TFL are doing some platform work at Stepney Green station at the minute which makes for an interesting nudging case study in progress. It's all about getting people to stand back from the platform edge without knowing it.
A bit of the platform has no marks next to the platform edge, people go really close as a result.
Another bit has the yellow line, people go less close.
And the newest bit has yellow line plus texture surface stuff. People stay the furthest back of all.
All pretty much without even knowing it.
Hey Ted,
Like this, saw something along these lines on TV tonight that you might be interested in. Despatches examines Police actions during the latest G20 protests that resulted in the death of Ian Tomlinson, an innocent bystander who was not involved in the protest. Despatches investigate the role of police training and how it can be better managed to respond to civil disorder. Interestingly, police uniform can serve as a major ‘nudge’ that can influence the situation:
“If you dress up a police officer like Robocop, there’s a strong chance he might act like Robocop.”
The flip side is that a protest is more likely to turn violent if the officers involved are dressed in riot gear. Officers involved in policing Northern Ireland abandoned riot gear for soft uniforms for this very reason.
Tim.
Posted by: Tim | October 19, 2009 at 08:55 PM
I saw that programme too Tim.
The thing I find about all this stuff is that it seems so based on normal common sense. You'd think that if the police dress up for a fight then the prostestors are going to just rise to the occasion would be pretty clear thinking. Perhaps there'll be a new trend of common sense strategies emerging after years of daft self defeating ones.
Posted by: ted at innocent | October 21, 2009 at 05:57 PM