The assassin who used public transport, walked, and cycled – Five notables

Luigi Mangione is the prime suspect in the heinous murder of Brian Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Allegedly, Mangione relied on public transport, walking, and cycling as primary forms of travel before, during and after the act.

All indications are that the assassination was carefully planned. Something about public transport, walking, and cycling makes for useful tools in the assassin’s toolbox. Five things I pick up as notables:

1. Public transport is planned

Public transport services in the area got a vote of confidence from the alleged assassin. Would an assassin use public transport in your city?

A planned public transport provides predictability, sheds the many burdens of owning vehicles, reduces the cost of doing business, and puts to practice the term mobility-as-a-service.

While the ever weakening of planning function in our cities would make the life of an assassin hard, it makes the lives of ordinary people even harder.

2. In congested cities cycling becomes the fastest mode of transport

According to the tomtom traffic index, in 2023, it took an average of 24 minutes and 50 seconds to drive 10 kilometres in New York, a 20 second increase from the previous year. Typically, driving speed in New York drops by 60% from 5am to 8am. However, cycling speed changes only marginally, and increases in areas like parks.

What investment is going into cycling facilities in your ever-growing city?

3. Walking gets you closer

Walking has been shown to enhance health and creativity. Walking with a partner has been shown to enhance social connections. Japanese society is known for encouraging primary school children to navigate their spaces through walking, alone or with peers, as a form of socialisation.

A city that is not investing in proper walking facilities is sending a message that social integration is not a priority.

4. Public transport and inconspicuousness

The former mayor of Bogotá, Enrique Pe?alosa, has a famous quote: “An advanced city is not one where even the poor use cars, but rather one where even the rich use public transport or bicycles”. Conversely, therefore, a regressive city or society is one where public transport infrastructure and services are designed or provided in ways that entrench inequalities.

A city cannot divorce itself from investing in public transport whose interest is to maximise social cohesion. How is your city using public transport to maximise social cohesion?

5. Corporations and public services

Allegedly, Luigi Mangione has expressed ill will towards corporate America for greed in the provision of basic public services. Is he alone? Is the number of people with similar sentiments rising?

Why is it that those who benefit the most in the public transport service value chain are still corporations? Why is the voice of civil society ever weakening? Why should government's intentional involvement in the provision of public transport be referred to negatively as regressive nationalisation?