When I used to live in NYC and ride the subway everyday, the ads in the cars generally drove me crazy. Like this ad for low calorie beer, they were trying to sell things that people don’t need. Riding the subway for over an hour a day getting to and from our home in Bushwick and my job in Manhattan, I often thought how misused this public space is. What if one car in every subway train, or one bus on each route was designated as a Commons? The ads in that space would be for nonprofit and community groups who would get the space for free via a lottery.
This idea could be taken much further of course! Why not a bookshelf where people can take or leave a book, or a clothing bin? Perhaps commuters with similar schedules will meet on the community car and form discussion groups or teach free classes or…
Tags: commons, community, free, media, sharing, transportation
