h a l f b a k e r yQuis custodiet the custard?
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When was the last time you saw a "SLOW" sign or road marking
whilst driving? Chances are you can't remember, because of
course you ignored it. Nobody pays any attention to SLOW
signs.
On the other hand, everybody has sat in a queue of traffic that
crawls forward, only to discover that the
crawl has been
caused by people rubbernecking an accident in the other lane.
You curse the other drivers for gawking, but of course you
have already suffered the queue so you feel entitled to have a
good look yourself.
A little lateral thinking, therefore, suggests that traffic could
be slowed where necessary by the tactical placement of
staged accidents. The police (who would handle this sort of
thing) simply need a collection of badly-damaged but
driveable vehicles that can be parked at improbable angles,
preferably in pairs or triplets. A little red dye to scatter on
the road, and perhaps some spray-on skid marks would add to
the effect.
Crashed_20cars_20by...e_20of_20the_20road
[hippo, Jan 15 2019]
[link]
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How do you know this is not already done? |
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I was going to suggest tieing bunches of flowers to a lamp
post or railing but that's ambiguous. You might slow down
because the flowers are evidence of a crash, or speed up
because the flowers are evidence of a stabbing. |
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Round here, you just pull over and nick the flowers. |
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That sort of behavior might drive a grieving mother
to knife crime... |
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Methinks that several bumps are attibutable to queuing
for accidents. |
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However, I have seen permanent road signs that, due to
some slip in translation,say "Accident ahead" instead of
"Dangerous junction". |
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Add or remove body parts and film crews to adjust the degree of rubbenecking. |
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+ I like this. I would prefer it was a pile up of
police cars! |
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It's getting a bit weird when participants have to modify their underwear. |
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It wouldn't be compulsory. And if the simulated accident were sufficiently convincing, it might not even be necessary. |
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Interesting but won't the slowing effect be offset
by the distracted drivers causing real crashes
effect? |
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Police have no shortage of wrecked cars that you'd
slow to look at. I got a "parent's day" tour of my
son's police station and they have an area where
destroyed cop cars are held before being repaired
or dispatched to the junk yard. "Hey parents,
here's something that's fun to look at. It's cars like
the ones your kids drive in various states of
destruction. Wow, this guy obviously didn't make
it! OK, now let's go see where they get lunch." |
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If you were involved in a real accident it would take ages for the emergency services to get to you, as they'd probably have to check a few dozen fake accidents before they found the real one. |
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There are other things that would slow people down if noticed from a
passing vehicle. Staging small improvised theater shows or art
"happenings" might have a similar effect - these could vary from gory and
harrowing through to breezy and delightful glitter-based affairs depending
on the median sensibility of road-users in a particular locale. |
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I thought about that too but figured people would get
de-sensitized to them. Nothing gets people's
attention like blood and gore. |
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Shocking visual images of bloody accidents on those
digital road signs maybe? "Wanna see your head
crushed like this poor fool? Keep driving like an idiot
and your picture can be up here too!". |
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This could actually be a dual-purpose idea: deterring
accidents and employing people. Unemployed persons are
given smashed-but-drivable vehicles and instructed to stage
them in certain spots, as described, while relaxing in post-
crash comfort. |
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