Thread by @_LaraBand

1/12 Twitter version of my paper for #PMAC2019 Archaeologies of Now (sorry it's late). An Instagram project that grew into an exploration of the ubiquitous but non-standard walking man (industry term). Used world wide but freehand ones seem peculiar to the UK.

2/12 1974 US study of cycle & pedestrian provision in Europe: only Carnaby St pedestrianised in London; Glasgow, Leeds and Birmingham little better. Unlike all other countries, UK has no red/green person symbol at crossings though rolling it out within next 10 years #PMAC2019

3/12 #PMAC2019 Direct precedent in 1963 controlled traffic area trial 'pin man' symbol. Red/green cossing figures actually trialled in 1967 and 1968 bit.ly/2UViQtA but rare enough in 1970s to need Dad's Army Public Information films: bit.ly/2FvdRJk

4/12 #PMAC2019 Industry respondent reckons painted 'Walking man' dates to c30 years ago for cycle paths and c20 years ago for shared pedestrian/vehicles spaces. Seems UK provision developed slowly, ad hoc, regionally: accounts for lack of standardisation?

5/12 #PMAC2019 Preformed melt on symbols; stencils too but freehand most common; chalked out marked in with 200C thermoplastic paint in hand ladle: 5/6 industry respondents enjoy marking them: creative opportunity, pleasure of chalk line to full figure, artistry

6/12 #PMAC2019
Welcome sign of individuality in standardised manufactured waymarked world, flow directly from the creator. Graphic object, urban design & craft in one - closest in place/process to murals. Plus both exert persuasive power: stop and look here/pass safely there

7/12 #PMAC2019 Also connect with municipal planting: specifics of on-site design up to the individual contractor. Flowerbeds are wayfinding and placemaking, perhaps pedestrian people are too: safe passage, visual jokes in bread carrying supermarket figures (heard of, not seen)

8/12 #PMAC2019 Third (fuzzy) connection between freehand pedestrian people handwritten comments on Transport for London information boards - creative autonomy delivered direct to the public, lifting the spirits of voyagers whether deliberate or not

10/12 #PMAC2019 Pedestrian people (like municipal flower beds and TfL Boards) defy mass production/instruction. Allowing the producer to think, create and direct their own actions: they are, essentially, craft

11/12 #PMAC2019 But industry name walking/running/stickman still gendered like pinman 1968. Dominating landscape over other path users by ubiquity. Landscape of control: in pinman 1963 jaywalking became crime. And "you were warned not to go there.” they could say if needed...

12/12 #PMAC2019 Thank you @EverydayElvis @James__Dixon for organising the session and to everyone who delivered amazing papers - see bit.ly/2FB9ONa for details! (also should have said freehand image in tweet 5/12 kindly provided by Barnaby Road Markings)