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Transportation (2009) 36:649650 DOI 10.1007/s11116-009-9235-7
John Polak
Published online: 26 November 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2009
The youngster was eager, enthusiastic and, in the manner of youth, more than a little keen to impress. The Professor had been very gracious, allowing the youngster plenty of time to present his ideas for the future of transport modelling. When the youngster nally concluded his peroration, he had impressed himself with the canvas he had paintedrisky choice, learning and adaptation, treatment of imperfect information, household scheduling behaviour, multi-agent systems etc. these, he felt, were challenges worthy of respect, and he was eager for a reaction. The Professor paused for a moment before responding. When he did respond it was not as the youngster had expected: thats neat, but are you sure its as simple as that? The youngster was momentarily nonplussed but then realised that he was being gently (and deservedly) teased, and in the next instant he and the Professor shared a gale of laughter. And they went on to share several drinks. Later the youngster came to realise that the Professors words were not just an amusing retort to youthful pomposity but contained a more profound truth regarding the nature of the challenge of travel behaviour researchyes it is more complicated than that, much more complicated. Following this,...