ABSTRACT
Walking encourages good public and private health, interaction between neighbours, contributes to feeling of community and positive sense of place, and, importantly in a time of concerns over climate and environmental change, contributes to reductions in traffic congestion, air pollution and emissions, and resource use. Safety, in the context of walking, has multiple aspects and can refer to safety from traffic, safety from other people, and physical safety. The nature of the built environment, for example, the provision of lighting at nighttime and good sidewalks, can have a significant impact of perceived safety. However, in many cases, walking, especially in terms of where and when you can walk, is also constrained by social practices shaped by gender, culture, religion and economics. The impact of carryable and wearable augmented technologies on walking is likely to be profound. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
