The rise of the smartphone in society has completely changed the way we communicate with friends and family, check the latest news, look for work, watch series or movies or pass the time while traveling on public transport.
While a few decades ago it was normal to travel by subway or train spend time reading the newspaper, a magazine or a bookfinding someone reading a paper newspaper is something that does not happen often these days. Obviously, the reason behind all this is none other than the rise of the mobile phone.
Japan’s MLIT has stopped using newspapers and reading as a way to measure public transport congestion
Spending the subway ride reading the newspaper was so common that in Japan it was used as a way of measuring crowding on trains. For more than two decades, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan has used illustrations depicting different levels of carriage congestion using the newspaper and reading to explain how comfortable we can travel.
As we have been able to read in The Register, the MLIT frequently publishes reports in which analyzes train congestion in the country’s main metropolitan areas. What is most striking about these reports are the illustrations we mentioned, in which we can see travelers reading the newspaper (or trying to, depending on the congestion in the train).
Specifically, the illustrations we are talking about represent the different levels of congestion using various percentages:
- 100%: There is plenty of room to sit or travel standing. The illustration shows a person comfortably reading the newspaper.
- 150%: We can read the newspaper without any major complications, although there are more passengers than in the previous scene.
- 180%: It is still possible to read the newspaper, although we will have to fold it somehow to do so.
- 200%: There are quite a few people in the carriage, so reading a newspaper is not comfortable. However, we can read a magazine without any major problems.
- 250%The car is very crowded and it is impossible to read comfortably.
As we can see in the most recent report published by the MLIT, the illustrations we talked about are no longer present in the document. In addition, the descriptions of each level of congestion do not refer to reading, but rather to the comfort with which we can travel:
- 100%: We can travel sitting or standing comfortably.
- 150%: There are more travelers by the doors, but there is no shoulder contact with other people.
- 180%: There is contact with the shoulders of other passengers and moving or turning can be difficult.
- 200%: There is body contact and a feeling of pressure in the carriage. It is not possible to move easily.
The MLIT reportedly considered using smartphones as a reference, but ultimately ruled out the idea due to concerns about the appropriateness of using a mobile phone on a crowded train.
Society has changed completely and the newspaper is no longer the most appropriate element to measure crowds on public transport, so Japan has decided to stop using these illustrationsThe reason is none other than what we have already mentioned a few lines above: finding people reading a paper newspaper is something that is not at all common.
Local media such as The Mainichi have picked up on the change, noting that changing public transport habits have forced the MLIT to change the way it talks about train congestion. According to the outlet, MLIT has been using these illustrations since 2001..
Via | The Register
Cover image | BREAKIFY (Unsplash)