[sustran] Re: non-biased transportation language for engineers and planners

[Carlos Cordero V.]

Dear sustraners,

In spanish we have a similar situation.
the word ' Vehicle ' is used to mean ' motor vehicle '. So recently in a bike
conference in Colombia, somebody translated the well known slogan
to talk about bikes contribution 'one less car' using
'one less vehicle' . Sometimes i am not allow to park my bike in a
parking lot because the guard say it is ' only for vehicles '.

I disagree about an objective language, because there is no such thing.
Language always refers to desires objetives and has a point of view.
i.e. a point and a view from this point.

So the problem is deep and showing it up is a good contribution to realize
how car oriented is our culture and that changes are going to be slow. Or fast.
it always depend on where you are.



Carlos Cordero
CICLORED
Centro de Capacitacio'n y Asesori'a 
para el Transporte y Ambiente 

San Juan 242
Lima 33
PERU

tel: 51 1 4460175 (nuevo telf)
fax: 51 1 4472675

e mail: ccordero at amauta.rcp.net.pe