Fake Speed Bumps Edit

Philadelphia Using Psychedelic 3-D Tricks to Slow You Down
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Philadelphia is now using fake speed bumps to slow you down. The city is testing out the tactic at approximately 100 intersections. 

The belief is that the high tech 3-D decals will freak you out. But I think they’d work better if you were intoxicated, at which point you shouldn’t be driving at all.

Charles Denny, the city engineer noted, “The goal is to change the mindset. The goal is to get the drivers to be less aggressive.  We want them to go what the speed limit is, not to assume that its a recommended speed, to know that its a speed limit that’s appropriate on residential streets.”

A more powerful technique was used several years ago when a US school board decided to create fake cardboard cutouts of little kids.  You’ll only almost run over a fake kid once before you slow down in school zones.

Cardboard Children - Sneeky Cut Outs Scare Drivers Slow

Realistic, life-size cardboard cut-outs of children are being used in a Northeastern Ohio neighborhood to slow down speeding cars. Mike Wood of West Salem, Ohio says that he originally started printing… [More]

The fake kid idea is nice, but I’m more impressed by the source of inspiration.  A neighborhood in South America was upset by skyrocketing property tax, so they commissioned an ad firm who created this (side note: I love Trend Hunter):

Fake Prostitutes - Cut Out Signs To Make a Statement (VIDEO)

If you are not a property owner and you fight against the unfair rises in the rents month after month, the solution is knocking at your door: fill the neighborhood with prostitutes! You can do it easily:… [More]