Hitchhiking is a means of trans conversation and company and in
some cases a contribution to fuel costs. Most popular in the 1960s and early 1970s, hitchhiking has declined immensely in the last thirty years. This decline has been contributed to the stigma attached to the practice in society after a number of ‘Backpacker murders’, as well as the rise in private car ownership. The authors of Lonely Planet have omitted all references to hitchhiking in their recent editions, author Jennifer Fox feels ‘it is so dangerous we would rather people didn't take the risk’. Organised and regulated hitchhiking has potential social and environmental benefits. These include increased sociability and interaction with local residents, cooperativeness and enabling people to ‘cross the barrier of fear and the barrier of selfishness’ as well as reducing the amount of cars on the roads. To make hitchhiking again a socially accepted practice, infrastructure in the form of designated stops and shelters, as well as a website for drivers to register their details will be registered
My proposal is for infrastructure along the Great Ocean Road to facilitate and encourage hitch hiking both by locals and tourists.
camping near eastern view
arrives in australia
walk to hitchhiking post
continue on holiday
fly home
hitch victoria .com
hitch victoria .com
hitch victoria .com
hitch victoria .com
register online as a driver
post on guestbook
download application to GPS unit or smart phone
daily commute lorne to torquay
continues to work
alert on GPS that someone needs a lift
the shelter
The website contains an overview of the service, a stop map, frequently asked questions and a digital guestbook. A forum on the site allows discussion, photo uploads and an oppotunity to organise a ride prior to the trip.
The infrastructure will consist of shelters on the side of the road with a safe area for cars to pull off. The shelters contain an interactive information board and map, rainwater tank, composting toilet, solar powered lights and power points, bike racks and guestbook.
register online as a passenger
Due to the nature of hitch hiking, travellers may have to wait for extended periods. The shelter provides refuge from the sun, wind and rain and has a bench seat as well as room for baggage storage. The lighting and power points are powered by solar panels on the roof and a skylight provides illumination during the day. A sliding door allows the shelter to be fully enclosed for protection from the Roaring Fourties winds and is not lockable
The system will rely on Wi-Fi communication between the shelters and the drivers’ GPS or smartphone. When a hitcher checks in at the shelter a message is sent to the driver alerting them that someone is in need of a lift and the driver can choose whether to pick him up or ignore it.
To use the facilities, both drivers and the hitchers register on hitchvictoria.com, and are able to unsubscribe at any time. The driver has to enter their drivers license number and other details and a sticker is sent to them to affix to their windscreen to show that they have been cleared to pick up hitch hikers. Users only need to register once and then can use the service at any time.
Guestbook
scanned and uploaded
Along with the shelter is a safe area for Bicycle racks allow cyclists to leave their bikes in a secure cars to pull in to spot so they do not obstruct traffic while picking up hitchers. The road will be well lit and the shelter is on a raised platform for extra pedestrian safety
stop map The stops will be located on the road into each town, and at each tourist attraction, roughly 10km apart. This means that along the Great Ocean Road hikers are never more than a few hour walk from transportation and allows access to areas that would usually be inaccessable without a car. At points where there is a turn off to an attraction such as the Cape Otway Lighthouse, the stops will
be placed just before the turn off to allow options for the traveller. The drivers do not have to drop the passengers only at the designated shelters, however it is recommended as these will be the safest spots along the road for both the car and the pedestrian. .
The information board is located inside the shelter It contains all of the information that a tourist would need about both the service and the Great Ocean Road
2. When a traveller arrives at the shelter, they press the button on the board. A built in camera takes a photo of the hitcher and automatically sends the photo and a message to any registered cars passing within 200m of the shelter letting them know that someone needs a lift. The driver can then choose to accept or ignore.
hitchvictoria.com
about the G.O.R
register
F.A.Q forum guestbook
stop map
driver
5. A comminity noticeboard provides a space for locals and tourists to advertise local events such as markets and fairs, as well as items for sale such as campervans, camping gear and surfboards. 6. The board also features tourism information, and a concise history of the area from indigenous tribes and colonial settlement through to the construction of the road. Also included is information about the local fauna and flora and geological features.
7. A guestbook comprises part of the table area, where a roll of paper over a flatbed scanner allows visitors to leave a message about their experience which is then scanned and uploaded 4. A series of power points provide to hitchvictoria.com. The messages then somewhere for the travellers to exist in both physical and digital forms. recharge any devices they may The roll is advanced by rotating have such as mobile phones and the handle, so a clear part of the laptops. guestbook is avaliable or it can These are powered by solar be scrolled back to view previpanels on the roof of the shelter. ous travellers messages.
The website provides an online portal for people new to the service to register as either driver or hitcher, leave messages in the guestbook, read and learn about the Great Ocean Road and participate in the forum.
hitcher
The shelter features composting toilets, an enviromentally friendly way of disposing waste where after each use a small amount of untreated sawdust is thrown on top for better aerobic processing, smell reduction and to absorb liquid.
Notices
1.
3. The information caters for both Australian and international travellers, with a list of handy numbers including a translator service. Also on the board is emergency contact details such as 000, CFA and local medical centres.
website
A rainwater tank catches run off from the roof and the water is filtered for use as drinking water and hand/face washing.
information board
1. A large map shows the road, hitch hiking points, recommended campsites and points of interest. A legend links different sites to the information surrounding the map
about the service
The information board is located on the inside wall of the shelter
2.
www.GORGuestbook.org
safety Drivers wishing to pick up passangers are required to register on the hitchvictoria.com website. They must enter their name, address and current drivers license number. A criminal record check then takes place automatically and if cleared the driver is posted a sticker with their information and driver number to put on the windscreen of their vehicle.
Hitchhikers are are not reqiured to register online, however it is advised as emergency contact details are then avaliable in the event of something happening and they can be kept up to date of any changes to the roads or shelters. Registration also entitles them to recieve the emergency text message if they opt for it.
guestbook name: james from UK
name: nath from US
comments. fantastic. had a great trip on the Great Ocean Road. will be back soon!
comments. saved lots of money on transport and met lots of cool people!
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CCTV cameras on the outside and inside of the shelter record both the hitchhiker and the cars which use the service. The footage will be used in the event of an emergency as well to monitor the condition of the shelters.
victoria
As an optional service, both drivers and passengers are able to have an automatic message sent to their smartphone or GPS, If there is no reply to the message an emergency signal is sent to authorities along with the video footage of the most recent people and vehicles to use the service.
upper pool studio | semester 1 2011 | sustainable vacation | simon curlis | samuel nikolsky