HEADING EAST: JUNE 9, 2006

We developed a new format for interacting with people: a survey with five open-ended questions. We found that on our ride to the West, few people wanted to fill out our map form. So we created this survey as a way to easily record our conversations with folks. We added a new question to try to get a better idea of people’s perceptions of the West and the East: What 3-5 words describe West or East Oakland?

We got a chance to test our new format before we even left our driveway: one of our neighbors stopped as she was riding by to find out what the rig was all about. We told her our story and asked her our survey questions. After thinking for a minute, she easily described East Oakland in this way: “industrial, neighborhoods, the biggest part of the city.”