Social Experiment: Get #Twaffic Updates here!

Late today afternoon, I had a thought to crowd-source traffic information via Twitter, just for Nairobi. I passed on the idea to fellow Iborian tweeps (twitter-people) and response is slow but sure, sure. Not wanting to sound cliche, however, we are a peculiar people. If M-Pesa worked 'on' us and refuses to work in TZ, what else could? I wonder...

So this is how it would/could work. When in traffic, be it slow or fast anyone who's on twitter may tweet the traffic situation on the road they are using with the hashtag #Twaffic to show it is a traffic update and the hashtag #yourRoad refering to whichever road the tweep is using. For example

"#twaffic #JogooRd Very clear. No need to use Eastleigh route..."

or

"#twaffic There is a parking lot on #UhuruHighway Just popped out to the Iko-Toilet to take a leak and I'm back!"

Now, with everyone sending in such info, knowing the traffic situation before you leave for work/home or as you are driving would be as easy as checking your #twaffic updates! Easy peasy, right? Of course, you hope fellow tweeps on #yourRoad do the same, thus result for #twaffic + #yourRoad are more useful. For those who have not used the summize search tool for twitter, it is available at search.twitter.com

Let's see if we can do this tweeple! It'll benefit us all, heck, we can even have a hitch-hikers club (actually *carpooling*) like this one!

Further Reading: This is just part one of the social experiment. If it goes as planned we could make it a bit juicier maybe by also tagging the traffic situation (go ahead if you could though), i.e.

#Level1 - Clear/Cruising

#Level2 - Almost Clear/Afew stops though

#Level3 - Moderate/Slow but moving

#Level4 - Very Slow/Almost at a standstill

#Level5 - Parking Lot/Please use another route if you can

PS: Hash tags were not actually invented by the Founding Fathers (@ev and @biz) they were actually trended into being... :-)

#YouKnowYourKenyanGeek when...

This space has been very lonely lately... mostly my fault. I'd actually delayed some posts hoping to put them up once I re-launch... as if I need to! Anyway, this post is just a reminder that I still do exist in this here blogosphere. I mis-read my timetable which I still refuse to copy, that is, until I can get them into my phone organizer, as in, in soft copy. Now I have some time to spare- I seldom do.

Brings me to the topic of the post. Am I that much of a geek? Many of my pals think so. But I don't. No. Really! If I am, well, here goes a few traits that will get you branded a geek. Kenyan version.

Obie's list of #YouKnowYourKenyanGeek when...

1. You think facebook is for wimps and twitter is uber cool lakini myspace ilikupita...

2. You subscribed to skunkworks mailing list and even once did to dear Robert's Bidii<--- *awesome dude, that one!*

3. You hate SufferingCon(and actually use that whack satire) but always gawk at their myriad of offers... *speakin of which does okoa jahazi really work with data*.

4. You know everything about cool gadgets you have never/will never own.

5. You met the most influential people in your life via twitter, linkedin etc ofcourse not via facebook.

6. #you #use #hash #tags #like #these #orevenmuchbetterlikethis!

7. You carry your laptop in it's branded back-pack/ruck-sack(whatever you call it) and still think you've concealed the fact that you are carrying one.

8. Most of the books you claim to have read are Audio Books.

9. You have tried surfing or have modems for every provider in the country Safcom, Zain, Orange, Yu(IkoNet?).

10. You actually understood everything in this list and can come up with a list of geeky kenyan traits, but you actually haven't been outta the country!

Feel free to add more Kenyan flavor to this list. I'm sure I got some wrong. But left out alot too. Anyway, the above will mostly get you branded one! Notice that I ain't really a geek?