Pedestrian road barriers are often composed of a set of galvanised vertical metal rods set into a frame - in other words the perfect opportunity to convert them easily into a Vertical Xylophone - a type of tubular bells musical instrument.
The conversion is simple. A set of round or square metal tubes of varying length, diameter and density are hung from the top horizontal frame bar. The existing barrier's verticals run up their centres meaning that the sound tubes are captured and cannot swing around wildly.
The tubes may now be played while you wait at the roadside using a choice of hammers that hang from chains, allowing them to be freely used but not taken away.
possible illustration later....-- xenzag, Sep 07 2022 I'm picturing it playing something like this. https://www.youtube...Fvsf7vlNnZVJ7y37lUq [doctorremulac3, Sep 11 2022] notebook scribble https://www.tumblr....its-an?source=sharewithout striking hammers [xenzag, Sep 13 2022] How to build it https://www.playcre...y-grandioso-chimes/Build it like this, (but smaller bells). That way you don't have to put the chimes on before you weld it together... [scad mientist, Sep 13 2022] This reminds me of reading about some celebrity who died hitting a steel guardrail, so I was going to post an idea about making them out of flexible polymers instead. Turns out that polymer guardrails have been a thing for years.-- 4and20, Sep 07 2022 [+] I guess it would be sick humor to have it play a tune when a car was running into it.-- doctorremulac3, Sep 07 2022 Bing bong bung [+]-- pertinax, Sep 07 2022 I was picturing more of a sweeping down sound.-- doctorremulac3, Sep 07 2022 I love it [+]. This brings the musical arts to "art in public places".-- swimswim, Sep 07 2022 + //cannot swing around wildly// awww well ok. If they can swing around a bit they can also act like wind chimes maybe?-- xandram, Sep 07 2022 Of course, but they are limited to the captive space between the outer sound making tubes and their inner pedestrian vertical barrier bars. [I'll make a drawing soon but very busy so be patient]-- xenzag, Sep 07 2022 Nice! [+]
I suppose an automobile attachment for the curbside could protrude dangerously such that the device could be played by sideswiping it.
[8th], where are you?!-- whatrock, Sep 07 2022 Can I steal this?
That was kind of a rhetorical question because I'm probably going to steal this at some point in the future and just think that it is polite to ask first.
Still... can I steal this with your permission? I'm envisioning a wind-chime walk.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Sep 08 2022 If I say yes, then it's not stealing, and not as much fun.-- xenzag, Sep 08 2022 //choice of hammers// The technical term (per "The Meaning of Liff") is Ibstock (n.) Anything used to make a noise on a corrugated iron wall or clinker-built fence by dragging it along the surface while walking past it.-- calum, Sep 08 2022 I have that book. I wrote my own version years before it was published, but like most things I do, left it at that.-- xenzag, Sep 08 2022 Is there some acoustic rationale for xylophones typically lying low on the floor, or is that just one more abuse of school children?-- 4and20, Sep 08 2022 see quick notebook scribble-- xenzag, Sep 13 2022 just look up portable metal Pedestrian Barriers-- xenzag, Sep 13 2022 Modifying the existing pedestrian barriers would be easy and require no welding. The tubular units would have a vertical split running along their lengths, allowing them to be slipped into place. Once hanging from the support bar, the tubes would be compressed, closing the gap split and leaving them captured with the vertical bars at their centre.-- xenzag, Sep 13 2022 random, halfbakery