Driving together: Shared car journeys as research space

Abstract

This paper introduces driving around with people in private cars as a research space to which walking methods can be adapted and in which productive accidental ethnography can take place. Whether one is walking or driving together with research participant(s), one's shared mobility is key: the act and rhythm of moving together through land and sense-scapes provides prompts and insights and facilitates conversation and rapport. However, the coverage of larger distances at greater speeds in a car and the car's existence as a private space separate from the scenes and places passed through ensures that driving together is qualitatively different to walking together and that it can sometimes be more useful. The paper argues that driving together can be a productive research space depending on research focus, context, and ethical and security considerations.