Buses Spread the Love in Copenhagen
Here is a snap shot of the love seats, also known as "Kærlighedssæder." Photo via Kadaver Off the Record.
Looking for love? Ride the bus!
Starting on May 3, Danish transport company Arriva introduced red-upholstered designated “love seats” on more than 100 buses in Copenhagen to encourage flirtation, smiles, romance and happiness among the city’s passengers, whether they’re happily single, married or still looking for love. The bigger idea — besides being cute — is to get people to leave their cars parked at home and enjoy riding public transportation, as more of a social endeavor.
“You never know what will happen,” spokesman Martin Wex told AFP. “We cannot guarantee that you will find the person of your dreams. We are just offering the possibility for people to communicate, to smile a bit more and possibly, to win someone’s heart.”
The love seat experiment will last for two weeks.
Marianne Faerch, a business developer with Arriva, which runs the majority of buses in Copenhagen, said in an interview with BBC that she has seen an increase in ridership. She says these campaigns are meant to show people that “you can actually take the bus and get a good experience out of it, and maybe, love.”
Maybe the Danes are really on to something. How can we make public transportation more socially appealing?
FREAKS AND WEIRDOS
There are scores of studies that show the extent of anti-social behavior on public buses. A Scotland study found the main types of behavior to include “rudeness/verbal abuse, drunken behaviour, the dumping of litter/rubbish and smoking cigarettes.” To reduce these nuisances, the study says, solutions may include installing closed-circuit television cameras and “safety screens,” or hiring undercover police and police escorts on important routes. But wouldn’t that just add to a heightened level of insecurity, paranoia and sterility?
And let’s not forget that poorly designed inconvenient transportation — whether it’s overcrowded, delayed or noisy — can also contribute to stress and tension.
With such a strong stigma already attached to riding mass transit, especially in the United States, it’s important that transit designers and operators figure out how to make the experience more enjoyable, even if it’s on a superficial basis. (Otherwise, car companies might have more ammunition to produce ads like this “freaks and weirdos ride the bus” from General Motors.)
GETTING SOCIAL
Earlier this year, a study was released that showed the social needs and behaviors of more than 1,700 train and bus riders in New Zealand. The researcher, Jared Thomas, found that 50 percent of respondents said they intentionally engage in isolating activities, such as listening to music or reading, to discourage conversation. The conclusion? “Side-by-side seating arrangements and standoffish behaviors create a socially uncomfortable environment akin to a crowded elevator.” It appears that in an effort to maximize capacity, buses have ignored interpersonal comfort.
Some suggestions for making transit more socially accommodating, according to Thomas and other experts:
- Alter seats to face each other
- Provide L-shaped seating, arm rests and small tables
- Replace awkward three-person benches with two-person or single seating
- Designate quiet train cars
- Install televisions in buses and trains
- Encourage drivers and passengers to make eye contact and smile
[...] May, more than 100 buses in Copenhagen were fitted with love seats, “offering the possibility for people to communicate, to smile a bit more and possibly, to [...]
[...] new and unexpected place: the city bus. According to The City Fix, transportation company Arriva has installed red “love seats” on about 100 buses that circulate through the Danish city. This stunt, which began May 3rd and will last two weeks, [...]
[...] This article explains that in Copenhagen, Denmark they’ve attempted to solve the problem at hand, because frankly, without a ring on that hand how do I know if I’m stepping on another girls territory? Not even that, what if he’s just coming out of a relationship, why waste my charm if it’s only going to fall flat. Like I said, the Copenhagen bus system, Arriva has devised a system to hook up those looking for love on the bus: Starting on May 3, Danish transport company Arriva introduced red-upholstered designated “love seats” on more than 100 buses in Copenhagen to encourage flirtation, smiles, romance and happiness among the city’s passengers, whether they’re happily single, married or still looking for love. The bigger idea — besides being cute — is to get people to leave their cars parked at home and enjoy riding public transportation, as more of a social endeavor. [...]
[...] λεωφορεία στην Κοπεγχάγη εγκαθιστούν πιλοτικά “Love seats” για να διευκολύνουν την …οικειότητα μεταξύ των [...]
[...] image by The City Fix [...]
[...] new and unexpected place: the city bus. According to The City Fix, transportation company Arriva has installed red “love seats” on about 100 buses that circulate through the Danish city. This stunt, which began Might 3rd and will last two weeks, [...]
Copenhagen has an idea: Add “love seats” to a bus to encourage interactions among singles and increase ridership!! http://bit.ly/a8ah6o
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Looking for love on public transit? Try Copenhagen.http://thecityfix.com/buses-spread-the-love-in-copenhagen/
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@joegarlick http://thecityfix.com/buses-spread-the-love-in-copenhagen/
check out Copenhagen buses, actively encouraging flirting!
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[...] The City Fix Share [...]
Dinamarca inaugura o “ônibus do amor” http://is.gd/c7qOv Aqui no Brasil nós temos ônibus do horror, em vários sentidos!
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Leave it to Europeans to encourage flirting – or simple human interaction – on buses. Flirting as social policy! http://ow.ly/1Kthf
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Leave it to Europeans to encourage flirting – or simple human interaction – on buses. Flirting as social policy! http://ow.ly/1Ktf2
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
[...] new and unexpected place: the city bus. According to The City Fix, transportation company Arriva has installed red “love seats” on about 100 buses that circulate through the Danish city. This stunt, which began May 3rd and will last two weeks, [...]
Please, no TVs in the bus! I lived in Beijing for a few months and that was the most obmoxious thing in the world. The same commercials played over and over, it was infuriating. TVs to a captive audience–they only alienate us further from the people sitting next to us. I think that there should be ways to break down the social barriers in a public service such as the metro, and this Love Seat idea is a step in the right direction. Not a TV.
[...] i maj införde det danska bussbolaget Arriva så kallade ”kärlekssäten” på sina bussar i [...]
If I ever go to Copenhagen I will NOT ride the bus (it’s all I can do already to avoid eye contact). http://ow.ly/1K17i /via @MichaelSurtees
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Copenhagen get cozy and installs red ‘love seats’ for those looking for love on public transport. http://ow.ly/1K17i via @MichaelSurtees
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Copenhagen get cozy and installs red ‘love seats’ for those looking for love on public transport. http://ow.ly/1K17i RT @MichaelSurtees
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Copenhagen buses install red ‘love seats’ for those looking for love on public transport http://ow.ly/1K17i
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В 100 автобусах Копенгагена появились красные сидения для флирта – love seats (http://thecityfix.com/buses-spread-the-love-in-copenhagen/)
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[...] a circular em Copenhague ônibus com alguns bancos mais altos do que outros. O objetivo declarado é colocar em posição de [...]
MY INTERNAL FORESIGHT TELL ME THAT A LOVE SEAT ON METRO WILL PROBABLY TURN INTO A SEAT OF LOVE AS ILLUSTRATED WITH THE STICK PICS LOVE SEAT AD.
ESPECIALLY WITH BUS DRIVERS PICKING UP FIVE AND DIME HO’S AT THE END OF THE LINE!
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
SOLD! http://thecityfix.com/buses-spread-the-love-in-copenhagen/
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They used to have love seats in a cinema (Germany) where I went (basically, the armrest was missing). I don’t like buses, but a bus love seat wouldn’t convince me to use one either. If I want to cuddle with my husband, I know better places than buses.
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
Piss in one of the seats and sit in the other. Problem solved! No unwanted approaches from strangers and nothing deters a would be harrasser from bothering you than the fresh warm urine.
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
[...] ploy by the private transportation company, Arriva: Copenhagen’s buses are introducing another way of getting around while you get around town: "love seats," or "kærlighedssæder." (Gesundheit!) A social experiment of [...]
ill sit there.
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
In theory it’s a clever idea. Perhaps if there was a way to know who would welcome advances and who wants to be left alone there would be less harassment?
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
Where’s the picture at the top from? I certainly hope that no bus or train company is marketing the bench seats by the doors as “loveseats”. These seats are typically priority seats for people with disabilities, those with mobility problems, pregnant women, and so on, and encouraging everyone to use them is going to make the seats less available for people who really need them.
I’m a bit surprised this is coming from Arriva. They’re a British company, so I do hope they don’t try to import this idea over here.
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
When buses are crowded, will passengers will be forced to open themselves to “flirtation”?
Heh, this is actually the first thing that came to mind for me (and I’m in Europe, though not Denmark). In the big city in which I live, buses are generally crowded, and the people riding them can basically be divided into people who stare at their feet and keep to themselves and people who are loud and obnoxious – so I don’t see it working out here.
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
sigh. everyone around the world is thinkin’ bout love. round here, we just want our personal space.
This comment was originally posted on The Sexist
[...] Braun at Grist tells us about the latest: Copenhagen’s buses are introducing another way of getting around while you get around town: “love seats,” or “kærlighedssæder.” (Gesundheit!) A social experiment of [...]
[...] buses are introducing another way of getting around while you get around town: “love seats,” or “kærlighedssæder.” (Gesundheit!) A social [...]
Will see for myself! “Buses Spread the Love in Copenhagen. Makes riding mass transit less socially awkward” http://bit.ly/cISZ7K @TheCityFix
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Buses Spread the Love in Copenhagen http://bit.ly/ajLK5X
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“Love seats” installed in Copenhagen buses for singles to mingle http://bit.ly/9c6i3A
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