They are usually reserved for impatient drivers in built-up, urban areas.
But a picturesque beauty spot in eastern China has nicked a trick from road safety campaigners worldwide – by installing speed bumps for pedestrians.
Local officials in the town of Taierzhuang have installed 50 so-called ‘calming devices’ to slow human traffic at one particular point.
…It’s believed the speed bumps, which are located at the historic site’s pedestrian entrance, are designed to encourage greater appreciation of its beauty and heritage.
Previously, there were concerns that increased footfall was becoming too frenetic – and thus compromising the experience.
Here is the story, via the excellent Mark Thorson.
Looks like all the speed bumps are on one sloped path. Maybe its just to prevent runaway baby carriages?
In any event, I would think that pedestrians in areas where speed bumps are present would spend more time watching their feet, rather than appreciating the beauty and heritage around them.
The ancient southern steps leading up to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem alternate short and long steps, I think for similar reasons.
close to thames, and leman, the rhine and the seine, those imparted with a spectral vision
up in the plane or down in a bunker, ah yes the red phone and nuclear bombs, but
I’ll quote Thoreau: rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness… give me truth
Wassup Lebron
The country that has more high speed trains than all others combined has speed bumps for pedestrians? I’d say they have their priorities straight. How many high speed trains does America have?
Exactly as many as it needs.
It sounds odd, but pedestrian travel can be very deadly. Think of the thousands who have been killed in pedestrian panics in Mecca. Of course, those disasters were the result of crowding, not speed.
Yeah, I was going to say the same thing…. BTW my voluntary May posting ban from this site, as per my bet with Msgkings, starts tomorrow, haha.
What happened?
Good luck collecting if you win – though think about a poor GMU student when it comes to distributing any money. Loyal readers can be confident Prof. Cowen is well placed to give that money where it be most optimally used.
I knew you’d welch
They can rename it Grandma’s Broken Kneecap Lane.
the memery about complacency is starting to drop in price tbh..SELL SELL SELL
It is more like the anti-skateboard speed bumps against people zigzaging along the long straight downhill path.
On another subject, why does Tyler preface “the excellent” before some names and not others?
I’m going to guess it’s because he thinks “this is someone who might employ me some day.”
It’s because we’ve been inducted into the secret rites and rituals of the Freemasons.
Naw, it just means you have passed the reader loyalty test.
Katy Perry, Adele, Kelly Ripa, Paul Krugman, Sean Hannity, Artsy.net
Note that Taierzhuang is a new “ancient” town, so it makes sense they want people to linger: https://lijiazhang.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/tourism-with-chinese-characteristics-my-trip-to-taierzhuang-a-newly-constructed-ancient-town/