BKW Marathon
It’s a GPS device based transportation team game idea.
Developed in Budapest area, by using the public transport system (“Budapesti Közlekedési Vállalat” – BKV). The main goal is to take more kilometers than the opponent teams in a set time interval (2, 4, 8, 12, 24 hours).
Rules, Conditions
You cannot use the subway lines, because there is no sign for GPS satellites under the ground. There are numerous strategies, tactics for winning the game. You can “surf” on downtown trams and trolleys, buses or choose suburban buses to avoid traffic jams in the rush hours. You can use the same vehicle from one end of the line to the other multiple times.
Results of the yet done sessions
Marathon #1 (01.11.2007)
The first BKW-Marathon ha took place on the 1st of Novembre, 2007, from 14:04 to 22:43. We tested the preset rules, and BKV (Budapesti Közlekedési Vállalat – Budapest Transport System) vehicles. It was quite interesting but cold..!
We managed to travel 164 kilometres in 8 hours 39 minutes. Our average-speed was approx. 19 km/h. We used a total of 23 different vehicles. The number of the vehicles in chronological order: 22, 59, 8, 2V, 54, 54, 84, 3, 81, 144, 276E, 198, 62, BKV+, 85, 200, 200, 98, 62, 61, 32, 1, 37, HÉV,(szentendrei), 4-6, 56.
8 hours 39 min. 41 sec (time interval)
total kilometers taken: 164 km
Number of vehicles used : 23
average moving speed : 26,3 km/h
average summarized speed (with stops) : 19 km/h
number of GPS points : 5789
highest altitude ("Farkasrét" tram terminal ) : 247,6 m
lowest altitude : 59,1 m (maybe sign error,we couldn't go so low)
Marathon #2 (21.12.2007 – 22.12.2007)
The second session was longer, colder, but more successful indeed ;).
We mainly stuck onto the Buda-side of the city. We checked some long-routed country-side (but still Budapest Public Transport System) lines, buses. Traveling randomly, for more than 14 hours is a quite unique form of existing. After the first 1-2 hours you become more chilled, more aware of the inside and outside happenings. Time slows down, so then disappears, since you feel, you don’t have to rush anywere.
Your task is only to be in motion. The rest of the tasks are on the driver of the current vehicle. You cannot manipulate the transport control lights, traffic jams. It’s about luck, and coincidences. The next destination is only gets clear, when you arrive to the next terminal, to the end of the current line (thus it’s simply ‘unprofitable’ to get off a vehicle before it reaches the end of it’s line), and you have to run for the next, closest vehicle, which one hopefully starts immediately, so with the least waiting / stopping time.
14 hours 14 min 57 sec (time interval)
total kilometers taken: 219 km
Number of vehicles used : n/a
average moving speed : n/a
average summarized speed (with stops) : 15 km/h
number of GPS points : 8781
highest altitude ("Farkasrét" tram terminal ) : 342,8 m (at 66,98 km)
lowest altitude : 61,7 m (at 59,02 km)
There are lot of possibilities which still hasn’t been developed yet.
Feel free to leave comments below to maintain a constructive discussion ☟