In parks and any other suitable public spaces in cold climates, erect large mounds of smoothed concrete.

I'm thinking 20 meters across and about 6 or 7 high, with access ramps and steps. The surface would be shaped to provide reclining spaces for anybody to lie down and bask in the sunshine. Cop-holder spaces are also provided for your coffee / tea / soup. Drain holes are present in any hollows, and there are protocols about cleaning.

Would these cause the emergence of local 'basking groups', with a heirarchy similar to some other primate clans?
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Apr 14 2007

why do cops get preferential treatment?

why are rocks better than grass?
-- po, Apr 14 2007


thanks Frank. very informative.
-- po, Apr 14 2007


I like this a lot... would prefer it even more if the mounds were somehow composed of polished black basalt, so that they could act like the opposite of those icy, sub zero water holes into which hardy Russians dive every year....

Cameras first record the frying of a large breakfast on "The Rock" prior to the first lunatic basker stepping barefoot unto its sizzling surface on a blisteringly hot day.
-- xenzag, Apr 14 2007


Sorry [po], first post back after some time away. Lizards bask on rocks so that they get heated from both above and below.

Agree black basalt would be the ideal choice. The slightly elevated radiatiation levels would also assist bodily heating. I can see some businesses springing up around the rocks, like a canvas mat rental booth (for those days when the rock is too hot) and of course a "Tails For All" shop...
-- ConsulFlaminicus, Apr 15 2007


This is kind of baked (around here) at a lot of quarries where people going swimming and lay all around on the huge rocks in the summer.
-- xandram, Apr 15 2007


It's popular at Rocky Falls and at Johnson Shut-ins here in Missouri. I'd like basking rocks in my town. [+]
-- baconbrain, Apr 15 2007


It's a good thing there'll be cops. They'll keep away the basking sharks.
-- Canuck, Apr 17 2007



random, halfbakery