Everyday carry of mobility items by individuals

Personal mobility does not only involve the movements of humans in space, but it also involves the carrying of mobility-related items by individuals, and this will be the focus of this chapter. Everyday carry (EDC) devices were defined in this chapter as items that are carried routinely by people, in their pockets, on their wrists, or in their bags. The objective of this chapter is to portray and interpret mobility-related EDC items as mediators between moving people, on the one hand, and their facilities and activities, on the other. Our discussion will begin with an introduction to EDC devices in general, presenting them as utilities and preparedness accessories. This discussion will be followed by a historical and functional exposition of the four routinely carried mobility items by contemporary individuals, mostly in developed countries: home keys; car keys; watches, and smartphones. These four items were developed at varying historical periods since antiquity, and in several parts of the world, responding to evolving human needs over historical time. The four mobility-related EDC items will be interpreted in this chapter from two perspectives: everydayness and mobility. From the perspective of everydayness, we will note the uniqueness of their uses by their owners, their exchange/use values, as well as their varied cyclical nature. From a mobility perspective, we will note the instant access to mobility and its control that EDC items facilitate.