Why a 19th-century invention should become the 21st-century people-mover

by Charles Montgomery

There is a common theory about the great environmental crisis of our time. We are warned that any serious attempt to cut greenhouse gas emissions will doom us to lives of misery, tedium, limited food choices and dull vacations. We are told that we have to choose between living well and saving the planet.

It occurred to me at exactly 10:45 a.m. on a recent midsummer’s day that such considerations might be entirely wrong. And by 10:46 I was cruising toward a much more compelling notion: that the climate crisis might be an opportunity, a chance to regain the art of travel and return to a more civilized time, where the journey was not merely a hassle, not an obstacle to overcome, but a pleasure to be savoured as fully as the destination itself.

AMTRAK’s Adirondack cruises from Montreal to the Big Apple in a 14-hour overnight trip. Courtesy Amtrak

I know exactly what time these thoughts occurred, because my Paris-bound train had just left London’s Waterloo station right on schedule. I was contemplating the bad carbon karma I had already racked up by flying from Vancouver to London, when a steward with twinkling eyes approached. Observing the consternation on my face, he leaned toward me and gently cooed, “Champagne, monsieur?”

Champagne for breakfast. Pannier Brut Sélection NV, to be exact: an elegant blend with creamy brioche aromas, according to those who know about such things, yet totally wrong for a man attempting a few hours of carbon penance.

“Yes, of course!” I barked eagerly, and the bubbly flowed as the sun burst through the clouds, rendering the red bricks and railyards of London a holy shade of amber.

This journey was supposed to be about sacrifice, given that in my transatlantic flight from Vancouver to London I had contributed to pumping nearly a tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere. For if you are ever masochistic enough to calculate your own carbon footprint, you’ll realize that flying is just about the nastiest thing you can do to the planet. Each passenger on a transatlantic flight blows out about as much greenhouse gas as they would driving a Hummer to work for a year. Which means, as an occasional travel writer, I’ve flown enough in my life to merit a thousand lashes with a carbon-tipped whip.

It’s not that there isn’t hope for air travel. While fuel prices soar into the stratosphere, both government and corporate researchers are searching for cheap, alternative fuel sources for airplanes. But so far the prize has been elusive. Jet engines require a potent kerosene-like fuel that can withstand high altitudes and low temperatures, and engineers are now examining ways to power aircraft with hydrogen.

Meanwhile, to my way of thinking, rail has the upper hand. In fact, as early as 1901, the electric predecessors of the Paris-bound train I was riding were being adopted in Berlin, while today’s generation of electric trains can travel more than twice as fast as the speediest diesel-powered locomotives and – theoretically, at least – can be powered by distant solar, nuclear or wind turbines. And so I reasoned that, because my cross-channel train journey pumps out only a tenth of the carbon dioxide generated by flying from London to Paris, I’d arrive at my destination a little closer to carbon neutral and a lot closer to climate righteousness. Oh yes, I was ready to suffer for my sins.

The Indian Pacific. Courtesy Great Southern Rail

But things were not working out as anticipated. I had walked into the Eurostar terminal in Waterloo (Eurostar has since moved across the Thames to St. Pancras International Station) barely half an hour before my departure. Ticket confirmed, luggage scanned and passport stamped by French customs, all in a matter of minutes, I was then escorted onboard to a reserved window seat: an outrageously comfortable, moulded number that would be quite at home in an Austin Powers shag pad. I opened my newspaper to read about the chaos that summer rains were causing at Heathrow Airport. Thousands stranded. I toasted their patience.

As I sipped my Brut – it is really quite delightful how those bubbles swirl and pop beneath your nose – it struck me that if I had chosen to fly, I would still be en route to Heathrow. Once I reached the airport, I would then have to spend two hours being poked, prodded and herded through its infernal collection of duty-free shops, deep-fry vats and flocks of rumpled departure lounge castaways. And if my flight left on time – by no means a certainty at Heathrow – I would lift off at just about the moment my 10:40 a.m. Eurostar train was to pull into Gare du Nord in central Paris.

Forget, for a moment, that this train is très vite. And forget, as well, this traveller’s carbon guilt. These are footnotes, really, to the philosophical question that a rail journey naturally raises. Can the quality of an experience be judged by the distances we cross to claim it? Do we travel to collect miles, or do we travel for joy? Do we still believe that it’s not only where you go that’s important but also how you get there?

In the 1987 film Swimming to Cambodia, the late monologue artist Spalding Gray describes his theory of The Perfect Moment. No matter how unpleasant Gray’s journeys, he considered them incomplete – and he would soldier onward – until he had experienced that rarified moment. It might be nothing more than a brief feeling of transcendence felt while floating in, say, the Indian Ocean. But once he had collected his Perfect Moment, even if it occurred mere hours after first stuffing socks into suitcases, Gray would be ready to turn around and head for home.

THE ORIENT EXPRESS Complete with starched linens, boutique shopping and fine dining (beef carpaccio with juniper and coriander in red wine sauce, anyone?Courtesy the Orient-Express (www.orient-express.com

In this age of discount, fast-tracked globetrotting, it seems we have all been seduced by The Perfect Moment School of Travel. It dictates that no matter how many continents we have to cross, no matter how much pollution we spew, no matter how many affronts, security friskings and leg cramps we suffer en route, all that matters are those few seconds of postcard bliss on the other end. In other words, Perfect Moment-ism is corrupting that most ancient and noble axiom of travel: getting there should be something of an art.

It’s time to stop kidding ourselves. We’ve traded car camping, lazy weeks on nearby beaches and the clickety-clack of rail for the seductive possibility of getting as far away as we can, as quickly as possible. But I believe there is a better way, one that requires tossing out the math so many of us use to plan our vacations. It means trading maximum mileage for meandering. And if one thinks about it, I’d argue that the most climate-friendly means of travel are also the most pleasurable: the canoe drift; the bicycle tour, even the station-wagon safari to the summer cabin. But the grand dame of leisurely journeys is still the train. There is something deliciously cinematic about moving across this earth by rail. While air travel renders the world an abstraction from 20,000 feet, rail is inherently voyeuristic, offering peeks through the world’s back door.

Courtesy Great Southern RailI have a friend, a climate worrier, who decided to take the train from Vancouver to a job in Texas, even though the patchwork journey would take him the better part of a week. He insists he had a marvellous time. The trip was transforming, “like a dream.” And he thought, deeply. He thought like he hadn’t thought in years. I didn’t quite have the stamina for a week of introspection. But the Eurostar offered a glimpse as, after pulling out of the gothic station, we cruised through the graffiti-grit of rail industria. Overall-clad men loaded trucks with beer. Hobos dozed in the shadows of ancient walls. A pair of teenage boys smoked furtively among blackberry thickets, ignoring my gaze. I felt like a ghost, floating through.

Soon, the backyards of suburbia gave way to the streams and pastures of places in-between, where gumbooted Mr. Bean lookalikes chased sleepy Herefords. The English countryside rose and fell alongside the tracks like soft green ocean swells, and gradually the oak groves began to blur across my window.

The Europeans have never forgotten the joys of train travel. In fact, if the Eurostar is any indication, they have been refining it to an art. This train leaves on time – not an hour late, not a minute late. No excuses. The track is straight and swift, and becoming more so. (The train became the U.K.’s first high-speed route in November 2007, shortening the London-to-Paris trip from a full day to two and a quarter hours – a great shame, really, considering how little time this will leave for champagne.) Still, the Eurostar remains far more than a high-tech curiosity. More than 95 million passengers have ridden it under the English Channel since 1994. And while many arguably ride these rails for convenience, similar routes around the world are also drawing passengers who clearly care more about the journey than the destination.

Courtesy the Orient-Express (www.orient-express.com)

Take the Venice Simplon Orient-Express, which makes a sturdy overnight march from London to Venice, pulling in after a solid 17 hours on the rails. At U.S.$3,120 a sleeper, riders are not paying for speed, but for the experience of riding a lovingly-refurbished antique first used on the original Orient-Express of the 1920s and 30s – complete with starched linens, boutique shopping (the Express has its own Collection, including hand-blown French crystal and pearl earrings) and fine dining (beef carpaccio with juniper and coriander in red wine sauce, anyone?).

Much like modern-day cruise ships have revived the romance of ocean travel, luxury rail travel is again now having its day. The pampered few catch glimpses of the Taj Mahal from the gilded chambers of the Palace on Wheels as it winds through Rajasthan, India. They sip fancy cocktails and smoke Cuban cigars as they venture from Cape Town through the South African bush to Pretoria on the deliciously named Blue Train. They nibble on chocolate-dipped strawberries as they gaze at the serrated edges of the continental divide from the glass-domed cars of Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer. And they all learn, as generations of our travelling ancestors have, to adopt a particularly languid modus operandi. One must simply be prepared to doze, to dream and, particularly in North America, to spend plenty of hours on those tracks.

courtesy the Rocky Mountaineer

Take Via Rail’s Canadian, which ambles between Toronto and Vancouver. Yesterday’s traveller might consider the journey three days lost. But slowness can be a virtue. The train’s engineers are apparently so unhurried that they’ll take stop requests anywhere in the wilderness between Sudbury and Winnipeg. Want to go wandering up the third creek east of that grey hill? Just ask. They’ll dump you and your backpack wherever you like and continue on their way. Via can also do Toronto to Montreal in about four hours – just enough time to savour the roast-duck-breast napped with sweet cherry sauce served in Via 1 Class. Vancouver to Jasper is an overnight by sleeper. Amtrak’s Adirondack cruises from Montreal to the Big Apple in a 14-hour overnight trip.

If you let go of your hurry, rail can even roll you out of winter: Amtrak’s Coast Starlight connects Vancouver with the west coast of the U.S., rolling between Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles in a couple of leisurely days. (Of course, the soulful traveller would take time out to hit the public market in Seattle, the wineries of Napa and the cliffs of Yosemite National Park.)

The Ghan train / courtesy Great Southern Rail

And yes, it’s true, Canadian rail travel requires special patience. The network is aging and freight generally gets priority on the tracks, so one out of every four Via Rail trips arrives behind schedule. But things are changing. Federal stimulus funding is helping unplug routes such as the previously bottlenecked Montreal-Toronto corridor. And even Toronto’s Union Station will soon be restored to the historic grandeur of its 1927 opening, when the Prince of Wales proclaimed, “You build your stations like we build our cathedrals.”

Having flown Vancouver to London before boarding the Eurostar, I knew in my heart of hearts that I’d already burned any carbon offset my Eurostar trip might offer. But I resolved to enjoy it anyway. I accepted a pear from the steward – a perfect pear, actually: unblemished and chilled, so that it was now gleaming with dew. It was like a painting.

Courtesy the Orient-Express (www.orient-express.com)

I bit into my pear. I watched cloud shadows race across patchwork fields. I let the sound of the train lull me. The Eurostar did not roar like a jet. It did not clickety-clack like The Little Engine that Could. It whooshed with calm efficiency. And against that rushing air was a sound that air travellers just don’t hear anymore: the tinkling, almost musical percussion, of silverware. I looked down and, yup, there they were, wrapped in a linen napkin: my own stainless steel knife and fork, sharp edges and all. It seemed a symbol of all that was good and right and dignified about this journey.

There were other sounds, too: giggling. I peered between the seats ahead of me, where two middle-aged women were mixing themselves mimosas. One had polished her long fingernails a burnished silver. The other had sequins woven into her black T-shirt. The latter caught my eye and winked.

“To Paris!” they bawled in Jersey accents, then downed their flutes.

Ah, yes, we were headed for Paris. I had almost forgotten, lost in what was becoming a seamless collage of dozing and perfect moments. The train slowed a touch. We glided through the Kent hills, sank gradually beneath the youthful grass of spring, down through the skin of the earth, into the darkness of the Channel Tunnel, where we could imagine the city to come.

Winding through the eucalyptus-filled Blue Mountains to the arid Nullarbor Desert, Great Southern Rail's three-night journey features the world’s longest straight stretch of railway track.Courtesy Great Southern Rail

The World’s Top 25 Rail Journeys, including Westworld writers on Russia/Mongolia/China’s Trans-Siberian Railway, Australia’s Ghan, South Africa’s Blue Train and Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer/VIA’s Trans-Canada route.

The A-trains:  10 dreamy rail vacations to stoke your boiler

by Sonu Purhar

• Eurail
Across Europe
From Bulgaria to Ireland and everything in between, Eurail is the wandering soul’s key to the continent. The number of countries and length of travel determine which rail ticket is best suited to the individual — though with every stop an invitation to explore a new culture, the comprehensive Global Pass is the most tempting option.

• Great Southern Rail
Sydney to Perth, Australia (The Indian Pacific)
Winding through the eucalyptus-filled Blue Mountains to the arid Nullarbor Desert, this three-night journey down the world’s longest straight stretch of railway track (478 km) showcases Australia’s startling contrasts — from vantage points up to 1,000 metres above sea level. Keep an eye out for the wedge-tailed eagle. The massive avian is the Indian Pacific Railway’s official mascot.

Snow-capped Rockies, golden Prairies and thundering Niagara Falls — Canada’s natural landmarks are best explored by rail.Courtesy the Rocky Mountaineer

• The Rocky Mountaineer/VIA Rail
Vancouver to Toronto, Canada (Trans-Canada Rail Adventure)
Snow-capped Rockies, golden Prairies and thundering Niagara Falls — Canada’s natural landmarks are best explored by rail. And this 13-day, cross-country exploration includes motorcoach and helicopter tours, national park passes and nine-nights’ hotel accommodation.

• Trans-Siberian Railway
Moscow, Russia, to Beijing, China (Trans-Siberian line)
The longest rail line ever constructed, the Trans-Siberian crosses one-third of the globe and spans more than seven time zones. Four routes connect Russia to the Far East, and though the landscape is spectacular, it’s the eclectic mix of passengers that makes the journey unforgettable.

• Chihuahua-Pacific Railroad
Chihuahua to Los Mochis, Mexico
Known to the locals as Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico, or El Chepe, this refurbished train follows what is reputed to be one of the world’s most scenic rail routes. Highlights include the vast Copper Canyon, seven times larger than the Grand Canyon; a series of rustic, off-the-path villages; and a visit with the swift-of-foot Tarahumara tribe.

• The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
One of the few railways that is also a World Heritage Site, the Darjeeling’s century-old engineering allows for sharp, spiralling ascents over Himalayan terrain. Passing through the soaring Mahaldirum Range and over the rushing Mahanadi River, this half-day tour is so breathtaking, Mark Twain is said to have called his DHR experience the most enjoyable day of his life.

• Shangri-La Express
Beijing/Xian, China, to Goldmund/Lhasa, Tibet
According to locals, “Shangri-La” is a mythic paradise hidden beyond the Himalayas — and that’s exactly what this 12-night rail trip seeks. Two possible routes venture to the “roof of the world,” Tibet, with the highest altitude reached topping 5,000 metres (oxygen is pumped aboard). Stops include Beijing’s Forbidden City and the Dalai Lama’s Summer Palace in Lhasa.

Empire Builder at Havre Station, Mont. Courtesy Amtrak

• Amtrak
Chicago, Seattle or Portland to Montana, U.S. (Empire Builder Train)
The U.S. is known for its national parks, and this 14-day pioneer-themed journey explores five of the most scenic: Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches and Canyonlands. The route follows portions of Lewis and Clark’s famous trail, with such notable sights as the lazy Mississippi, temperamental Old Faithful and other geological, natural and wildlife marvels of the American West.

• Rovos Rail
Cape Town to Pretoria, South Africa
The five-star luxury of this refurbished 19th-century “cruise train,” which may be hauled by steam, diesel or electric locomotives throughout the journey, is ideal for experiencing exotic South Africa. History reigns supreme: as the train trundles across centuries-old veldt and past ancient towns, its period décor, after-dinner champagne and traditional white-glove service recall the glamour of a bygone era.

• The Royal Scotsman
Scotland tour
Sparkling lochs, sprawling moors and overnights in ancient castles are just a taste of the itinerary offered by this travelling luxury hotel. On-board meals reflect seasonal Scottish specialties (guests have the option of donning kilts at dinner); evening entertainment includes Highlanders regaling passengers with tales of life in old Scotland.  ?

Recommended: Purchase rail tickets prior to departure, as many countries offer substantial discounts on advance bookings.

>> 4 of the World’s Top 25 Rail Journeys

>> The World’s Top 25 Rail Journeys (2009)

Lead photo: courtesy Helena Zukowski

Aviation buffs alert: the Grump is home

by Rob Howatson

Snohomish County Airport’s Paine Field continues to evolve as a kind of Disneyland for aviation buffs. Located in Everett, Washington, the airport has long housed the Boeing plant tour at the Future of Flight Aviation Centre — a Science World-like attraction filled with interactive exhibits of the latest commercial jet technology. Also onsite: the Seattle Museum of Flight Restoration Centre, where vintage warbirds are prepped for display  in Seattle, and which recently got new neighbours when Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen moved his collection of rare military aircraft down from Arlington.  And now Historic Flight at Kilo-6 is throwing open the hangar doors on its own winged jewels, including a flyable 1944 P-51 Mustang, 1954 Canadair T-33 Silverstar and 1943 B-25 Mitchell nicknamed Grumpy.

Fly-alongs for the public available within the year.

>>Meanwhile, check out this B-25 Bellingham-to-Everett cockpit footage of Grumpy’s return home

by Graeme McLaughlin

Recent publicity surrounding Toyota’s recall of vehicles with faulty accelerator pedals is a good reminder of how important it is to know what to do if your accelerator pedal ever gets stuck or your vehicle accelerates for no apparent reason. If you ever find yourself in that situation, experts recommend the following:

Gas pedal stuck? Stay calm, but act quickly

1. Keep looking at the road ahead. Looking away from the road to see what’s wrong with the pedal greatly increases your chances of crashing.
2. Be sure your foot is completely off the accelerator. Some crashes caused by stuck accelerators have later been found to be the result of an honest mistake (i.e., drivers thought they were pushing on the brake).
3. Put the vehicle’s transmission in neutral or, if the vehicle has a standard transmission, depress the clutch. Do not turn off the engine. Doing so will cause the power assist to the steering and braking to disengage – and make it difficult or impossible to steer and harder to brake. Plus, turning the key too far could possibly lock the steering wheel.
4. Steer the car to a safe place and stop, then turn off the engine.
5. If stopped by the side of a road, turn on emergency flashers and put out reflective triangles. If you’re unable to get the vehicle off the roadway, allow it to come to a stop and turn on emergency flashers.
6. Do not restart the vehicle.
7. Call for help using a cell phone, or wave down a passing vehicle, if safe to do so.

Sticky gas pedals: Prevening the problem

Vehicle owners need to check regularly for any floor mats and/or loose wiring that may be interfering with pedal action (accelerator, brake or clutchpedals). And drivers who experience rapid or unwanted acceleration while driving should have the vehicle checked immediately by a qualified auto technician. Owners of recalled vehicles need to also adhere to any notices as soon as possible to ensure the safe operation of their vehicles.

B.C.’s BCAA and other transportation experts emphasize that drivers who choose to operate a recalled vehicle and notice problems with its accelerator pedal (i.e., hard to depress, slow to return, inconsistent operation) should pull over immediately at the nearest safe location, shut off the engine and contact their dealership. Alternatively, those motorists with roadside assistance memberships, including BCAA members, can telephone for immediate roadside or towing assistance.

Here in lush, green B.C., the transportation sector accounts for more than a third of the province’s provincial greenhouse gas emissions. Passenger and heavy duty vehicles take the lion’s share of those emissions, with 39 and 26 per cent, respectively. And domestic aviation claims just 7 per cent of the transportation sector’s emissions, though there are, of course,opportunities to cut those emissions to help the province achieve its overall goal of 33 per cent reductions by 2020.

(left to right) Pacific Carbon Trust CEO Scott MacDonald, Minister of State for Climate Action John Yap, West Coast Air CEO Rick Baxter/courtesy Resilient Consulting Group

West Coast Air is the latest B.C. business to reach its zero emission target: “carbon neutral” status, with West Coast Air CEO Rick Baxter, Pacific Carbon Trust CEO Scott MacDonald and Minister of State for Climate Action John Yap on hand to make the announcement at the airline’s downtown Vancouver terminal on January 11, 2010.

The 35-year-old, locally owned and operated float plane airline started its journey toward zero emissions in 2007 – studying its carbon impact with the assistance of Climate Smart, then measuring its carbon footprint and coming up with strategies to reduce that footprint. After achieving organic emission cuts of 12 per cent the first year and 10 per cent in each of the two years following, the airline has now partnered with Pacific Carbon Trust to source carbon offsets for the remainder of its emissions.

“[West Coast Air] is helping the province reduce emissions by 33 per cent by 2020,” said Yap, referring to BC Climate Action Plan targets, adding that by sourcing carbon offsets through the Pacific Carbon Trust, the airline is “supporting the growth of a vibrant low-carbon economy in B.C.” As well, Yap noted that the airline’s investment in “made-in-B.C.” carbon offsets makes the airline’s emission reduction accomplishment particularly significant. 

Now that two of B.C.’s regional carriers are carbon neutral (Harbour Air being the other), the province’s domestic aviation emissions will hopefully close in on zero as well. But what should the province be doing about reducing passenger and heavy-duty vehicle emissions?

by Kerry Banks

In 1965, TV viewers were introduced to My Mother the Car, a situation comedy about attorney David Crabtree, who purchases a dilapidated 1928 “Porter” touring car after hearing the car call his name in a woman’s voice, which turns out to be that of his deceased mother. Much to Crabtree’s frustration, however, his mother refuses to reveal her presence to anyone but him, saying, “Son, the world just isn’t ready for a talking car.” Four decades later, things have changed.

SYNC: What is it?

Ford and Mircosoft have developed a factory-installed, in-car communications and entertainment system called SYNC that enables drivers to make and receive phone calls hands-free and control a range of digital audio via voice commands and buttons mounted on the steering wheel. The system is currently offered on 12 different Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in North America.
To place a call, simply press a button on the steering wheel, then say the name of the person you wish to call. SYNC will automatically connect with the names in the mobile phone’s contact list.

SYNC can even receive text messages and read them aloud using a robotized female voice known as “Samantha.” To reply, the driver selects from one of 15 pre-selected text messages, such as “Where are you?” “I need more directions” and “Be there in 10 minutes.” SYNC can also interpret a hundred or so shorthand messages, such as LOL – for “laughing out loud,” and will read swear words; it won’t however, decipher obscene acronyms.

The most advanced technological feature of the SYNC system is the ability to play songs from a connected media player via voice command. When a new player is plugged in for the first time, SYNC takes a few minutes to index all the audio files, after which drivers can use voice commands to select music by genre, album, artist or even track title. Commands such as, “Play artist The Clash,” or, “Play track ‘London Calling,’” will give drivers direct control over their music library. According to Microsoft, the same voice-selection interface also works for digital audio tracks stored on USB thumb drives.

See the System in Action

Lead image courtesy iStock

Are you  ”auto-obese”?

□        Do you drive everywhere you go?
□        Do you drive places that take less than five minutes to get to?
□        Do you drive your kids to school every day?
□        Do you own more than one vehicle?
□        Do you drive to get a cup of coffee?

If you answer “Yes”  to any of these questions, then you could be a victim of Auto-Obesity, a disease that can be combatted with the ‘BEST Car Diet’. And like going for a check-up at your doctor’s, it might be time to pay a visit to the Auto-Obesity website.

courtesy BEST

What is BEST (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation)?

BEST, and its ideas on sustainable transportation solutions, might already ring a bell with Metro Vancouverites. This past summer, the organization was busy providing free parking for more than 7,000 bikes at a variety of major community events in and around the city, including farmer’s markets, Car Free Days, the Pride Parade and the PNE. And through a strategic partnership with the Car Co-op, its Auto-Obesity program is now targeting higher-density areas in Metro Vancouver. Focusing on Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster for now, the program is designed for families with two or more vehicles – guiding them through a journey of liberation from their extra vehicles. According to Margaret Mahan, executive director of BEST, almost 50 per cent of households in Metro Vancouver own two or more cars. And that extra vehicle often sits idle, incurring insurance and maintenance costs.

The good news, financially: Thanks to the Auto-Obesity program, handing over that second car can lead to a tax receipt for the blue-book value of your extra vehicles, personal travel planning and “provision of bikes, skateboards, transit passes – or whatever else is needed  – to help make the transition to auto-health,” says Mahan.

Why is it so difficult to give up our single-occupancy vehicles?

One of the biggest barriers (and yes, I agree that there are many) is that our communities were planned and built for cars, not people. And not for environmental health and not for personal health, either. Which means that getting from place to place by foot, bike or transit, especially outside Metro Vancouver, isn’t as simple as we’d like to believe. When options are not readily available, we stick to what we know, which is the car.

I love that the Auto-Obesity program focuses on the unifying concept of health – the health of our bodies, of our streets, and of our planet. And it’s encouraging to know that when we are ready, there are many healthier, more sustainable transportation options here in Metro Vancouver. If you’re ready to slim down and get ‘auto fit’, then BEST is ready for you.

What do you think about the Auto-Obesity program? Will you take any action in terms of getting rid of a second car or changing the way you drive?

Lead image courtesy BEST

by Helena Zukowski

Remember the days when “getting there was half the fun” as we flew “the friendly skies”? Well, with in-flight amenities a perk of the past and increased airport security the new reality, air travel these days can be more than a tad trying.

____________________________________________________

“The methodology sometimes veers into the ridiculous: the

– the Disney employee chastised for carrying a snow globe; the mother

refused permission to board with her breast pump and empty baby

bottles because her infant was not travelling with her

____________________________________________________

Of course, travellers expected airport screening to get tougher post 9/11. But the consensus amongst today’s passengers is that the methodology sometimes veers into the ridiculous – the Disney employee chastised for carrying a snow globe, for example; the mother refused permission to board with her breast pump and empty baby bottles because her infant was not travelling with her – and that common courtesy and respect take a back seat in the push for increased security measures.

Though “there is no latitude permitted in a screener’s interpretation of the rules,” according to Mathieu Laroque, spokesperson for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), it can be confusing and frustrating for travellers who find that, in reality, there is variance in how airport security rules are interpreted and applied.

______________________________________________

So what’s a disgruntled flyer to do?  Is there any recourse

when airport security personnel neglect common courtesy or

are seen to be acting beyond the bounds of common sense?

______________________________________________

Currently, Canadian airport security is subcontracted by CATSA to local companies such as Garda and Aeroguard. New hires are put through a two-week training program and periodic updates, with advanced training for managers – and “courtesy is definitely one component of the program,” notes Laroque. Still, studies show that most complaints relating to airport security could have been avoided if screeners had been more courteous and respectful. To this end, though travellers still have no choice but to submit to security searches and questioning, passengers are encouraged to talk to airport or airline officials if they feel inappropriately treated. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, fliers can complain directly to CATSA, giving the time and place of the incident and the officer’s name. CATSA will investigate and respond to complainants within 30 days.

In addition, a private member’s Bill (C-310) is now before Parliament for an “Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights” that would see compensation for last-minute cancellations and flights delayed on the tarmac longer than one hour. If Bill C-310 passes, airlines would also be required to inform travellers regarding missing luggage and the reasons for flight delays within an hour of receiving the information. Canadian airlines are opposing the bill, arguing it would result in higher fares and possible termination of service to smaller communities. However, the legislation continues to proceed: the bill reached second reading in May 2009 and has been referred to committee for final ruling.

New screening technology in the experimental stages at 10 U.S. airports and B.C.’s Kelowna airport (the first in the world to install the device and the test site for all Canadian airports) is another move that supports and enhances the rights of travellers. The Integrated Check Point (ICP) is a full-body scanner that screens liquids and gels in carry-on luggage (these would still need to be stored in baggies), but also shows outlines of what is under passengers’ clothing, such as a wad of money or concealed weapons. The result: less hassle for both passengers and screeners (no more pat-downs, for one). Also on the radar: “one-stop security,” which ensures passengers who have cleared security at one airport are not required to submit to security again before boarding connecting flights. Under the new Canada-Europe Open Skies agreement, by which planes are given open-sky access between any airport in Canada and those in the European Union, passengers flying to Europe would be the first to benefit. (The agreement replaces existing restrictions on routes and prices, as well as eases constraints on control and ownership of airlines.) As for the full-body scanner, Transport Canada will decide by late 2009 whether to expand its use to other Canadian airports.

• What’s your view on enhanced airport security?
• What’s your most aggravating airport security story?
• Let us know!

the official gripe line

Passengers who have complaints about airport security personnel in Canada, or questions about security requirements,  can access the CATSA website at catsa.gc.ca or phone 1-888- 294-2202. Complaints are processed within 30 days. consumer.ca/1753

More Airline Madness.

Lead image courtesy iStock

Of course, for car manufacturers (the Detroit Three included), pursuing alternative fuel technologies is not only about entering a greener market but about survival. And one venture-backed firm in California has a particularly intriguing concept for capitalizing on all the electric vehicle buzz. In fact, Better Place proposes making the world a “better place” by changing the way we think about fueling-up. Based on the cellular phone business model, its consumers would just purchase mobility devices (well, cars) and operating minutes (the charging of batteries) separately.

Revolutionary? Or maybe the idea is just the touch of innovation we need to spur us into creating the kind of urban village we have so far only imagined. Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson certainly seems into it, lately tweeting about an EV future in this city.

Meanwhile, Better Place has already developed partnerships with Israel and Nissan-Renault to install 100,000 charging posts throughout Canada. Obviously, Israel is onto something, perhaps because it comes from a state surrounded by petrostates, one that would do well to build a transportation sector independent of foreign oil. Indeed, California, in particular the Bay Area, has already negotiated a deal with Better Place, with Ontario now following suit. Maybe now is the time for British Columbians to also take a serious look at our existing mobility options – and rethink our oil dependency.

A sports reporter covering the Euro 2008 soccer tournament arrived late for his Air Dolomiti flight from Verona to Vienna. Angered when the staff for Air Dolomiti told him he could no longer board the flight, the man did what any of us would do: he called the airline on his cell phone and made a bomb threat so the flight would be delayed. The bogus threat closed air traffic at the airport for several hours while the bomb squad searched the airplane. But shortly after his anonymous call to the police, the German journalist went back to the check-in counter to say he had heard the plane was no longer preparing to take off. Since no public announcement had been made as to the flight’s status, the man quickly became the prime suspect. Police then interviewed the reporter and found, of course, that he used his cell phone to make the bomb threat. 

A pilot with the Turkish airline Anadolujet was fired in September after he left the cockpit to use the bathroom and left the controls of the Boeing 737 in the hands of a 15-year-old boy. Well, at least that’s the official line the airline is giving. The captain says he merely let the boy sit in his seat while he went to the restroom; the co-pilot was actually the one in control of the plane. How did the teen get into the cockpit? He was apparently a plane junkie, had practiced on a flight simulator, and asked if he could observe the captain and ask him questions. The pilot agreed and invited him back to the cockpit. The captain landed in trouble after he snapped a picture of the kid sitting in his seat. You guessed it: the picture went on the Internet.

A stubborn German flier nearly died from alcohol poisoning at a Nuremberg airport security checkpoint after he chose to drink a litre of vodka instead of getting rid of it. European security rules stipulate that passengers may take only a small amount of liquid onboard with them in their carry-on luggage. But the 64-year-old German man, who was on his way to Dresden from Egypt, refused to comply. He also balked at his other options–put the vodka in his checked luggage or send it home. Instead he downed the entire litre at the security checkpoint. According to local police, he “was quickly unable to stand or otherwise function.” The man was sent to a local clinic for treatment.

Startled airport employees in Bromma, Sweden, called police in July after a dwarf suddenly hopped out of a large suitcase at the check-in counter. Police discovered that it was a stunt being filmed by a hidden camera for a comedy program on private television network Kanal 5. Police spokesman Mats Eriksson says airport staff decided against filing charges even though they were “shocked and humiliated” by the prank. Kanal 5 spokesman Dan Panas told Swedish news agency TT that the show was meant to be “provocative and entertaining.” He said the intent was not to make fun of dwarves, but to make entertainment out of “extreme situations.”

On a flight from New York to Georgetown, Guyana, in July, a first-class passenger got angry at seeing economy passengers being allowed to exit before him- so he opened an emergency door and slid down the chute. The man appeared to be intoxicated, the Associated Press reported, perhaps unnecessarily.

In May, a Tokyo Customs officer secretly slipped 124 grams of hashish into a piece of luggage belonging to a traveller from Hong Kong. It was expected that the sniffer-dogs who work at Narita International Airport, would find the drugs. But the canines failed to locate the contraband and the passenger cleared customs and left the airport with his souvenir intact. At this stage the dog handler who had made the initial mistake “panicked” and informed his superiors. The Tokyo Customs Department then frantically sought help from airport officials to track down the traveller at his Tokyo hotel and recover the hashish, which had a street value of $10,000. Japanese customs officials are banned from using travellers’ luggage for training practices (normally a training suitcase is used), but one worker admiited that it was common practice. “We want to improve the sniffer dogs’ ability, so we have practiced this way several times in the past.” The officer who lost the drugs was suspended from duty for three months, while two others had their salary cut by 10 percent for three months. The head of Tokyo Customs was also given a verbal warning for failing to oversee the operations, and eight other senior officers were either warned or given temporary pay cuts. The dogs apparently escaped punishment. Said Tokyo Customs spokesman Kazutoshi Takahashi, “We are deeply sorry that such acts have happened.”

Jerome James was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in September for smuggling three endangered banded iguanas from Fiji. While that may seem like a fairly routine bust at first glance, his hiding place was definitely different. James wears a prosthetic leg, which he had hollowed out and stuffed with the iguanas before wearing it back to the U.S.

A homeless chef who lived at London’s Gatwick Airport for three years was jailed in August 2008 for repeatedly breaking an antisocial behaviour order banning him from the airport. Anthony Delaney, 43, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison, had moved to Gatwick in 2004 and ate, slept and showered there in a manner similar to Tom Hanks’s character in the Steven Spielberg film The Terminal. He would only leave Gatwick once a fortnight to make the 12-mile walk to collect his Jobseekers’ Allowance and survived on cheap sandwiches and food voucher handouts from genuinely delayed passengers. He slept in disabled toilets and spied on staff to find out the security code for the showers, and he dodged armed police by learning their patrol routine. But in 2006 he was barred from entering the airport until 2011 after he was convicted of stealing from passengers and an airport store. Over the next two years Delaneywas caught breaking the antisocial order three times, and in January 2008 he was jailed for 95 days. He was released immediately because of the time he had already spent on remand, and within a few hours he was found at Gatwick again, breaking the order for a fourth time. On June 3 he broke the order again and was arrested.

Italian women carrying luggage containing the skeletal remains of a man who died in Brazil 11 years ago were stopped by Munich airport police during a stopover on their journey from Sao Paulo to Naples. “Airport security spotted the skull and bones when the suitcase was put through the x-ray machine,” said police spokesman Christian Maier. One of the women was the dead man’s sister and she explained to officials that it had been her brother’s wish to be buried in Italy. After showing his death certificate, the Italian bone smugglers, aged 63 and 62, were allowed on their next flight to Naples. “We questioned the women and they produced a valid death certificate showing he had died 11 years ago of natural causes. As they were not violating any German laws they were allowed to continue their journey to Italy,” said Maier.

A senior pilot with Cathay Pacific Airways was fired for an “unauthorised low-level flypast” of a new Boeing 777-300ER in Seattle in January 2008. Ian Wilkinson had just taken off from Everett Airport bound for Hong Kong with about 60 passengers on board, including Cathay Pacific chairman Christopher Pratt, when he suddenly returned to the airfield for a low-level flypast with the landing gear up. News sources say Wilkinson had obtained permission from the tower for the stunt, but not from his employers. While onlookers applauded the daring low-level pass, the plane’s passengers were said to be “stunned into silence.” When footage of the Top Gun escapade later found its way onto the Internet, it revealed Wilkinson had taken his jet down to a mere 30 feet above the runway. Following the incident, Cathay Pacific issued a notice to all cockpit crew reminding them of the company’s policy for conducting fly-bys.

Photo Credits:

#1: abcnews.com

#2: pbase.com

#3: people.tribe.net

#4: orientaltrading.com