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Romanian City Gives Free Bus Rides To Passengers Who Read Books Inside
To encourage more people to read on public transportation, I proposed to our mayor Emil Boc that the city not charge passengers who read books. It took me more than a year to make this proposal a reality. Long story short, between the 4th and 7th of June 2015 everyone who “travelled by book” in Cluj-Napoca rode free of charge.
I also do other campaigns with my friends to promote reading, for instance, Bookface. People who have a book on their Facebook profile picture receive discounts in all sorts of places, from book stores to hair salons and even in dental practices. Another action we carry out is on the 23th of April (World Book Day). On this day, people who have a book with them can visit for free the local Botanical Garden.
PS: our biggest challenge now is to persuade Mark Zuckerberg to Book-face his Face-book profile. So keep your fingers crossed.
RELATED:
I came up with the idea of not charging passengers who read books on public transport
Our mayor posted my proposal on his Facebook page and the feedback was amazing
Finally, after 1 year of constant effort, my idea became a reality
Between the 4th and 7th of June 2015, anyone who read a book on the bus rode for free
I believe that it’s better to promote reading by rewarding those who read, instead of criticising the ones who don’t
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What do you think ?
Hithere Itsyou 5 years ago
it's fake. only for the news. me and a friend got a ticket for it. just for the news
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GabrielSocaciu 9 years ago
Nope, only physical books. Imagine the conductor's reaction if you had with you In Search of Lost Time :))) Jokes aside, I'm from Cluj and I haven't seen many people with Kindles in city buses, either because they're expensive or they're not so popular yet.
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ElenaLiviaBradeanu 9 years ago
The guy reading the romanian literature history made me smile. That's one biiig book :-)
DebraBrooksKapellakis 9 years ago
Awesome idea and to reward the ones who do as opposed to criticizing those who don't is a beautiful. My thanks to the Mayor of this city and the citizen who encouraged him to do it.
DanielaBlueMoonBoal 9 years ago
This wouldn't work for me :/ I absolutely love books!!! But reading them while in motion makes me feel so sick :/
DanielAmin 9 years ago
Read a book, any book - great idea and maybe can be promote as EU/US/UNICEF initiative. I think is worth a lot, for future.
AngelaM. 9 years ago
1.) This discriminates against people with motion sickness 2.) Will the driver actually be checking that everyone is reading? 3.) What about Kindles? 4.) How on Earth does having a book in your FB profile picture prove that you read???
LaureluSoarecu 9 years ago
People with motion sickness will get motion sickness regardless if they pay a ticket or not. By all means blow down a fun measure that promotes culture and only took place for a few days because of a small percentage of the population. 2) You have ticket checkers in busses, so no, the driver does not check tickets. 3) Few people use kindles here..too expensive. 4) How does having a physical book on the bus proves that you read?
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Hithere Itsyou 5 years ago
it's fake, i got a ticket for it :) and i`m from the city. fake news, fake city, fake country
Ligia Tuhut 5 years ago
Yeah..so very cool until you get a fine because the ticket checker said that I was only holding the book in my lap, but I was looking out the window, which I did, for like 5 seconds, to check the station. And of course we got into a fight and I ended up paying the fee, which was like 10 times more than a ticket itself. So yeah...sounds good, doesn't work.
NorbertKovács 9 years ago
Giving free ride to encourage reading Give penalty to Hungarian minority because on the market they dare to write their product's name in Hungarian (for Hungarian customers)....What are you doing Romania?
AlexandraKonstantopoulou 9 years ago
Great idea! I would love to experience such an action in Athens !
Rhon 9 years ago
All of my family are Bookaholics So I think getting more people reading books is great. The smell and feel of a real book can't be beaten BUT I feel reading on public transport means travellers will miss out on meeting those around them. Chatting with the person next to you can be such a wonderful thing. We need more book shops that don't just sell best sellers but obscure books too. Also book exchanges are wonderful.
LynneFindley 9 years ago
I consider it two birds with one stone as it's also a goal to let people ride for free and leave their damn cars at home.
AngelaM. 9 years ago
1.) This discriminates against people with motion sickness 2.) Will the driver actually be checking that everyone is reading? 3.) Why are Kindles not allowed? 4.) How on Earth does having a book on your FB profile picture prove that you actually read???
ElenaLiviaBradeanu 9 years ago
I think you take the discrimination part way too far. It's not like they're not allowed to get in the bus. They don't read in the bus anyway, regardless this project it's done or not. And about the tickets: in our country the driver doesn't check them, he only drives. I feel sorry for you because you are so pessimistic.
Load More Replies...
YolopopTai 9 years ago
I always read...........................................................................................................unless I'm on my computer AT HOME.
Hithere Itsyou 5 years ago
it's fake. only for the news. me and a friend got a ticket for it. just for the news
Load More Replies... GabrielSocaciu 9 years ago
Nope, only physical books. Imagine the conductor's reaction if you had with you In Search of Lost Time :))) Jokes aside, I'm from Cluj and I haven't seen many people with Kindles in city buses, either because they're expensive or they're not so popular yet.
Load More Replies... ElenaLiviaBradeanu 9 years ago
The guy reading the romanian literature history made me smile. That's one biiig book :-)
DebraBrooksKapellakis 9 years ago
Awesome idea and to reward the ones who do as opposed to criticizing those who don't is a beautiful. My thanks to the Mayor of this city and the citizen who encouraged him to do it.
DanielaBlueMoonBoal 9 years ago
This wouldn't work for me :/ I absolutely love books!!! But reading them while in motion makes me feel so sick :/
DanielAmin 9 years ago
Read a book, any book - great idea and maybe can be promote as EU/US/UNICEF initiative. I think is worth a lot, for future.
AngelaM. 9 years ago
1.) This discriminates against people with motion sickness 2.) Will the driver actually be checking that everyone is reading? 3.) What about Kindles? 4.) How on Earth does having a book in your FB profile picture prove that you read???
LaureluSoarecu 9 years ago
People with motion sickness will get motion sickness regardless if they pay a ticket or not. By all means blow down a fun measure that promotes culture and only took place for a few days because of a small percentage of the population. 2) You have ticket checkers in busses, so no, the driver does not check tickets. 3) Few people use kindles here..too expensive. 4) How does having a physical book on the bus proves that you read?
Load More Replies... Hithere Itsyou 5 years ago
it's fake, i got a ticket for it :) and i`m from the city. fake news, fake city, fake country
Ligia Tuhut 5 years ago
Yeah..so very cool until you get a fine because the ticket checker said that I was only holding the book in my lap, but I was looking out the window, which I did, for like 5 seconds, to check the station. And of course we got into a fight and I ended up paying the fee, which was like 10 times more than a ticket itself. So yeah...sounds good, doesn't work.
NorbertKovács 9 years ago
Giving free ride to encourage reading Give penalty to Hungarian minority because on the market they dare to write their product's name in Hungarian (for Hungarian customers)....What are you doing Romania?
AlexandraKonstantopoulou 9 years ago
Great idea! I would love to experience such an action in Athens !
Rhon 9 years ago
All of my family are Bookaholics So I think getting more people reading books is great. The smell and feel of a real book can't be beaten BUT I feel reading on public transport means travellers will miss out on meeting those around them. Chatting with the person next to you can be such a wonderful thing. We need more book shops that don't just sell best sellers but obscure books too. Also book exchanges are wonderful.
LynneFindley 9 years ago
I consider it two birds with one stone as it's also a goal to let people ride for free and leave their damn cars at home.
AngelaM. 9 years ago
1.) This discriminates against people with motion sickness 2.) Will the driver actually be checking that everyone is reading? 3.) Why are Kindles not allowed? 4.) How on Earth does having a book on your FB profile picture prove that you actually read???
ElenaLiviaBradeanu 9 years ago
I think you take the discrimination part way too far. It's not like they're not allowed to get in the bus. They don't read in the bus anyway, regardless this project it's done or not. And about the tickets: in our country the driver doesn't check them, he only drives. I feel sorry for you because you are so pessimistic.
Load More Replies... YolopopTai 9 years ago
I always read...........................................................................................................unless I'm on my computer AT HOME.
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