Contribution by Qin:
Just some thoughts of my impression of travelling in Amsterdam two months ago... that was the first time I went to Amsterdam and I was pretty impressed by the clarify of public transportantion signages.
But I did found the car parking along the street (right next to the river)is very dangerous to new drivers or foreign drivers... and I got totally lost in the evening as the lighting is just terrible (the place was so pretty during the day but turn into a blackhole in the eve...) not quite sure how you guys are planning to carry out the research, but getting travellers involved might give you a change to see things that locals are too used to spot :)
And children - another group that get lost easily and can see the world differently. And they influence their parents' behaviour/means in travelling as well - I was very impressed by the cycle they used in Amsterdam to 'ship' kids around, it's amazing... but the ethical issue to get children as participants might the a pain in the back - not sure how good/bad it is in Holland...
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Now!Move
This blog is part of an ongoing project on Sustainable Mobility, mobility that doesn't take more than it gives .
The first subject we are tackling within this project is the Congested City. The suffocating grip traffic has on our daily life. Specially in older cities, never build for large number of cars, we could do with a new approach.
A congested city (or country) usually means an economic congestion as well, but it definitely spells problems concerning safety and health for the people living in the city.
So what can we do? Well, one of the biggest problems is using your car for short trips. One possible solution: everyone should use a bicycle for trips shorter that 5 Km.
To a City like Amsterdam this would mean an almost car free city. It means an economic boast because of the more Accessible City, and last but not least it would have a big positive effect on health because of the improved air-quality, safety on the roads and people simply getting more exercise. There is a lot to profit.
Now, this is never going to happen quick. Mentalities, politics, laziness and old habits are in the way. They always are. But in due time there is no doubt that things will start moving.
Now!Move is going to give a little push.
This blog is put up to keep you posted. But more important we set up a experimental "project group twitter" to have a real conversation.
So join the NowMove Twitter group conversation on Twitter
and place @NowMove before your Tweets so we can track the conversation.
The first subject we are tackling within this project is the Congested City. The suffocating grip traffic has on our daily life. Specially in older cities, never build for large number of cars, we could do with a new approach.
A congested city (or country) usually means an economic congestion as well, but it definitely spells problems concerning safety and health for the people living in the city.
So what can we do? Well, one of the biggest problems is using your car for short trips. One possible solution: everyone should use a bicycle for trips shorter that 5 Km.
To a City like Amsterdam this would mean an almost car free city. It means an economic boast because of the more Accessible City, and last but not least it would have a big positive effect on health because of the improved air-quality, safety on the roads and people simply getting more exercise. There is a lot to profit.
Now, this is never going to happen quick. Mentalities, politics, laziness and old habits are in the way. They always are. But in due time there is no doubt that things will start moving.
Now!Move is going to give a little push.
This blog is put up to keep you posted. But more important we set up a experimental "project group twitter" to have a real conversation.
So join the NowMove Twitter group conversation on Twitter
and place @NowMove before your Tweets so we can track the conversation.
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