INTERVENTION 1THE DÉRIVE

By Tess & Mel

Introduction

8th October 2013 Caught the train from University

station On the train planned to go to 3

places on the Amsterdam Map: Betty Asfalt Complex Hash Museum Amsterdam Marionette Theatre

Once these were decided we got off the train at Longbridge.

Longbridge Station – Car Park – Suburban Back Yard – Car Mechanics

The Route We Took…

Location 1 – Car Park

12:45pm

Location 1- Car Park

Observations• Felt strange as we didn’t

have a car and was a space for car owners.

• Watched by local woman using car park – looked at us as if we might be car park attendants because of notebooks.

• Space was fenced off and had to pay to use the space.

• Would be a different place at night.

• Social constructed barriers around the cars – if got too close would look like you were malicious.

• Different spaces for different owners eg. Disabled.

• Out in the middle of nowhere (for Mel) – near busy road, modern complexes geared for motorist travel – pedestrian a minority.

• But, college near by meant people of similar age and younger around.

En Route to Location 2

Observations• The route made us

feel a minority again as it wasn’t pedestrian friendly.

• There was no-one else walking around that area

• Took us a long time to cross a roundabout.

• Signage geared towards motorists eg. McDonalds Drive Thru

• Authority map of “suggested routes” – creates boundaries to where we could go.

Location 2 – Suburban Back Yard

1:10pm

Location 2 – Suburban Back Yard

Observations• Felt uncomfortable

straight away as unsure whether on private property or not – liminal space

• Had to move as people in the houses were watching us.

• Followed by a Pizza delivery man – he had a reason to be there – no hesitation – economic transaction taking place.

• Both of us whispered even though no-one was around because it felt odd being there.

• Actual suburban road wasn’t uncomfortable as was similar to spaces that we are familiar with eg. Home and family homes.

En Route to Location 3

Observations• Nobody around at all

but because two of us felt ok going together – even though both felt uncomfortable but because it was suburban area felt safe enough

• Wouldn’t have taken that path at night or alone.

• Didn’t know where it led.

• Two choices of where to go – flipped a coin

• Relieved when we got back onto the main road – knew where we were.

Location 3 – Car Mechanics

1:25pm

Location 3 – Car Mechanics

Observations• Being watched – didn’t

have a car so had no reason to be there

• Mechanics – certain type of male profile – macho – being both women felt uncomfortable

• Stayed as far away from mechanics as we could

• Masculine environment (?) • CCTV, high security,

barbed wire – discourages you from going there without a purpose – made us feel we were up to no good.

Summary

The whole experience made us visit places we would have never been to without purpose.

Helped us to understand the spatial relationship between pedestrian and motorists – the power either one have in a space.