Look out!
September 3, 2010 12:30 PM Subscribe
Drivers in West Vancouver will soon see a 3D image in the street of a small girl chasing a ball. The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is teaming with Preventable to create the image with the goal of enhancing traffic safety.
(some previous discussions of 3D art on sidewalks)
(some previous discussions of 3D art on sidewalks)
Drivers in West Vancouver will soon see a 3D image in the street of a small girl chasing a ball giant Easter egg.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 12:36 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by Horace Rumpole at 12:36 PM on September 3, 2010
Nothing better than habituating drivers in the area to seeing distractions there every time, so they know they don't need to slow down after all... until a distraction turns out to be an actual child.
posted by splice at 12:37 PM on September 3, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by splice at 12:37 PM on September 3, 2010 [5 favorites]
This will work best if they make it a non-permanent installation, and rotate it throughout the area in various school zones, so drivers encounter it at different places, and never at any one place too often.
posted by hippybear at 12:41 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 12:41 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
In breaking news, a deadly multi-car accident in West Vancouver has claimed 2 lives. Action Team is on the scene of this grizzly rush-hour incident...
posted by Thorzdad at 12:42 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by Thorzdad at 12:42 PM on September 3, 2010
If I wrenched my car aside to avoid an apparent child in the road and smashed into a tree, I would still be thankful that someone was trying to raise my awareness of potential hazards.
Thankful with a gigantic lawsuit, that is. I just hope nobody gets killed before someone realizes that this is a colossally bad idea.
posted by Aquaman at 12:45 PM on September 3, 2010 [3 favorites]
Thankful with a gigantic lawsuit, that is. I just hope nobody gets killed before someone realizes that this is a colossally bad idea.
posted by Aquaman at 12:45 PM on September 3, 2010 [3 favorites]
Yeah, this is ridiculous. People cause major accidents by swerving to avoid squirrels in the road, much less little girl-holograms.
Ziggy, center me on a three-car pileup!
posted by vorfeed at 12:45 PM on September 3, 2010
Ziggy, center me on a three-car pileup!
posted by vorfeed at 12:45 PM on September 3, 2010
3D? Isn't this just an anamorphic perspective? It's 600-year-old technology...
posted by mr_roboto at 12:48 PM on September 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by mr_roboto at 12:48 PM on September 3, 2010 [2 favorites]
So basically this installation is teaching me to ignore and run over small children. Great.
posted by mek at 12:50 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mek at 12:50 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
I hope they place it over a speed-bump to add a tactile response for drivers who don't stop.
posted by Hylas at 12:50 PM on September 3, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by Hylas at 12:50 PM on September 3, 2010 [5 favorites]
This is a fantastic idea, in that it is an unrealistic fantasy. This will not end well. Not to mention, anyone who is in the mood to junk their car will "panic" and steer into the nearest solid object. "There was a little girl who had chased a ball out into the road!"
A few years back there were some strange people in the neighborhood who thought that everyone should be driving at ten miles per hour, or less; despite the fact that most homes had enormous yards to play in, the idea was that kids ought to be able to play in the street and treat it as a playground. Some of the people involved began to do odd things.
I'm not a particularly fast driver, but one of the proponents of the idea deliberately shot out in front of my car (from between a car and an SUV, no less), then, after I slammed on the brakes, came around to my window and stuck his hand inside to place it on my steering wheel, so he could talk about this little experiment. I could only look at him and say, "Dude, had you been correct in your assumption, I'd be pulling bloody flaps out of your scalp out of my grille right now. Since you aren't bleeding, it looks I was driving just fine. Maybe you should rethink this."
Freakin' people sometimes.
posted by adipocere at 12:51 PM on September 3, 2010 [7 favorites]
A few years back there were some strange people in the neighborhood who thought that everyone should be driving at ten miles per hour, or less; despite the fact that most homes had enormous yards to play in, the idea was that kids ought to be able to play in the street and treat it as a playground. Some of the people involved began to do odd things.
I'm not a particularly fast driver, but one of the proponents of the idea deliberately shot out in front of my car (from between a car and an SUV, no less), then, after I slammed on the brakes, came around to my window and stuck his hand inside to place it on my steering wheel, so he could talk about this little experiment. I could only look at him and say, "Dude, had you been correct in your assumption, I'd be pulling bloody flaps out of your scalp out of my grille right now. Since you aren't bleeding, it looks I was driving just fine. Maybe you should rethink this."
Freakin' people sometimes.
posted by adipocere at 12:51 PM on September 3, 2010 [7 favorites]
why stop at holograms? why not shooting range style targets on rails that randomly dart out into traffic from behind parked cars?
posted by nathancaswell at 1:16 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by nathancaswell at 1:16 PM on September 3, 2010
"Oh, that's just one of those 3D holowhatsits, eh?" *thump*
posted by ivey at 1:18 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by ivey at 1:18 PM on September 3, 2010
As a Driver, pay attention and drive like a ball...
Uh, What?
posted by LD Feral at 1:33 PM on September 3, 2010
Uh, What?
posted by LD Feral at 1:33 PM on September 3, 2010
I think cantaloupes with wigs, and buckets of red food colouring complete with chunks of barbie and lunchbox, should also intermittently be thrown at passing cars. Sounds of shrieking children should be played over loudspeakers at the moment of impact.
Maybe it would be a good idea to mist LSD in the air a few blocks earlier, making the experience all the more visceral.
After the psychological impact of killing a kid has kicked in, and having their blood and guts and toys strewn across a red sheen on the windshield, and the LSD really starts to take hold, they could get a fake cop/fireman team to hit the car with the jaws of life and pull you out, screaming in a blinding rage of guilt and shock and drug-induced hallucination, and drag you to jail, screaming that you'd be locked up forever and aren't you happy that you killed a 6-year-old.
When they heap you in a holding cell down in Park Royal and you're blinded by grief and shock, they'll let you in on it and shouldn't you be more careful in the future.
I think that would be effective.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:35 PM on September 3, 2010 [20 favorites]
Maybe it would be a good idea to mist LSD in the air a few blocks earlier, making the experience all the more visceral.
After the psychological impact of killing a kid has kicked in, and having their blood and guts and toys strewn across a red sheen on the windshield, and the LSD really starts to take hold, they could get a fake cop/fireman team to hit the car with the jaws of life and pull you out, screaming in a blinding rage of guilt and shock and drug-induced hallucination, and drag you to jail, screaming that you'd be locked up forever and aren't you happy that you killed a 6-year-old.
When they heap you in a holding cell down in Park Royal and you're blinded by grief and shock, they'll let you in on it and shouldn't you be more careful in the future.
I think that would be effective.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:35 PM on September 3, 2010 [20 favorites]
GAH! No optical illusions while I'm driving please! It's dangerous and stressful enough as it is without fake girl with fake ball freaking me out as I go 15 mph through the residential zone.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:41 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 1:41 PM on September 3, 2010
Jimmythefish:
They should do that for people who drive in the bus lane.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:45 PM on September 3, 2010
They should do that for people who drive in the bus lane.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:45 PM on September 3, 2010
This won't fool anyone. Not even out of the corner of your eye, not even at night in bad weather. It's intended to raise awareness and make you think, it's not a realistic hologram of a person (which I don't think we have the technology for).
posted by miyabo at 2:31 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by miyabo at 2:31 PM on September 3, 2010
Okay, you're in traffic so the mid-lane road surface is hidden from you except for the space between you and the next car in front of you: perhaps a few tens of yards if you're doing 30mph. So as traffic moves along, suddenly without any warning, the image of a young girl chasing her ball magically appears between you and the the car in front of you. You either stand hard on the brakes and get rear-ended, or you swerve violently into a pole or oncoming traffic.
Yeah, genius.
posted by George_Spiggott at 2:32 PM on September 3, 2010
Yeah, genius.
posted by George_Spiggott at 2:32 PM on September 3, 2010
This is how it feels when you crush a child's body into lifeless muck.
posted by adipocere at 2:38 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by adipocere at 2:38 PM on September 3, 2010
perhaps a few tens of yards if you're doing 30mph.
...
You either stand hard on the brakes and get rear-ended, or you swerve violently into a pole or oncoming traffic.
I think this is a terrible idea on the "Cry Wolf" reasoning so I don't disagree with the critizism however this is being placed in a school zone which in Canada is 30 Km/h IE:18 mph or about as fast as a world record 1000m runner. No one doing anything close to the speed limit should be swerving violently anywhere. Rear enders are a distinct possiblity because many people are inattentive and following too close even in school zones.
posted by Mitheral at 3:05 PM on September 3, 2010
...
You either stand hard on the brakes and get rear-ended, or you swerve violently into a pole or oncoming traffic.
I think this is a terrible idea on the "Cry Wolf" reasoning so I don't disagree with the critizism however this is being placed in a school zone which in Canada is 30 Km/h IE:18 mph or about as fast as a world record 1000m runner. No one doing anything close to the speed limit should be swerving violently anywhere. Rear enders are a distinct possiblity because many people are inattentive and following too close even in school zones.
posted by Mitheral at 3:05 PM on September 3, 2010
Man, y'all are cynics. Or maybe you just have never heard of the groundbreaking research tying holograms of giant shoes and safe driving.
posted by mreleganza at 3:19 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by mreleganza at 3:19 PM on September 3, 2010
I'm trying to think of a scenario where this is a good idea. Deathrace LARPing, maybe?
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 3:25 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 3:25 PM on September 3, 2010
Would it make more sense to make sure we keep kids OUT OF THE ROAD???
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:27 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:27 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
My kid, lacking the gene for teleportation, is forced to cross a road several times on her way to school. I really wish drivers would stop for people in crosswalks but they don't, even when signaling an intention to cross.
posted by Mitheral at 3:41 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by Mitheral at 3:41 PM on September 3, 2010
It's intended to raise awareness and make you think, it's not a realistic hologram of a person (which I don't think we have the technology for).
This is right, I think. It's an anamorphic painting. As you approach it, you'll see streaks of bright color on the road. It won't look like a person, just a smeared-out painted image. The, once you get to the correct spot, the image will resolve, showing a girl chasing a ball.
I think the article is very deceptive, with it's talk of "3D technology". There are no holograms jumping out at cars; it's just a street painting.
posted by mr_roboto at 4:50 PM on September 3, 2010
This is right, I think. It's an anamorphic painting. As you approach it, you'll see streaks of bright color on the road. It won't look like a person, just a smeared-out painted image. The, once you get to the correct spot, the image will resolve, showing a girl chasing a ball.
I think the article is very deceptive, with it's talk of "3D technology". There are no holograms jumping out at cars; it's just a street painting.
posted by mr_roboto at 4:50 PM on September 3, 2010
I had a dream like this once. I was walking down the street at night in a big city with yellow taxis, when one of them zooms by me, takes a corner too quickly, and plows right into a bunch of pedestrians before smashing into the side of a building. A bunch of people run over to the wreckage and find a bunch of bodies lying in the street—except it turns out the car was actually on rails, and the bodies are all crash test dummies with messages painted on them in fake blood. The messages were anti-drunk driving slogans, and the whole thing was a Mothers Against Drunk Driving campaign.
Strangely, though I woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmare, when I told my coworkers the next day they though it was an awesome dream. Clearly they don't cower in fear of PSAs like I do.
posted by chrominance at 6:35 PM on September 3, 2010
Strangely, though I woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmare, when I told my coworkers the next day they though it was an awesome dream. Clearly they don't cower in fear of PSAs like I do.
posted by chrominance at 6:35 PM on September 3, 2010
A lot of schools around here put up their own 'slow down' signs, often with cartoon figures and what not. I find them to be a good reminder and don't zone them out the same way I do with regular city street signs. As long as the 3D image isn't freakishly realistic, this is probably a good thing.
posted by stp123 at 6:45 PM on September 3, 2010
posted by stp123 at 6:45 PM on September 3, 2010
3D? Isn't this just an anamorphic perspective? It's 600-year-old technology...
Yeah, I thought on first reading that this was a 3D projection of a little girl (presumably using technology donated by the Umbrella Corporation).
posted by nicwolff at 9:36 PM on September 3, 2010
Yeah, I thought on first reading that this was a 3D projection of a little girl (presumably using technology donated by the Umbrella Corporation).
posted by nicwolff at 9:36 PM on September 3, 2010
Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only...*kathump!*
posted by lemonfridge at 11:00 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by lemonfridge at 11:00 PM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
If you see a kid in the road, you should speed up and, if possible, hit 'em. It's the only way they learn.
posted by Eideteker at 9:12 PM on September 5, 2010
posted by Eideteker at 9:12 PM on September 5, 2010
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