Use and Abuse of Language in Transport Ian Ker Principal Planner/Economist ARRB Transport Research

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.

More Language Cyclists Dislike

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

Working with the Market uClearer perception of costs, benefits and impacts

Working with the Market uClearer perception of costs, benefits and impacts uRemoving barriers to entry vtry before you buy vchoose what works for you vno need for long term commitment vinformation vopportunity

Automobility is Bad language uauto - self, own, of or by oneself umobile - shifting position readily; not fixed uautomobile - shifting position readily by oneself?

Automobility and Academia uMore than metal and (e)motion uInevitability of the automobile uOil makes the wheels go round uThe auto as liberation technology uCentrifugal spin uTrapped behind the wheel uCultural icons and rites of passage uFoul play uBlowing smoke uWhere do they go to die? uMoving away from cars uWhere are we now? uCalming traffic University of California at Berkeley Automobility 121 Syllabus 2003

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

Transport Infrastructure Funding: A Level Playing Field? uRoads vLarge continuing investment needed vMainly from current user revenues vHypothecated funding sources vUsers apparently meet expenditure… v…but expenditure less than cost in cities: èExternalities èDeteriorating asset uPublic Transport vLarge continuing investment needed vMainly debt funded vNo dedicated funding sources vUsers do not meet expenditure… v…but expenditure greater than cost: èFew externalities èImproving asset

Some Consequences uRoads in cities are underpriced: vrelative to public transport vin absolute terms vhidden deficit uRoads are not subject to financial analysis uPublic transport is deficit-funded v20% ($40 million) of cost v25% of deficit is interest on debt uBicycles fight for whatever they can get

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.

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

Making Travel Behaviour Change Work uFunding Travel Behaviour Change Programs uGovernment walking the talk vGetting the economic signals right èTransport pricing èTaxation vCoherent supportive context vLeadership by example vDeveloping tools for employers vSharing information vSupporting workplace travel plan development and implementation

Rhetoric to Reality: What Inhibits Change? uPlanning as a substitute for action uExpert servants uStructural and institutional inertia uThe best as enemy of the better uNot really believing it yourself Never hire an architect who claims Im an architect - not a change management consultant. Vivian Loftness, Professor of Architecture

Local Politics uMisunderstanding vWhy should local government be marketing public transport for State Government? uMisperception vWere already better than other places uMisinformation vIt isnt all its cracked up to be

Not Just Physical Activity & Health uIndependence uCognitive Development uPhysical Fitness uSelf-esteem uSense of Community uSense of Place

Not Just Physical Activity & Health uIndependence uCognitive Development uPhysical Fitness uSelf-esteem uSense of Community uSense of Place

Achieving and Perfecting