pedestrians, simply to acknowledge the existence (and then the importance) of cyclists, and to support public transit rather than endless road building, is no easy task. Hence my new motto, which I am happy to share with my faithful readers: being weak is not my forte. I find it useful when the work seems intimidating; sure it’s tough, but why would we ever let that stop us?