Author Archives: Alison Kidd
Woolly Perspectives
My favourite role as a research psychologist is recording and analysing the language people use when they are discussing something which I’m studying. Our friend the artist, Pip Woolf is running a fascinating project attempting to mend a badly eroded … Continue reading
Twizyology 2 – when is a car not a car
As previously, noted, we think the Renault Twizy’s greatest strength is in the fact that it’s not a car – it offers something completely different and fun for travellers who just want to get short distances cheaply and using very … Continue reading
Solar miles
As you may have spotted, The Prospectory has a strong interest in the relationship between energy and travel – from both a technical and psychological perspective. We are interested in how we can all move around using a lot less … Continue reading
Twizics 3
Twizics 2 identified air resistance as a major energy drain at high speed, but changing speed also uses energy. If there were no air, drive train or tyre drag, we could maintain a constant speed with little or no energy … Continue reading
Twizics 2
Most Twizy drivers will struggle to achieve 125 [wall] Watt-hours per mile and a range of 50 miles in a hilly area like ours. There are two important numbers governing the range and speed of a Twizy – 30 and … Continue reading
Twizics 1 – the Physics of the Renault Twizy
The goal of the Eco Travel Network is to offer people in sparsely populated rural areas more sustainable personal transport. Country people can live as sustainably as city folk in most respects, but the low energy of city public transport … Continue reading
Twizyology 1 – the Psychology of the Renault Twizy
We haven’t blogged much recently as we’ve been busy launching a new, not-for-profit company, The Eco Travel Network Ltd which grew out of our b-bug project which The Prospectory ran last year. The aim of the Eco Travel Network (ETN) … Continue reading
Hybrid pedal and electric – the “Henry Hollick” experiment
The Prospectory is experimenting with “not-cars” – i.e. ultra low energy. lightweight alternatives to cars which are efficient, cheap AND fun to drive short local distances in a hilly, rural area. Can we entice people into having some fun discovering … Continue reading
Light Green Transport for Rural Wales
The Prospectors are interested in introducing funky, lightweight, low energy vehicles to replace short car journeys here in rural Wales – the kind of journeys we do every day to get to work, drop the kids at school, nip to … Continue reading
One-eyed Turks? – it’s all in the brain
OK, so I admit it, The Prospectors (when not busy Prospecting) are avid supporters of the Llanelli Scarlets – or “one-eyed Turks” as we are known to supporters of other Welsh rugby sides. And, like most supporters, we are inclined … Continue reading
