Use and Abuse of Language in Transport

1. Use and Abuse of Languagein Transport Ian Ker Principal Planner/Economist ARRB Transport Research

2. You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive

3. You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive Road-rage hits elephant in Sri Lanka Monday July 2, 3:53 PM (AFP) Road-rage hits elephant in Sri Lanka. A Sri Lankan elephant experienced a fit of road-rage, pushing aside a bus after the driver rudely obstructed its way. The elephant was ambling along a main highway in the central town of Eheliyagoda recently when a private bus overtook it and came to an abrupt halt in the path of the pachyderm, the Lankadeepa newspaper reported. As several trumpet calls failed to get the obstructing bus out of the way, the tusker pushed the offending vehicle and smashed its windows before continuing its journey. Police did not press charges.

4. More Language Cyclists Dislike

5. Nanny State? Or Aunt Sally? A government perceived as having excessive interest in or control over the welfare of its citizens, especially in the enforcement of extensive public health and safety regulations. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

6. Working with the Market • Clearer perception of costs, benefits and impacts

7. Working with the Market • Clearer perception of costs, benefits and impacts • Removing ‘barriers to entry’ • ‘try before you buy’ • choose what works for you • no need for long term commitment • information • opportunity

8. Automobility is Bad language • auto - self, own, of or by oneself • mobile - shifting position readily; not fixed • automobile - shifting position readily by oneself?

9. More than metal and (e)motion Inevitability of the automobile Oil makes the wheels go ‘round The auto as liberation technology Centrifugal spin Trapped behind the wheel Cultural icons and rites of passage Foul play Blowing smoke Where do they go to die? Moving away from cars Where are we now? Calming traffic Automobility and Academia University of California at Berkeley ‘Automobility 121’ Syllabus 2003

10. Regulation is in the Eye of the Beholder A Level Playing Field? Mass car ownership offered us a control over time and space which no previous generation has ever had, and we took it up willingly and enthusiastically. But it has got out of hand. It has now started to defeat its own advantages: There is much talk of a 'level playing field' - but playing fields are never level, which is why we change ends at half time. It's now half time - literally: we are probably about half way to the levels of traffic that would eventually apply if trends continue unchecked, and that just won't do. So we need to find a better way, or better ways. Phil Goodwyn (1997), Solving Congestion Inaugural Lecture as Professor of Transport Policy University College, London

11. Roads Large continuing investment needed Mainly from current user revenues Hypothecated funding sources Users apparently meet expenditure… …but expenditure less than cost in cities: Externalities Deteriorating asset Public Transport Large continuing investment needed Mainly debt funded No dedicated funding sources Users do not meet expenditure… …but expenditure greater than cost: Few externalities Improving asset Transport Infrastructure Funding: A Level Playing Field?

12. Some Consequences • Roads in cities are underpriced: • relative to public transport • in absolute terms • ‘hidden’ deficit • Roads are not subject to financial analysis • Public transport is ‘deficit-funded’ • 20% ($40 million) of cost • 25% of ‘deficit’ is interest on debt • Bicycles fight for whatever they can get

13. Pattern Language Fundamental to any science or engineering discipline is a common vocabulary for expressing its concepts, and a language for relating them together. The goal of patterns within the software community is to create a body of literature to help software developers resolve recurring problems encountered throughout all of software development. Patterns help create a shared language for communicating insight and experience about these problems and their solutions. Formally codifying these solutions and their relationships lets us successfully capture the body of knowledge which defines our understanding of good architectures that meet the needs of their users. Forming a common pattern language for conveying the structures and mechanisms of our architectures allows us to intelligibly reason about them. The primary focus is not so much on technology as it is on creating a culture to document and support sound engineering architecture and design. http://hillside.net/patterns/patterns.htm

14. No Pattern Language The Building of the Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel, 1563. Oil on oak panel, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

15. Making Travel Behaviour Change Work • Funding Travel Behaviour Change Programs • Government ‘walking the talk’ • Getting the economic signals right • Transport pricing • Taxation • Coherent supportive context • Leadership by example • Developing tools for employers • Sharing information • Supporting workplace travel plan development and implementation

16. Rhetoric to Reality: What Inhibits Change? • Planning as a substitute for action • ‘Expert servants’ • Structural and institutional inertia • The best as enemy of the better • Not really believing it yourself Never hire an architect who claims “I’m an architect - not a change management consultant”. Vivian Loftness, Professor of Architecture

17. Local Politics • Misunderstanding • Why should local government be marketing public transport for State Government? • Misperception • We’re already ‘better’ than other places • Misinformation • It isn’t all it’s cracked up to be

18. Not ‘Just’ Physical Activity & Health • Independence • Cognitive Development • Physical Fitness • Self-esteem • Sense of Community • Sense of Place

19. Not ‘Just’ Physical Activity & Health • Independence • Cognitive Development • Physical Fitness • Self-esteem • Sense of Community • Sense of Place

20. Achieving and Perfecting