Sunday, March 11, 2007

The bottom-up participatory motorised community

The global motorised community is desperately searching for technological fixes to be able to continue (driving) as before. In Berlin and other cities they are having themselves on by stuffing the rainforest into the tank, employing mobile GIS/GPS to navigate the clogged arteries, mobiles sensing buidling sites. Web 2.0 will help to fight for 'cheap fuel'. Streetscapes gets auctioned to drivers looking to put their motorised tin on public land. The bottom-up 'massive public objection' of the motorised community in London against 'pay-as-you-drive' regulation sends a clear signal of 'the people's' will regarding climate change and urban life. The right to speed is fiercely defended.

More and bigger cars means that emissions, causing death and sickness in the cities, have actually risen. ”Despite improvements in vehicle technology, more and bigger cars mean that emissions from road transport actually rose by 26% between 1990 and 2004.”

Every cm of the city gets penetrated 24/7 by desperate automobiles drivers. Hinderances, like curbs, greenery, playgrounds etc get conquered by large 4x4. Pedestrians are chased by them on the pavement. Most courtyards (Höfe) have their green lung eliminated and turned into chimneys. The German fetish for “ the German's dearest child” makes non-motorised living creatures “..the largest single obstacle to free traffic movement."

The bottom-up participants in mobility seem to have no interest in 'stopping the planet from burning'. The 'love affair' with private and unsustainable mobility will come to a grinding halt. The Lumpenleisure will be in for a long emergence. Peak oil will bring about different living arrangements. Relearning to do everything very differently.
Graffiti, Berlin, Mitte
Cartoons summing it all up

No comments: