Morgunblaðið today posed a question that has stumped many: how would the streets of Reykjavík look without cars?

The question was posed in response to the actions of one Reykjavík photographer. His pictures, which show a crowd of people walking on the street, contrasted with images of members of the same crowd each with their own car, will be used to demonstrate the negative side of private car use.

The pictures were taken on Saturday in the street Melhagi, in the Vesturbær district of Reykjavík. City councillor Gísli Marteinn Baldursson is the brains behind the idea, which has been modelled on a foreign example.

Sigrún Helga Lund, a director of organisations for a car-free lifestyle, says that pictures such as these are famous in the field of planning studies. They convey a shocking message about the wider effects of car use.

Labels: Art