Underground Maps Unravelled
 

Maxwell J Roberts, formerly of this parish, has a new-ish book out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-...pr_product_top

I've only seen the cover in the window of the LT Museum, so can't comment.

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

Basil Jet wrote on 15 August 2012
15:42:03 ...
Maxwell J Roberts, formerly of this parish, has a new-ish book out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-...pr_product_top

I've only seen the cover in the window of the LT Museum, so can't comment.

If you scroll down to near the bottom of that Amazon web page, there's a
long and enthusiastic review by Douglas Rose of this book, which is, he
says, "not a book about Underground maps - the real messages are far
wider. The sub-title of the book `Explorations in Information Design' is
what it is really about."

Sounds interesting, but £45 is a bit steep.
--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On 2012\08\17 10:42, Richard J. wrote:
Basil Jet wrote on 15 August 2012
15:42:03 ...
Maxwell J Roberts, formerly of this parish, has a new-ish book out.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-...pr_product_top


I've only seen the cover in the window of the LT Museum, so can't
comment.

If you scroll down to near the bottom of that Amazon web page, there's a
long and enthusiastic review by Douglas Rose of this book, which is, he
says, "not a book about Underground maps - the real messages are far
wider. The sub-title of the book `Explorations in Information Design' is
what it is really about."

Sounds interesting, but £45 is a bit steep.


As we approach the point where everyone has a smart-phone, we might
reach the situation where the cost of designing, printing and
distributing the tube-map exceeds its utility, and we might then see the
last tube-map. Regular passengers know that certain system breakdowns
are best dealt with by leaving the system and getting a bus, and there's
just no way that static information design can encapsulate all the
information that you really need to use the tube system.

Any organisation should be embarrassed to be displaying information
which is inferior to what people have on a device in their pocket made
by someone else. Also, the current system of having enamel maps down on
the platforms telling you what tracks have been built, and paper maps on
an easel up in the ticket office telling you what tracks actually have
trains on them today, is a bit of an anachronism.

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:53:55 +0100
Basil Jet wrote:
As we approach the point where everyone has a smart-phone, we might

Who is "everyone"? I don't, most of my family don't, a lot of my friends
don't. Don't confuse teenagers and hipsters with "everyone".

by someone else. Also, the current system of having enamel maps down on
the platforms telling you what tracks have been built, and paper maps on

Are you trolling? Are you seriously suggesting that having to find a website
or app then starting it up and trying to view it on a tinky winky 4 inch
screen is easier than just looking at a huge metre square map on a wall?
I don't want to be in the position of having to purchase some overpriced
iToy that I don't need just to be able to get basic information in a city.

B2003

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

wrote:

Are you trolling? Are you seriously suggesting that having to find a website
or app then starting it up and trying to view it on a tinky winky 4 inch
screen is easier than just looking at a huge metre square map on a wall?
I don't want to be in the position of having to purchase some overpriced
iToy that I don't need just to be able to get basic information in a city.

Perhaps borrow one for a bit. I said a while ago that journey planners
were the best thing that ever happened to public transport. Add a
smartphone, and it truly is a "killer app". Try it before you reject the
idea totally.

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK. Put first name before the at to reply.

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On 20 Aug 2012 09:59:13 GMT
Neil Williams wrote:
Perhaps borrow one for a bit. I said a while ago that journey planners
were the best thing that ever happened to public transport. Add a
smartphone, and it truly is a "killer app". Try it before you reject the
idea totally.

I'm not buying a smartphone just to read a map. Navigating a metro system
is hardly rocket science. A map on a wall is all anyone needs unless they're
terminally stupid and need to be spoon fed even the simplest information.

B2003

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On Aug 20, 11:22*am, wrote:
I'm not buying a smartphone just to read a map. Navigating a metro system
is hardly rocket science. A map on a wall is all anyone needs unless they're
terminally stupid and need to be spoon fed even the simplest information.

Boltar

I don't always agree with your sentiments, but in this case I think
you are right. Relatively speaking, it is cheap and easy for maps to
be posted up on the walls in various strategic places (platforms, for
example), where a quick glance "I need to go down there a bit, then
over there a bit" tells the traveller enough.

By all means have a technological solution *as well*, but not
*instead*.

PhilD

--

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On 20/08/2012 20:14, PhilD wrote:
On Aug 20, 11:22 am, wrote:
I'm not buying a smartphone just to read a map. Navigating a metro system
is hardly rocket science. A map on a wall is all anyone needs unless they're
terminally stupid and need to be spoon fed even the simplest information.

Boltar

I don't always agree with your sentiments, but in this case I think
you are right. Relatively speaking, it is cheap and easy for maps to
be posted up on the walls in various strategic places (platforms, for
example), where a quick glance "I need to go down there a bit, then
over there a bit" tells the traveller enough.

That works if there is a turn-up and go service everywhere, or the map
shows details like "runs every half hour", "match days only", "no
service on St Fred's day", etc, and the passenger has a way of finding
out when those things are.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:40:23 +0100
Paul Corfield wrote:
various GLA members to the cut backs in bus stop Countdown displays.
The official answer was "people can use their phones or PCs". However
a text message for Countdown costs 12p a go which is ridiculous.

Its a bit like the nonsense with phone parking. You can end up paying
almost as much for the phone call as the ticket. Its just another money
making scam and if transport information was only made available online you
can bet that eventually a small "administration" charge would be made
one way or another.

B2003

Underground Maps Unravelled
 

On Tue, 21 Aug 2012 07:57:59 +0100
Arthur Figgis wrote:
I don't always agree with your sentiments, but in this case I think
you are right. Relatively speaking, it is cheap and easy for maps to
be posted up on the walls in various strategic places (platforms, for
example), where a quick glance "I need to go down there a bit, then
over there a bit" tells the traveller enough.

That works if there is a turn-up and go service everywhere, or the map

Is there a metro system in the world that isn't turn up and go?

B2003