Good day my good friend.

It’s not often that transport gets mixed up in internet culture. But when YouTuber Alex Choi posted this video of a stunt with a Tesla, the kick back has been something else. Especially after a video from the guy who’s car was wrecked got threatened with legal action for posting the original video. It goes to show that the Streisland Effect is very strong indeed.

If you have any suggestions for interesting news items or bits of research to include in this newsletter, you can email me.

James

Providing transport for those without a bank account

No doubt refugees from conflicts have not been far from your thoughts in recent weeks. Globally, there are over 82 million who are forcibly displaced (that is an insane figure). And a huge challenge facing refugees is a simple one. Many of them don’t have bank accounts, or have ones that are not recognised in the country they have fled to. In 2017, 1.7 billion people were unbanked. Which poses a question – how do you pay for transport services?

We know how to do this. It is to not require credit cards or bank details when signing up for new mobility services. You allow cash payment. You consider access to financial services as part of your equity assessments. You make financial services more accessible and use mobility to help build credit. And, yes, some technology as well. More importantly, perhaps we should just not assume that everyone has a bank account. Even here in the UK, 4% of the population is unbanked. For reference, 3.4% of the UK population is black.

Safety in transport is not just about vehicles hitting other things

Further to my previous post where, as part of the discussion on the safety of e-scooters I opined about mandatory helmets, good friend Kerri Cheek got in touch. And pointed me to a good but somewhat dated study on pedal cyclist fatalities in London, which reminded me of something. When it comes to safety equipment, you need to understand what problem it is solving.

Simply put, in a collision with a lorry, a helmet won’t do much good. But if you fall off your bike because you lose your balance, it could be very useful indeed. I’m not sure if it makes the case that wearing helmets should be the law, but it reminds us that a safety solution may not be to an obvious safety problem. That is why something may have value.

Random things

These links are meant to make you think about the things that affect our world in transport, and not just think about transport itself. I hope they do just that.

• What Does the Word Radical Mean? Addressing the Root of a Problem (Teen Vogue)

• Fifty percent of Facebook Messenger’s total voice traffic comes from Cambodia. Here’s why (Rest of World)

• Drive Slow for America (The Atlantic)

• Texas Rural Libraries Will Help with Mental Health Access (The Daily Yonder)

• Rail devolution and rail reform: options for the future (En Avant!)

Something interesting

This video is a great reminder of why foundations matter.

If you do nothing else today, then do this

Read this excellent article by Keri Grieman that sets out why we must investigate when robots cause accidents. Highly relevant for autonomous vehicles.