Signs of life
by John Craig
More random photos from the tube. I participated in a survey yesterday, administered by a computer standing next to me in the queue. It was about personal safety (while I felt safe, turns out the person I was with didn't feel safe at all). I liked the idea, but participation didn't exactly seem popular. What might change this? I think more people would take part if there was a screen graphing the results so far. 'Dynamic' signposting of this kind seems to be everywhere at the moment, not least on Gmail.
On Vancouver Island, my Canadian host Peter Macleod pointed out, as the Nanaimo ferry fills, cars speed down the road towards it, causing many accidents. These have been reduced through the use of a dynamic sign that tells drivers how full the ferry is. Most often, there is plenty of space, and the road becomes slower and safer. But what happens when the ferry really is filling up? That's the dilemma of open information.