HR's Model Man

Imagine a living room staged upon the street on which you live. Think about an area carpet stretching across a traffic lane with a sofa, recliner, and coffee table resting on it. Think about how such a spectacle could slow down cars driving through. Perhaps it is because drivers would fear hitting people sitting in the "living room”. Maybe it would confuse drivers. Or, better yet, drivers would realize they are simply guests on the street.

Eight years ago this prank on a little street in Oxford, England was created to slow the speed of cars.By 2010 this traffic-calming prank burgeoned into a real-life grant-supported example of how to turn one's street from a corridor into a room.

The man behind this story is Ted Dewan, an American author/illustrator of children's books based in Oxford. His story was born from frustration with the car's dominance and ruin of public space, namely the street on which he lived. His frustration led to pranks such as the living room installation, a crazy-looking 11-foot bunny and a fake gory accident between a car and a family of witches. The pranks eventually captured the imagination of his neighbors who began to contribute their efforts. The press also eventually noticed.

From Jester To King

The pranks came to an end in 2006, when Dewan was approached by Bristol-based transport charity Sustrans to form a residents' association and join the charity's "DIY Streets" pilot scheme. Together with their local Highways Authority, the residents' association spent the next four years consulting, testing, designing, and finally installing a traffic-calming installation unique to their street. The new street was reopened for cars on Halloween, 2010.

I had the great fortune of hearing about this tale first hand when Dewan visited Philadelphia. Dewan’s project was not only a work of passion, it was a work of change. Moreover the type of change he sought was more difficult. This change required time, patience, consensus, and diplomacy for all he wanted was to slow car traffic down. I believe the easier path would have been to shut down the street to car traffic. I am not actually sure how one accomplishes shutting a street down. However once it is shut, there is no longer any dealings with cars. However, if you wish to just slow down the traffic, it requires further patience and diplomacy. Because after all traffic-calming measures are put into place, the street is once again open to car traffic.

Folk Traffic-Calming

Dewan’s presentation was an interesting documentary to the past eight years. It was chocked full of amusing anectodes and interesting parables. The picture presented here is one example. When he showed a similar picture from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, he blithely stated, “This is a closed road.” It took me all the way to the end of the presentation to understand the meaning and context of what he was saying. I had been thinking of course it is closed; no cars can get through. Rethinking it I realized it was not closed by evident of all the pedestrians; it was closed to cars.

Thus is the concept that streets are thoroughfares, address distinctions and access points. Simply because cars need them to drive, does not automatically give them inalienable rights to be the only user. The street is a public space for all.

Slowing Down Is Not Easy

Dewan’s presentation also included a wonderful ten minute film about the street-opening party on Halloween. The film included many comments from his neighbors of which my favorite was, “Slowing down is not a bad thing.” The benefit is you get to look people in the eye, listen better and get to know your neighbors.

Personally and professionally this is an ideal life. However, it is not an easy life. Working together, building trust and creating something meaningful in order to have a great impact on your community is hard work. It is easier to shut down a road than it is to create a room where everyone can participate. Realizing it was never Dewan's objective when he started his pranks to receive a grant, form a neighborhood association and to get his neighbors to create a room that is not just open to cars, it reminded me of great HR people. There are a many ways a HR person can be great at their jobs. Doing the hard work of building trust and creating something meaningful for your work community is certainly one of those ways.

Dewan's story is one of an occupation to change his community. When presented with the opportunity, he used his energies to do just that. Dewan may be a children's book writer. However, he may be the model HR Man.