by Lou Jones
First off, public transportation
is a misnomer.
In order to work for
the greatest good,
public transportation
has to be designed
for the least common
denominator. So it is
always inconvenient,
under construction,
inadequate, crowded,
and slow. For
photographers, this sort
of uncertainty can be
devastating to critical
planning.
Great cities have
elaborate public
transportation systems.
They maintain subways,
bus routes, taxis and
unique alternatives like
dala dalas (Tanzania),
tap taps (Haiti)--some
8 | PicsArt Monthly
legal, some not. Throngs
of people have to be
moved around a city for
work, for commerce,
for pleasure and other
nefarious reasons. In
some urban areas
the streets are so
overcrowded that mass
transit moves faster
than private cars.
On assignment in Tokyo,
Japan, I tried to go from
one appointment to the
next using their very
efficient, very clean
taxis. I soon learned that
traffic was so bad that
their very efficient,
very clean subways
were faster.