Beyond the Metropolis: Urban Geography as if Small Cities Mattered |
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| Authors: | Ola Johansson |
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| Institution: | Department of Geography , University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown , Johnstown, PA |
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| Abstract: | In-car satellite navigation systems (SatNavs) are among the first products based on geographic information systems to have widespread fashionable appeal. In the United Kingdom, portable versions that are easily installed on the dashboard or front windshield have become a popular vehicle accessory. As prices have fallen, demand has increased over the last few years to the point that SatNavs might soon achieve the ubiquity of in-car entertainment systems. The rise of popularity of SatNavs, however, has also brought with it increased vulnerability to vehicle crime. Our analysis for the London borough of Newham shows a threefold increase in SatNav theft that occurred from 2005–2006 to 2006–2007. This is not limited to SatNavs being on display, but criminals also looking for the telltale signs of suction marks on the windshield indicating that a portable SatNav might be in the glove compartment or trunk of the car. A geographical analysis of these crime data is presented. Whereas the geo-engineering has focused on improving real-time visualization of position and articulation of navigational instructions, the product engineering as a portable accessory has insufficiently addressed the social implications of vulnerability in a high-crime society, the consequence being a focused acquisitive crime wave. |
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| Keywords: | small cities urban geography |
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