THE OVERVIEW: Election Reflections — Thoughts from an American Living in London

Mangled metal bars jut out onto the pavement, as if a wild animal had ripped open its cage. The creature responsible, however, is a mechanical beast. 

This is the view of guardrails I encounter on one of my regular cycling routes through the borough of Brent. 

I witness the evolution of them as they appear more twisted and destroyed, then are removed, and replaced entirely, only for the new rails to be disfigured again a few days later. 

As the moonlight shines through these bars, their distorted transformation is mesmerising, making my routine journey a little more interesting. 

The form of these guardrails reminds me of the work by Abstract artists and sculptors—David Smith, Nancy Rubins, John Chamberlain, Sarah Sze to Günther Uecker—who work with metal and give it new meaning.

However, unlike their work that is found and transported to studios and galleries, these guardrails remain fixed to the same spot, resorting back to their original form in an almost magical process by unseen hands.

In 2018, London introduced the Vision Zero Action plan, which “sets ambitious targets for operating safe speeds” in the capital. This meant lowering speeds to 20mph to reduce road danger. 

Yet, on this particular stretch of road, the speed limit remains at 30mph. Perhaps when that changes, these guardrails will stay in their natural form and fulfil their original purpose of protecting us from danger.