ELECTRIC SCOOTERS

Pros and cons electric scooters

Pros

1. Ease of Use – the most benefit of electric scooter is undeniably very easy to use. You just need to charge the scooter and you are done. You can use the electric scooter for numerous outdoor activities such as commute to work, shopping, and more. Even when you choose adults kick scooter, there is no difficulty to encounter. In fact, everyone can definitely ride the scooter even in the first and time and no one will actually need a tutorial for that. That being said that electric scooter is very easy to use and versatile.

2. Economical Option – electric scooter for adults are undoubtedly economical vehicle options. This is because there is no need to fill up the fuel tank. As the name suggests, electric scooter depends on electricity. You just need to charge the electric scooter for a couple of hours. Full charged electric scooter can be used more than 2 hours ride. Also, when riding on an electric scooter, you can avoid getting trapped in a  traffic jam. You can also ride the electric scooter to places where cars are not allowed such as parks and other crowded areas.

3. Low Maintenance – similar to bicycles, electric scooter is also considered as a long-lasting vehicle. A good quality can last more than 7 years without serious damage under normal use. However, this does not mean that an electric scooter does not need maintenance at all. The general maintenance electric scooter needs usually is battery maintenance after a long-cycle of recharges. The operational cost of electric scooter is in general low because there is no need to buy gasoline.

4. Eco-Friendly – since electric scooter runs without fuel or gasoline, it does not produce harmful smoke or emission. This helps to reduce the amount of air pollution if more and more people use electric scooter. Plus, the electric scooter also helps to keep the environment clean with less air pollution.

5. Mobility – electric scooter may benefit adults to commute from home to work without worrying to catch up in traffic jam. But more than commuting, electric scooter is also beneficial for elderly or people with limited mobility. The electric scooter allows them to move independently without disturbing other people for every activity. This can be a great support for elderly people to keep on active and productive using electric scooter.

Cons

1. Safety Matter – the main drawback of electric scooter has limited safety feature such as sufficient lamp, brake, and such. That is why it is crucial to always stick to safety feature when riding electric scooters such as helmet, additional lights, and such to prevent accidents. Some additional safety feature may be sold separately but you have no choice other than arm yourself.
If you think you can handle the safety matter, the electric scooter can be a great option for transportation. But if you think it is too dangerous to ride it on the road, you may need to reconsider electric scooter.
For elder people, instead of using two wheels, 3-wheels or 4-wheels scooter may be the best options considering the safety and balance matter for them. But still, that kind of electric scooter also require basic safety feature.

2. Battery Problems – as aforementioned that the electric scooter runs on electricity which means you need to charge it before using it every single time. Once you forget to charge, the chance is you will get stuck in the middle of the road due to low-battery voltage. Another problem with the battery is the chance of overcharging. Sometimes we tend to forget to plug out electronic devices from charging. This also happens with electric scooter, but the risk of overcharging may cause lead-acid batteries. If happens for a long time, it can cause damage to the battery.

3. Resale Value – different from car or motorcycle, electric scooter has low after sale value. You have to be ready when it is very difficult to find buyers who actually want to buy a second-hand scooter. Plus, if the battery is damaged and need replacement, the electric scooter is really close to becoming electronic junk and has no market value.

4. Expensive Price – the after sale of electric scooter is not very good compared to the expensive buying price. An electric scooter’s general price is ranging around $500 to $2000. There are indeed cheaper electric scooters, but you are betting on the quality. Plus, electric scooter which comes with charge mileage is more expensive than the average scooter.

5. Time Consuming – if you think of electric scooter for transportation, you need to be prepared with the speed. Electric scooter can only reach 30-40mph which are quite slow if you are going to commute to work. It can be quite difficult to get into the office in time using electric scooter. In addition, the charging time of electric scooter also takes a long time. This means that you cannot just use the scooter right away every time you need.

Spain sees first case of a pedestrian killed by an electric scooter

A judge is investigating the death of an elderly woman who was hit by an electric scooter as she was out for a stroll in the Catalan town of Esplugues de Llobregat last August.

This is the first known case in Spain of a pedestrian getting killed by a personal transporter, and it has raised renewed concerns about the proliferation of alternative mobility devices in cities across Spain.

Last month, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said there would be reforms to the criminal code to try to address the conflict between pedestrians and users of these devices.

The minister said that users themselves were “vulnerable,” but added that “they can also cause significant harm to third parties” depending on how they use the device.

Prosecutors and the judge in charge of investigating the August incident suspect that the youth who was riding the scooter was looking down at his cellphone when he crashed into the 90-year-old woman, who was out for her daily stroll with her walker.

The youngster is facing possible charges of involuntary manslaughter, while a second youth who was with him has been summoned as a witness in the case. Sources familiar with the investigation told EL PAÍS that the rider was using the Google Maps app on his phone when he crashed into the woman.

The accident took place on a pedestrianized section of the Rambla del Carme thoroughfare. The scooter was moving at a speed of nearly 30 km/h, which is normal for this type of personal mobility device.

The woman fell and hit her head against the pavement. She was taken to Moisès Broggi Hospital in critical condition, and died a few days later. Several sources said that prior to the accident she had been in good health despite her advanced age, and that she went out for walks every day.

The victim was a familiar figure in the neighborhood, said Manoli, the manager of an upholstery store located on Rambla del Carme. “She was always going up and down with her walker. She was very well-known,” she said.

City bylaws

Several municipalities, including Madrid and Valencia, have already introduced rules banning the use of scooters on sidewalks. In August 2017 Barcelona moved to ban Segways and electrically-powered scooters and skateboards from the historic city center. And the Spanish traffic authority (DGT) is working on national guidelines.

Manoli, the store owner in Esplugues, wants these devices to be regulated in order to avoid new tragedies. “What happened to her could happen to anyone. When I see one of those scooters going by at full speed I get the shivers.”

The deputy director of mobility at Spain's traffic authority, Jorge Ordás told EL PAÍS that his department is looking to set a national speed limit for scooters at 25 km/h. 

How Electric Scooters Are Reshaping Cities

One of the biggest stories in technology this year is the exploding popularity of Bird, Lime, Skip, Spin and Scoot. They’re all electric scooter-rental services, and their vehicles are suddenly buzzing along city streets and sidewalks around the world. These start-ups allow riders to locate and unlock scooters with an app. When they reach their destination, they just walk away. Some drivers and pedestrians see the scooters as dangerous contrivances that must be stopped, while some urban planners consider them, along with bikes, the future of city transport.

1. What accounts for the rise of scooters?

Cars often aren’t the quickest way to travel in dense, urban areas. Many cities looked to bicycle-sharing services and bike lanes as a better option for shorter trips and as a way to reduce carbon emissions. Electric scooters, which can cost less than $2 per ride, are an offshoot of that.

2. How prevalent are scooters?

Bird operates scooter services in about 40 U.S. cities, while Lime is in 23. Bird kicked off the trend in late 2017 with its launch in Santa Monica, California, and suddenly it seemed scooters were everywhere. Scores of unattended vehicles on city sidewalks have resulted in pushback from people complaining of urban chaos, and some cities have started to cap the number of scooters they’ll allow.

3. What about outside the U.S.?

This year, Bird expanded to France and Israel. Lime has established a presence in France, Germany and Spain. Scooters are even more prevalent in parts of China, an early pioneer of the market. No company has been able to break into the U.K., however, because of strict laws that classify the scooters as motor vehicles requiring drivers’ licenses and subject to tax and insurance. Even then, regulators won’t allow scooters because they don’t comply with “normal vehicle construction rules.” Riding on the sidewalk isn’t an option, either, thanks to a 19th century law stipulating footpaths are for the sole use of pedestrians.

4. Who makes them?

For now, most sharing services aren’t building their own vehicles. Instead, they buy scooters from Chinese manufacturers, with various levels of customization, and then brand them.

5. Is this a profitable business?

It could be a short-lived fad. Even if it isn’t, scooter companies must have the capital to absorb costs beyond acquiring fleets of vehicles, including maintaining them and charging their batteries daily. There’s little reason for riders to be loyal to one company, and if rivals compete by lowering prices, they could shave away much of their margins. There’s also the question of how city regulations will affect scooter economics.

6. Are they legal?

From the beginning, Bird and Lime said they had learned the lessons of ride-hailing companies, which had alienated many city governments by launching without explicit permission. Then both companies mimicked the “ask for forgiveness, not permission” strategy. As a result, the scooter-sharing companies have faced bans or cease-and-desist orders in a handful of cities, and city lawmakers have been quick to regulate them by requiring permits, limiting the number of vehicles, awarding exclusive franchises and allowing scooters to be parked only in designated areas.

7. Is this the next chapter in the fight over ride-hailing?

Yes and no. The scooter industry is experiencing some of the same problems as ride-hailing, with aggressive start-ups butting heads with local governments. But there are key differences. With ride-hailing, entrenched taxi industries argued that unregulated upstarts had an unfair advantage. There is no such incumbent industry opposing scooters. Urban congestion and climate change have also made alternatives to automobiles more popular with city governments. The controversies over scooters may end up being just growing pains.

8. Is this the future of city transport?

It’s too soon to tell. Bike-sharing hasn’t had a revolutionary effect in most U.S. cities. In many places, weather will make scooters a seasonal activity at best. Also holding them back is the country’s deep-seated automotive culture. Unlike in Europe, riding a bike isn’t seen as something a serious adult does to get around town, let alone taking a scooter. Transportation experts think city governments could change that attitude with protected lanes, convenient charging stations and dedicated parking spaces for scooters.

GENDER GAP

ICELAND BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO MAKE ITILLEGAL TO PAY MEN MORE THAN WOMEN 

Iceland has passed radical new legislation to become the first country in the world where companies must legally prove they are not discriminating on the basis of gender.

The new law - effective from 1 January 2018 - requires all private and public employers with more than 25 staff to obtain government certification of their equal pay policies – or face fines and auditing.

Brynhildur Heiðar- og Ómarsdóttir, the managing director of the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association told HuffPost UK: “We are absolutely delighted with this new legislation.”

Iceland already uses the Equal Pay Standard, a set of rules and regulations which companies use to measure the gender pay gap within their establishments. The new law means they are now mandated to undergo certification every three years based on this standard.

Heiðar- og Ómarsdóttir warned: “But of course, the Equal Pay Standard is not a cure-all. That is, it only tackles one part of the problem of gender pay discrimination. To completely eradicate the gender pay gap, we need to tackle larger social issues such as making sure that professions which are mostly female are paid equally to professions that are mostly male, and we need to ensure that men and women are equally responsible for families since today women are more likely to work part-time or take time off work to take care of families.”

Iceland, which has a population of about 335,000 and where 38 per cent of parliamentarians are female - above the global average - including Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, wants to eradicate the gender pay gap by 2022.

The North Atlantic island nation was ranked first in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2015 Global Gender Gap Index, followed by Norway, Finland and Sweden. But Icelandic women still earn, on average, 14% to 18% less than men. The United Kingdom ranked 18th out of 145 countries.

The WEF reported last year reported an economic gap of 58 percent between the sexes and forecast women would have to wait 217 years before they earn as much as men and have equal representation in the workplace.

“Iceland is ranked as world’s most gender equal country by (the World Economic Forum) ... Clearly Iceland is very serious about gender equality,” former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark wrote on Twitter.

“The new law by Iceland can help change attitudes to women in business as well as in politics, and inspire other countries to do the same,” said Virginie Le Masson, a research fellow at the London-based Overseas Development Institute.

“Ample evidence shows that women work as much as men and are still paid less,” she added.

US independent Bernie Sanders, a leading liberal voice in the Senate, called on the United States to follow Iceland’s example.

“We must follow the example of our brothers and sisters in Iceland and demand equal pay for equal work now, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or nationality,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

News of the new law was first announced on International Women’s Day in March 2017.

That month, Equality and Social Affairs Minister Thorsteinn Viglundsson said “the time is right to do something radical about this issue”.

“Equal rights are human rights,’’ he said. “We need to make sure that men and women enjoy equal opportunity in the workplace. It is our responsibility to take every measure to achieve that.’’

In October thousands of Icelandic women left work at 2.38pm and demonstrated outside parliament to protest the gender pay gap. Women’s rights groups calculate that after that time each day, women are working for free.

THE GENDER PAY GAP ISN’T A MYTH 

One of the most common arguments made about the gender pay gap is that it simply doesn’t exist.

Pay gap deniers love to dispute the claim that, on average, women in the United States make 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, arguing that it is a misleading oversimplification. “Few experts dispute that there is a wage gap, but differences in the life choices of men and women — such as women tending to leave the workforce when they have children — make it difficult to make simple comparisons. That’s what’s so facile about repeatedly citing ‘78 cents,’” argued a 2015 Washington Post article. (Since that piece came out, the figure increased from 78 to 79 cents.)

But the argument that “life choices” made by women are the real reason behind the gap is, in itself, an absurd oversimplification. Sure, many women choose to stay home or cut back their hours after having children. But many others don’t opt out. They’re forced out because they cannot afford child care, or find a full-time job that affords them any kind of flexibility. And, culturally, Americans remain ambivalent about women working outside of the home. A little more than 30 percent of Americans still believe women should stay home full-time to care for young children. These biases, which play out both in the workplace and outside of it, affect how much “choice” some women feel they actually have, and speaks to the types of judgments women face for making said choices. Plus, women face a well-known “motherhood penalty.” They’re less likely to be hired for jobs once they have children — unlike men, whose prospects improve.

Another beloved means of dismissing the gender pay gap is to point out that women tend to work in lower-paying (i.e., traditionally “female”) fields, like teaching, nursing and social work. And yes, that’s true. “Women, as a whole, continue to work in lower-paying occupations than men do,” Pew says.

But research has shown that even when women enter traditionally “male” fields, they make less. In fact, research looking at pay changes over decades has shown that when more women enter a traditionally male field, pay within that field begins to decline. As The New York Times reported, when more women began working in parks or running camps, for example, median hourly wages declined by 57 percentage points. Same goes for fields like design, housekeeping and biology. Conversely, when more men enter a traditionally female field, wages go up.

“It’s not that women are always picking lesser things in terms of skill and importance,” a researcher told The New York Times. “It’s just that the employers are deciding to pay it less.”

WOMEN IN SPAIN EARN 13% LESS THAN MEN FOR SIMILAR WORK, NEW STUDY SHOWS 

Men and women who perform similar tasks in the workplace do not earn the same in Spain. Women’s hourly earnings are 12.7% lower than men’s, according to a study that is based on statistically adjusted EU data from 2014.

This figure is lower than in 2002, the first year covered by the research, but it still evidences “some worrisome dynamics.” The gap exists across variables such as age, education, years of service, occupation, type of contract, length of working day, activity and company size.

Gender pay gap deniers have long claimed that these differences in earnings stem from the fact that women tend to work fewer paid hours, have more precarious jobs, perform lower-paid work and have fewer job responsibilities. Yet this claim now appears to have been debunked by the adjusted figures, which emerge from a research project funded by the Foundation for Applied Economic Studies (FEDEA), and to which EL PAÍS has had access.

The study was headed by José Ignacio Ruiz-Conde, a Spanish economist who teaches at Madrid’s Complutense University and is deputy director at FEDEA, a think tank that conducts research on economic and social issues affecting Spain.

The project used data from the EU’s Structure of Earnings Survey for 2014, the most recent available year, which show that a woman’s hourly earnings are 14.9% lower than a man’s. But this figure is unadjusted and does not necessarily mean that the jobs are similar, or even comparable. In order to achieve a more homogeneous comparison, FEDEA researchers adjusted the figures according to impact on wages caused by variables such as age, experience, contract type and others.

But researchers note that the Eurostat survey “does not contain information about the number of children or the socioeconomic traits of people who could have joined the workforce but didn’t.”

The result of this research is a pay gap of nearly 13%, compared with nearly 15% in the EU survey. If annual earnings are considered instead – and these are what really determine a person’s quality of life – the gap reaches 23% (€20,051.58 for women versus €25,992.76 for men).

Paying a woman less than a man for the same position has been illegal since 1980. These statistical analyses do not claim that this is happening, since the data is not detailed enough to know whether two individuals are performing the exact same job in the same company and with the same collective bargaining agreement. Instead, these studies “measure whether men and women are receiving similar pay for similar tasks.” And that is where a pay gap shows up across variables.

“Worrisome dynamics”

The FEDEA report notes that “significant progress has been made, adjusting for all observable characteristics, as the gap has shrunk by a third since 2002,” the starting year for the analysis. This progress is tied to “education, experience and average years of service.” However, the study adds that “we are still far from gender equilibrium, and a few worrisome dynamics persist.”

One of these is the fact that “the gap increases with age.” Women under 30 earn 4.7% less, and this percentage rises progressively to 17.2% among women over 59. Maternity could be an explanation, but researchers warn that the survey does not contain information about personal family circumstances, and so “it is not possible to estimate the effect” of child-rearing on pay gaps.

Researchers also suggested, based on an analysis of other studies, that the pay gap could also be influenced by the fact that “women tend to be worse negotiators than men when they are negotiating something for themselves.”

FURTHER READING

THE GENDER NO-PAY GAP: WOMEN IN SPAIN DO TWICEAS MUCH UNPAID WORK AS MEN 

92% OF SPANIARDS BELIEVE GENDER INEQUALITYPERSISTS, POLL FINDS 

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WHY DO PEOPLE TRAVEL MORE NOWADAYS?

WHY DO PEOPLE TRAVEL MORE NOWADAYS?

·         Low-cost airlines have become more popular across the world.

·         Construction of more airports even in small cities, and having a better technology in airplanes has led people to have access to them even in remote areas.

·         The tourism industry has developed globally. More affordable hotels, motels, villas are available for travellers.

·         Advanced technology and the Internet, arranging of travelling has become far simpler (Online booking).

·         The role of advertisement has become more obvious. The Internet and media have exposed people to more travelling ads.

·         Globalisation has increased the number of business travellers.

·         The number of student travellers has increased dramatically. Better opportunity in other countries has raised the number of student visitors.

·         Faster jets have caused travellers to reach their destination far sooner, leading their number being increased phenomenally.

·         Employees of multinational companies have to do excessive business trips to other regional offices or even in other continents for office works, meeting and training.

·         More people are travelling for leisure activities and this phenomenon has grown speedily in the past few years.

·         Travelling is now affordable to virtually all classes of people and people have taken travelling as a leisure activity.

·         Because of globalization, people are free to mingle with other nationalities and that’s why people are migrating to other countries for works, study and job opportunities.

·         The mobile phone, the internet and the facility to work virtually from any place let people get in touch with office and family while travelling and this is another important reason for people to travel a lot.

Today more people are travelling than ever before. Why is this the case? What are the benefits of travelling for the traveller?

Gone are the days when people used to spend all their lives in the same city and the tour was a word for rich people only. Now, with the technological advancements, cheaper flight, and ever increasing awareness towards other states and countries, the world has become a smaller place. Having travelled since childhood, I can definitely say that the tourism industry is changing fast and this is attracting a lot more travellers each year. This essay delves into the reasons behind increasing travellers and benefits of travelling.  

 
Firstly, people want to get refreshed quite often due to their increasing workload and they have easy access to information they want. These are the two main reasons people travel more frequently than ever before. It is evident that busier workdays and the hectic lifestyle can easily drain one out. People have started to work more and earn more as compared to earlier days. Also, with the wave of information that the internet has brought, everyone is better informed about the world outside their office or home. These things have acted as precursors to the increase in the number of people who opt travelling as a holiday get away.   
 
Second, tourism is taken very seriously in several countries now. Countries like Australia and France have travel & tourism as an important part of their economy. Tourism contributes to around  30%  of the national GDP for Dubai. Thus, people have started picking up careers in the realm of tourism, as travel bloggers, trip organisers, etc. I myself have met people who travel for a living and love doing so. These factors have also led to accrual in the travelling population.  
 
I believe travelling exposes us to different people and their traditions, outside or even within a country. India itself is a collection of myriad customs, flavours and languages. Visiting places one has never been to and meeting people with different beliefs broadens our perspectives. Introduction to different cultures catalyses respect towards the mutual differences. It helps us understand people in a new light, which can be very helpful to alleviate tensions during political or cultural conflicts.  
 
In a nutshell, I would say that travelling is equivalent to education. It can bring people closer to each other despite their differences, which is very important in today’s global world. 

READ SOME ESSAYS  HERE 

WHAT BENEFITS DO TRAVELLERS GET FROM TRAVELLING?

BENEFITS

·         Intercultural understanding. Nations are able to understand more about other nations’ culture, language and customs from near.

·         The tourism industry has become a lucrative business for many countries.

·         Increasing employment opportunity for the host country.

·         Citizens have less stressful lifestyle by travelling more. They temporarily leave stress and have more relaxation.

·         Travelling enhances knowledge and broadens our horizon.

·         Travelling gives the first-hand experience to learn new things.

·         Makes people confident, more social and self-dependant.

·         During the course of a travel, a traveller might experience unforeseen circumstances and thus he becomes stronger in dealing stress and unexpected situations.

·         Enhance job and business opportunities.

·         Travelling can shift our outlook of life in a better way and gives us more idea about the way of life around the world.

·         Travellers get to taste different types of foods, clothing, cultures, environment and living.

·         Exposure to diverse cultures and custom often eradicate the narrow thinking and selfishness of people.

·         A traveller with international exposure can have a better career path.

·         Travelling is a far better way to learn about the past and history than reading them in a book.

·         Travelling is refreshing and eliminates the monotony or boredom of busy life we currently have in the competitive world. 

       There are plenty of things one can gain from exploring different places such as new friends, new experiences and new stories. When you start exploring new places, you get a better understanding of the people living there including their culture, history and background.

       Studies show that travelling can improve your overall health and enhance your creativity. Therefore, you need to take time out from your daily tasks, office responsibilities, hectic schedule and everyday pressures at least once in a year. Plan a tour to a new city with an open schedule and let life present you with the numerous opportunities that are waiting for you.

       If you need more convincing, here is a list of all the benefits of traveling.

     1. Improves Social and Communication Skills

        One of the main benefits of travelling, especially to areas where your native language is not widely used, is that you learn how to communicate with all manner of different people. It could be communicating to find the way to your next destination or asking for the nearest restaurant.

     2. Ensures Peace of Mind

       We all have stress and tension in our lives. Traveling forces us to temporarily disconnect from our normal routine and it helps us appreciate the people and things you have around. As per a famous saying “we never know what we have until we lose it.”

     3. Helps you Get Original and Creative Thoughts

        It is believed that if someone gets out of their comfort zone, the mind gets more creative. To develop new neural connections that trigger original and creative thoughts, you must explore new places and break out of your daily lifestyles.

     4. Broadens Your Horizons

       Travelling helps you connect with different people from different cultures, and this is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness. Meeting people from different cultures and societies will help you see issues and daily life from many different angles.

     5. Enhances your Tolerance for Uncertainty

       While travelling, you will find yourself stuck in situations where things don’t always go as planned. Such situations will help you learn to cope with the uncertainties in life.

     6. Boosts Up your Confidence:

        Being in a place where you do not know anyone will assist you to gain confidence and presence of mind. You will develop the ability to cope with obstacles, which will make you a confident person and help you grow as a person.

     7. Gets you Real-life Education

       Meeting different people from vast cultures and societies provides an education that is impossible to get in a traditional school, college or a university. There is no substitute for the real thing.

     8. Creates Memories for Lifetime

        If you travel with friends and family members, traveling helps you build stronger bonds and make memories. You can also save memories of a lifetime by creating photo albums or sharing photos in social media.

     9. Helps you Have Fun

        No matter how young or old you are, no matter your profession, there is always a time when the child in you wants to have some fun. When you travel, you do not care what you do at all and you can just break free from the norm.

     10. Aids you Get to Know Yourself

       While traveling, you might find yourself stuck in situations you would not ordinary experience in your daily life. Such a situation can help you understand yourself and how you react to such circumstances and prepare you for future similar situations.

       

       Although traveling offers many benefits, it also has some disadvantages if not planned carefully. If you are a patient and taking medication for a disease, do not forget to carry your medication. Keeping jet lag pills handy saves you from unnecessary discomfort.

     Those susceptible to allergies should carry allergy medication. Plan your tour in advance, prepare a checklist to keep yourself healthy while traveling and pack important items before you travel.

     Travelling is good for the health so decide a place now and pack your bags. Remember, you only live once, so start traveling to different places and get some life-altering experiences.

READ SOME ESSAYS  HERE 

TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE TRAVEL

6 WAYS IN WHICH TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE TRAVEL

Do you remember travelling with your family during your school summer holidays as a kid?  Those massive aluminum trunks being dragged from the taxi to the station platform, endless bags of gifts for cousins, large tiffin boxes brimming with enough food to feed a small country and your entire family coming to see you off at the railway station for a month-long holiday.

Cut to today. There’s a long weekend coming up, you open an app on your smart phone, decide where you want to go, book your flights and hotels in under ten minutes and before you know it, you’re all set for your quick weekend getaway.

Technology has undoubtedly changed the face of travel and made travelling so much easier. Let’s look back and see how travel has changed over the years:

Deciding Your Destination

Then: Back in the pre-Internet days (aka the Stone Age), you’d be pouring over holiday brochures at a travel agent’s office, buying guidebooks or taking a friend’s recommendation when it came to deciding where to go.

Now: Today, it could be a popular travel blog, a travel show on TV, social media, or even your friend’s Facebook photos that spark off your wanderlust and inspires you to travel.

Booking the Flight/Train

Then: Remember those snaking queues at railway stations where you stood, months before your trip, sweating, swatting away flies and impatiently shifting your weight from one leg to another, just to book a train ticket? Or visiting Malhotra Uncle’s travel agency in Connaught Place to get you a good deal on an air fare?

Now: Thankfully it’s much easier now. All you need to do is go online, hunt for the best flight/rail deals, check travel review sites and in a few taps, your bookings are done.  

Booking the Hotel

Then: Back then you’d go through hotel brochures, ask friends where they stayed during their holiday and then actually phone the hotel to book a room (Remember calling someone instead of texting? Yes, that!) All the while, you were never entirely sure of what your hotel room looked like. For all you know, you could end up in Bates Motel and never be the wiser!  

Now: Online booking engines and recommendation sites are the simplest, and often most reliable ways, to not only book a hotel, but also be sure of the location, what your room looks like, the amenities offered.  And nowadays with home sharing communities online, you can even stay with a local, get great recommendations on what to see and where to eat, and even make new friends!

Learning Local Language

Then: Back in the day you’d carry a phrasebook on holiday, struggle with broken Spanish or Italian, give up and basically end up miming that you want to go to the loo.

Now: Today all you need is a smartphone (which, unless you’re living under a rock, you do!) with apps like Google Translate, iTranslate or Waygo installed, to help you interact with the locals with perfect ease.

Clicking Photographs

Then: You’d be at the Eiffel Tower with your family, waiting for someone who looked honest enough to not steal your camera to stop and ask to click a photo. Plus, you only had thirty-six photos on one reel, so you had to think twice before taking a picture. Once you were back home, you’d have all the photographs printed, display them in an album to visiting relatives who’d murmur polite comments about how good the place looked while sipping chai.

Now: This is the age of camera phones and selfie sticks, so no more waiting around for someone to pass by to click your picture. Take a selfie at the Eiffel, upload it instantly on Facebook and watch the comments and likes pour in.

Staying in Touch

Then: While on the go, you’d send back pretty postcards, write letters and occasionally splurge on that long-distance phone call from the hotel reception, or a local phone booth. Staying in touch certainly wasn’t easy and most people back home didn’t expect to hear from you unless it was an emergency.

Now: Free WiFi hotspots at airports and cafés make it so easy to e-mail, Skype and Tweet as much and as often as you like. Get yourself a local 3G connection and check in wherever you go because, hey, if it’s not online, it didn’t really happen!  

Travel has come a long way and it only seems to be getting faster, quicker and better. So what are you waiting for? Pick up that smart phone, download the MakeMyTrip app and book your next holiday now!  

https://www.makemytrip.com/blog/technology-changed-travel