Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Reactive Bumpers

 Automobile bumpers that explode on contact
 
(+8, -8) 		  [vote for,
against]

Install high explosive automobile bumpers that explode on contact. You bump into a supermarket cart in the parking lot and WHAMO! The cart is blown away. No possible way for it to scratch your paint. You hit a sign post and WHAMO! The sign post is blown out of the way - no scratches. You hit a deer on the road - WHAMO! The deer is exploded into burgers and you go on your merry way without a scratch or a dent. This will also serve to reduce the potential for road rage... no way are you going to risk hitting another driver.
—gorn_the_blastoid, Jul 26 2001

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       Have to be a directed explosive, otherwise it'd blow your hood up over the windshield and ruin your radiator as well as remove the shopping cart, but that's just application of technology. What happens if you bump into the wall of your garage whilst pulling in? Eep! Johnny! Don't ride your tricycle so close to--BOOM!...never mind.
—Dog Ed, Jul 26 2001
   

       Sorry, gorn, but I believe the correct terms for the sound of exploding shopping carts and deer are CRANGGG! and SPLNKK!, respectively.
—beauxeault, Jul 27 2001
   

       Reminds me of those "spring-loaded" bumpers that were available way back when... :-D
—kschang, Jan 20 2002
   

       I'll take one, in plastique, please?
—Gecko, Feb 07 2002
   

       When I read the title for this I instantly thought of explosive-reactive armour and I was right! It's sort of baked but for the purpose of defeating HEAT rounds rather than signposts.
—squigbobble, Apr 27 2005
   

       //no way are you going to risk hitting another driver.//
Now, pedestrians would be another matter.
—Zimmy, Apr 27 2005
   

       no scratched paint, no dents, but big burnt pockmarks from the explosions instead. I'll pass on that one.
—Freefall, Apr 27 2005
   

       gorn also there might be a problem with being flung backwards after the explosion at about 20mph which is potentially more dangerous than hitting something in the first place
—squeekyzebra, Oct 12 2005
   

       Baked in DC Comics in the middle 80's. Try attaching this to one of those little tinny econoboxes from back then, too: "Oops, I tapped that guy behind me..." BOOM!! "Where the hell'd he go?"
—elhigh, Oct 17 2005
   

       I suppose on a motorcycle, they would have to be applied to the helmet.
—mylodon, Dec 06 2017
   
      
[annotate]
   


 

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