Whenever I travel via public transport, I like to take the opportunity to read. There is usually a lack of Internet connectivity, so few digital distractions, whilst people are ‘usually’ quiet enough to provide a good environment to read my latest book or journal.
Alas, it isn’t environment that is immune from digital advances, and a good number of my fellow travellers travel with their heads buried in their smartphone or tablet.
Promoting books
You can imagine my excitement, therefore, at the announcement recently of a nice initiative by the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca. In a bid to promote reading amongst citizens, they offered anyone reading a book on one of the city’s public transport networks free travel.
The project, which is known as Travel By Book, is the brainchild of the literary advocate Victor Miron and ran for four days during June to try and promote both reading and greener transport.
The event was sufficiently successful to warrant future events along the same lines, with plans to run them alongside two upcoming book fairs.
It’s a nice project that will hopefully prompt other cities to follow suit.
Interesting idea, and I can certainly support reading more, but I do wonder how practical it is. Seems ripe for being gamed.
Sometimes, I do read whilst on the bus and If I didn't have to pay the fare, I'd save an absolute fortune each year.
Me too Jenny. Thanks for your comment.
I wonder if this included Kindles too?
I don't think they are Anna. From what I can tell, Kindles (and other e-readers) haven't really taken off in Romania yet.
Much as I love reading, I've never been able to do it whilst travelling without feeling sick, so this would be no use to me 🙁