<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 10"> <link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C69579.9C943D60">  <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='tab-interval:.5in'> <div class=Section1> Dear Eric<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Please don’t get offended about my agreeing with Will. I am not disagreeing to the use of motorcycles and motorcycle-based Intermediate Means of Transport which provides an immense service to the mobility of the poor communities. However, I think it is very important to take care of the safety and environmental aspects of these modes of transport and get the policy makers to seriously think about having and enforcing laws governing the approval, roadworthiness and behaviour in the traffic of these motorised two and three wheelers. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I am sorry if I have unintentionally hurt your feelings but one should accept the fact that we should be open to express our own ideas and arguments in a discussion list and at the same time are ready to receive critical comments from your colleagues. Anyway Sustran is a very lively discussion list where I learn and add so much to my own knowledge.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thank you.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Warm regards.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Ranjith<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Ranjith de Silva<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> -----Original Message----- From: Eric.Britton [mailto:eric.britton@ecoplan.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 1:03 PM To: frwro@mucc.mahidol.ac.th; Sustran-discuss@jca.apc.org; ranjithsd@sltnet.lk; sksunny@gmail.com Cc: carlos.pardo@sutp.org; 'Dinesh Mohan' Subject: Eric. why are you misusing Sustran to promote the use of motorcycles? <o:p> </o:p> >> Eric. why are you misusing Sustran to promote the use of motorcycles? This list is supposed to be about sustainable transport - affordable, non-polluting, equitable, social, community-oriented, safe - eg walking, cycling, public transport. We shouldn't be promoting or encouraging motorcycle use. <<<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Oh dear Will, Ranjith, Suny and Sustran Friends, I did not have even the vaguest inkling that anything coming from me to this list would for a moment be taken in this way. I posted that release as a reminder of the complexity of the institutional and behavioral landscape out there when it comes to motorized two-wheelers and all that they involve.  And yes my fault, I should have explained.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> I am sadly aware of what is going on in the streets in places like Bangkok and the long list of cities facing these tough challenges. Indeed I have written here and elsewhere that this is to my mind one of the great not only unmet but largely even un-asked challenges of transport in cities. Here we are “suddenly” in this awful anomalous situation, where a combination of the market, technology, indifference and our gross  inability to come up with an alternative from the perspective of public policy, have combined to create a situation in which these terribly dangerous vehicles and public health menaces have become the ‘transport of choice’ of ever larger numbers of people. And to my knowledge these problems cannot be found in the transport and planning curricula of any of the great or less great educational institutions of the world.  At best they are treated episodically, in conversation and in pretty much isolated manners by concerned individuals, a couple of groups like Sustran, and the odd media piece.  It is not too much to say that for now at least we are lost in the woods on this.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> What you have done the three of you (thus far since it’s still early ;-) is to remind me that in the rather long list of topics to which our about to go on line New Mobility Briefs cooperative program is giving attention, that indeed we have to now also been guilty of not putting the challenges of finding our way to better policies to deal with motorized two wheelers in cities on our ‘curriculum’. (But given the fact that the program will only be getting formally launched next week there is no harm done). In the event it is now very much on our work program, and once we have enough cities backing the program so that we have greater freedom of action in choosing topics (we need to bring five hundred cities and agencies on board if we are to be able to pay the rent and salaries for this program), I promise you that we will get this topic to the top of the list. (And all of you here will have a chance to pitch in to make sure that our final short piece aimed at mayors and local decision makers reflects our combined experience and brainpower.)<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> In the meantime, I invite you to check out our considerable progress at <a href="http://www.newmobilityadvisory.org/">http://www.newmobilityadvisory.org</a>, where you will now see that motorcycles are right in the middle of our agenda. <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> With all good wishes<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> Eric Britton<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> PS. To get a feel for the approach that we feel is called for in the face of the challenges our cities and beleaguered planet face, you may wish to take a few minutes with the two short video clips that you will find on the top menu: the Sneak Preview of the forthcoming film Contested Streets, and the Man on the Street interview in Groningen (great value!).  Also, if you click to the 2006 Awards link you will see our two group nominations for this year’s World Technology Environment Awards. One of them is to recognize the contributions of Jan Gehl in his highly innovative public space work. Jan also appears in the Contested Streets video, which he closes with the following wonderful statement: “It is really a wonderful thing to live in a city where when you wake up in the morning you realize that today the city is a little bit better than yesterday. I have had this feeling now for almost forty years”.  I would say that all of us who care can fairly make this our shared goal.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> PPS. Do you think you might want to work with us on this? If so, please send me a private note to <a href="mailto:eric.britton@ecoplan.org">eric.britton@ecoplan.org</a>. Thanks and welcome aboard.<o:p></o:p>   <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>