OK Computers?

Driving along the M25 recently on my way to visit my folks up popped a sign on one of those new message boards that said Caution Queue Ahead. Though there didn’t actually seem to be any signs of a queue or of any vehicles slowing down.

On the next overhead gantry all the signs showed a 40 mph speed limit.

But then just beyond the gantry was another stand alone sign…showing the national speed limit symbol…the sign we’re used to seeing at the end of a speed restriction area. As I was digesting all these apparently contradictory messages I passed under the gantry with the 40mph signs and there was a flash.

A speed camera had gone off.

As I continued on my way I felt increasingly frustrated and angry that in a few days time I’d get one of those horrible letters telling me my vehicle had been seen speeding and that I must pay a fine. The prospect of a fine was bad but what was really getting to me was the sense that this was all being done to me…by machines, computers…and that there was nothing I could do about it. There was no one I could reason with about what had happened, how confusing the signs were or that there was no traffic queue.

It reminded me of a story I’d heard about the first ever use of speed cameras to issue speeding tickets. It happened in California, back in 1991.

Steve Berkeley strolled down to his mail box one sunny morning and found a letter from the Campbell Police Department. When he opened it he was taken aback to find a grainy b&w photo of himself sat in his car, smiling. Also with the photo was a traffic enforcement notice telling him to pay a $45 fine for speeding.

Steve was shocked. He’d never seen one of these before…in-fact no-one anywhere had seen one of these before. He said he felt violated…like he was being watched by machines. He didn’t like the feeling.

He had an idea. The machine challenged me so I’ll challenge the machine. He took two twenty dollar bills and a five and took a photocopy of them. Popped the picture in an envelope and sent it back to the Campbell Police Department.

OK machine. You want a picture of me speeding?

Well here’s a picture of some money!

A few days went by and Steve received another envelope from the Police Department. When he opened this one he found a photocopy of a pair of hand cuffs!

Steve couldn’t help laughing. Touché, he thought. This guys got a sense of humour! The picture of handcuffs was proof that Steve was dealing with an actual human being…and he paid up.

At Bromford we’re trying to work differently with the families and individuals who live in our homes. We’re trying to establish an honest, grown up, relationship with them all. We think it will help us work better together and lead to better outcomes for both of us. At the same time we are about to kick off a transformation programme that’s ultimately going to lead to more and more basic transactions (like paying rent or reporting a repair) being done online. The challenge is going to be how we make the experience of talking with one of our flesh and blood neighbourhood coaches and interacting with our website or a Bromford app feel the same…feel like you are dealing with an organisation that’s human.

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I came across Steve’s story on an excellent npr podcast called Invisibilia which explores invisible forces that shape human behaviour. You can find all the shows here. I’d highly recommend it.