For years, trucks have been crashing into low-clearance bridges along Boston's Storrow Drive, to the point where locals have coined the term “Storrowed.” Even the Trillium Brewing Company named a beer after it. Ironically, their own truck fell victim to a low bridge last year.
Despite dozens of “Cars Only” signs, social media campaigns, and news coverage, the crashes keep happening. So far this year? Thirty-six incidents. Some trucks managed to reverse. Others didn't. Some were driven by out-of-town movers. Some by locals.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat's going on here?
Lean thinking gives us a different lens–one that doesn't rely on blaming drivers or scolding them for “not paying attention.”
The Signs Are Clear. The System Isn't.
Let's consider one quote from a recent WSJ article:
“If you talk about irony, how does the driver of a brew called Storrowed get Storrowed?”
But maybe the better question is:
Why is the system (or systems) still allowing this to happen?
That's a more constructive–and more Lean–question. Instead of reacting with frustration, Lean leaders respond with curiosity. Instead of assuming people are careless, we ask how the system sets them up to succeed… or to fail.
It's not just a Boston problem. Which, again, leads us to this “systemic problem”:
Embed from Getty ImagesWarnings Alone Don't Work
We've all heard this in healthcare and other settings:
“Well, we warned them.”
Unfortunately, most systems that rely on signs, policies, or education also rely on people doing the right thing under stress, distraction, or fatigue. That's not how reliable systems work.
People aren't the weak link. People are doing their best in a system not designed for reliability.
That's why we have the website about the 11 ft 8 bridge… and trucks that hit it:
Lit signs that tell drivers “OVERHEIGHT MUST TURN” don't work.
This is where mistake-proofing (poka yoke) comes in. And Boston has started experimenting–rubber mats that slap the top of tall trucks before they reach the bridge. They make noise. They get attention. They give drivers a second chance.
But this raises the next question…
At What Point Do We Escalate the Countermeasures?
One suggestion in the article: station traffic control officers at the entrances, ready to activate a siren if a tall truck approaches.
That sounds expensive. But what's the cost of continuing to react to the same preventable mistake 30+ times per year?
This is where a Process Behavior Chart might help. Are we seeing common cause variation in the number of monthly crashes? Or have there been special causes (like college move-in weeks) that could trigger more proactive planning?
Rather than just counting the crashes, we could better understand the system behavior over time.
A Final Thought
This isn't just about trucks and bridges.
It's about systems thinking. It's about not blaming individuals. It's about responding to recurring problems by improving the system–not repeating the same warnings, expecting different results.
Lean isn't just a set of tools. It's a mindset. And in situations like this, that mindset leads us to ask:
What process improvement would make this the last time?
If the answer feels expensive, we might also ask: what's the cost of not fixing it?
Want to learn more about how systems thinking can help you? Check the mistake-proofing and learning mindset in The Mistakes That Make Us.
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Let’s build a culture of continuous improvement and psychological safety—together. If you're a leader aiming for lasting change (not just more projects), I help organizations:
- Engage people at all levels in sustainable improvement
- Shift from fear of mistakes to learning from them
- Apply Lean thinking in practical, people-centered ways
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