Two Wrongs Can Make a Right

September 21 2010

By Chadwick Meyer

We all know the old phrase "two wrongs don't make a right" and in a moral sense this is true. But in a broader problem solving sense that's not always the case. Sometimes two problems can compliment one another and one problem can become a great solution for the other.

I ride my bicycle to and from work every day. Part of my commute is along the Iron Horse and the Canal Trails which run along public land that has been protected from residential development because it hosts power lines and drainage canals. So these right of ways conveniently cut right through town.

I'm sure many people are unhappy to have the power lines cutting through their back yard, and plenty of developers lust after all that prime property that could be turned into generic tracks of housing. For many this probably represents a problem in the community.

But in a totally unrelated situation, there are a lot of citizens that bicycle around town for necessity and pleasure. The roads, where they are legally required to ride, are not safe, and so it's really quite difficult for the average person to choose bicycling as a primary means of transportation. What bicyclists need is a safe place to ride, but the city is unmotivated to grant bicycles that space on the main roads. This is the second problem.

As I was riding along the Trails I realized, that the first problem had become a solution for the second problem. The city had all this land that couldn't be developed because of the presence of utilities. But 95% of the land wasn't being used to its full potential. It became the perfect place for a pedestrian and bicycle path through town. It provides a safe space to travel, it gets bikes off the main roads in that part of town, and it utilizes the land for the good of the community.

This concept is really important for business. It's worthwhile to look at the problems you face every day and see if any of these problems may actually be a solution for another problem you have. This way of thinking can apply in so many different ways, so be flexible.

Let me know about any interesting problems you solve in this way.

Tags : Problems, Solutions, Wrongs, Right, Problem Solving, Bike, Bicycle, Bicyclists, Path, Trails, Development, Land, Residential, City, Planning, Utilities, Right of Way, Canal, Power, Safety, Urban Planning, Transportation

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