Mobility Memories: What's the word?
It was an inauspicious start to travelling by bus for David as a boy: right bus – wrong direction!
Memories of mobility. From other stories they seem to centre on an early trip, or trips, and that feeling of independence and freedom. Yet there also can be a feeling of lack of control. Also a feeling of being trapped.
Mobility Memory Vocabulary: What is the word?
David’s memories have added a new word to my emerging Mobility Memory Vocabulary. But I don't know the word....
.....I can see David as a young man with his rucksack, can of beer and book. He's had a busy week in Glasgow. He has boarded the train. He is breathing out with a contented smile as he sits down. Ahh...he's on the train about to set off to see his girlfriend (future wife!) for the weekend.
"Breathe out". "Settle-in". Really...what is the word? It is a word which describes the contentment you feel that you’re in place, in your seat, and the journey is starting. It should particularly relate to a transport trip. Contentment doesn't cut it somehow.
I have had these feelings many times – in fact I have shared them with David. Of course it is a journey: you are going from A-B. You don't want to be delayed. But somehow you are sorted. In this Mobility Memory episode I think David is onto something in pursuit of the word. He sees part of that feeling being grounded in having a fixed time slot - 1.5-2hrs - which is ringfenced and boxed-off. Nothing else to do but, well, do something: to work, to read, to think, to dream (about your girlfriend!). That time has been carved out. Perhaps the routine of getting the coffees and the sandwiches is part of "settling in" (David is right - I do ALWAYS-have an Americano and Tuna Crunch).
"I think on public transport"
A long time ago (1998/9) I did an evaluation of international TV based public information campaigns for the UK Department of Transport. They wanted to understand what makes a good TV campaign and how could TV campaigns be best used to encourage a shift to sustainable travel: the new Labour government was looking at a green agenda and Transport Secretary Prescott was interested in this area.
It certainly was one of my top 5 favourite research projects ever! I used to love public information broadcasts as a child in the 70s and still (quite sadly) remember them well. They must have saved me from: drowning, protected me from shadowy strangers, stopped me burning the house down, and helped me being a courteous driver. (There is a long history of these campaigns in the UK.)
Back to Prescott: After much research and interviews and data reviews and European travel, the big winner of the TV campaign which made a difference was: "I think - on public transport" - a campaign by the Swedish Ministry of Transport*. Lots of lessons were learnt in attracting attention and changing behaviour, but the main ones concerned the imagery and personal resonance the advert used. It showed different people - one per advert - sat in their seat on the bus. It's a usual transport scene: people sat, people moving to get off. "Press here" stop bells, adverts above windows. Zoom into the main person - a smile and a distant calm expression. A thought scene above their head picturing the world their brain is itself transported to: a scene of a spaceman exploring a planet in the thoughts of one person; a scan image of a baby in the womb moving in the mind of another. Breathe out.
As public transport takes you somewhere, your mind can take you somewhere else as you "settle", "breathe out". Perhaps it is THAT WORD which is a fundamental part of human travel experience.
*Sweden has a good track-record in travel awareness campaigns, for example in using humour to stress the negative aspects of car based travel or projecting an exciting image of the future of transport. [I can't find any video/imagery of the "I think - on public transport" advert - if you have it please let me know!]
Music Credit: Life of a Wandering Wizard by Serge Quadrado
Thanks for the tuna crunch and the images go to Greggs.