Canadian Speed Bump 3D Illusion: Would It Fly in NYC?

Courtesy preventable.ca

A speed bump by a school in Canada is getting decorated with a two dimensional trompe-l’œil of a young girl chasing a ball. When drivers get closer to the speed bump, the girl’s elongated form "appears to rise from the ground as cars approach, reaching 3D realism at around 100 feet, and then returning to 2D distortion once cars pass that ideal viewing distance," according to Discover Magazine. As you can see, it's pretty convincing, except that Pavement Patty's sneakers are bigger than her head, and for some reason she's playing by herself in a parking garage. Maybe that's how Canadian kids get their kicks?

The speed bump is being tested this week, and police will monitor the illusion's impact on drivers. Here in NYC, speed bumps are a hot-button issue in some neighborhoods; you'll recall that Staten Island residents requesting a speed bump got so fed up with the DOT's foot dragging that they made their own DIY bump. (The DOT then sent a bulldozer to raze it.) And in Philadelphia a couple of years ago, the city installed a speed bump with fake 3D spikes jabbing out of it. If the Canadian experiment proves successful, maybe NYC DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan will consider painting some Pavement Pattys down here! Of course, to get New Yorkers to stop it'll need to be painted onto a bollard.

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By John Del Signore in News on September 10, 2010 2:28 PM

Comments [rss]

robingee

I don't understand if it's obvious that it's a speed bump. And if so, why make it a little girl picture? The 3D part is amazing though!

Cannibal

The little-girl-with-ball image is total diddler bait. People will back up their cars and drive over lurking perverts lured there by the illusion.

I vote to change it to the Thug the NYPD used to use for target practice. Or a trash bag full of puppies. Or Kimbo Slice. Or Betty White. Or naked Sasha Grey. O

Any way if it was in NYC as mentioned by a previous commenter, it would be covered in black gum polka dots and have dicks drawn over it within a week.

ProfessorVonNostren

Great idea! Once you get used to running over the fake children, it makes running over the real ones soooo much easier.

janelle

i wonder if NYC has an online form to suggest locations for speed bumps. i would love one on my street!

jaycjay

Online, no, but you can request one (a speed hump, actually, speed bumps are no longer used on public streets) by writing the DOT Commissioner's office:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/faqs/faqs_trafcalming.shtml

singalongforever

Wouldn't it only work the first time? Once you figure out it's an illusion, there's no reason to slow down as you drive through there.

Guest

quiet, you. you're being too smart for a human being. get back in the sheeple line -- thank you.

Såkandulæredet

People should really read all the comments on the discovery blog post by the way, you can see how many people think it's a bad idea -- it isn't just me.

Guest

even if this works, it will only work for a very short time. this idea may even infuriate some people who'd go "who the fuck do these fucktards think i am to fall for that shit?"

btw, who chose a young girl chasing a ball? i'd have gone for something a lot more graphic, such as the bloody aftermath of a car accident involving a young girl chasing a ball -- it adds a lot more immediacy, for most people.

Kelles

bad idea

people here in NY run over real kids and drive off

"but your honor, I thought it was one of those Canadian trompe-l'oeil things!"

Guest

new york does ruin everything for everyone else, doesn't it? even a cheerful little bright goody two-shoes idea from canada...

Guest

*sigh*

Gotham Extremist

3 does not know the difference btw Good Ideas & Bad Ideas.

Guest

no, and especially not capitalized ideas...

Såkandulæredet

This is a pretty bad idea I think. What if a driver swerves out of the way to avoid the "girl" and actually hits someone for real?

smilez4milez

...appears to rise from the ground as cars approach, reaching 3D realism at around 100 feet, and then returning to 2D distortion once cars pass that ideal viewing distance

If you're going fast enough, or are bad enough at driving, that the only way you can avoid something with 100 ft of notice is to swerve, you can't drive cars in a major city.

You are not allowd to drive cars in this city ever.

Såkandulæredet

That's precisely what I'm worried about, bad drivers that would swerve.

Gotham Extremist

good idea? you are idiots!

just wait till you see what it looks like when viewing from the opposit side! yikes!

MT

That's a pretty good idea. If anything it will get drivers to focus on what's in front of them and most likely at to least get them to slow down for a closer look.