Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Safety accidents

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(+9)
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When was the last time you saw a "SLOW" sign or road marking whilst driving? Chances are you can't remember, because of course you ignored it. Nobody pays any attention to SLOW signs.

On the other hand, everybody has sat in a queue of traffic that crawls forward, only to discover that the crawl has been caused by people rubbernecking an accident in the other lane. You curse the other drivers for gawking, but of course you have already suffered the queue so you feel entitled to have a good look yourself.

A little lateral thinking, therefore, suggests that traffic could be slowed where necessary by the tactical placement of staged accidents. The police (who would handle this sort of thing) simply need a collection of badly-damaged but driveable vehicles that can be parked at improbable angles, preferably in pairs or triplets. A little red dye to scatter on the road, and perhaps some spray-on skid marks would add to the effect.

MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 15 2019

Crashed_20cars_20by...e_20of_20the_20road [hippo, Jan 15 2019]

[link]






       How do you know this is not already done?
pocmloc, Jan 15 2019
  

       I was going to suggest tieing bunches of flowers to a lamp post or railing but that's ambiguous. You might slow down because the flowers are evidence of a crash, or speed up because the flowers are evidence of a stabbing.
bs0u0155, Jan 15 2019
  

       Round here, you just pull over and nick the flowers.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jan 15 2019
  

       That sort of behavior might drive a grieving mother to knife crime...
bs0u0155, Jan 15 2019
  

       Methinks that several bumps are attibutable to queuing for accidents.   

       However, I have seen permanent road signs that, due to some slip in translation,say "Accident ahead" instead of "Dangerous junction".
Ling, Jan 16 2019
  

       Add or remove body parts and film crews to adjust the degree of rubbenecking.
Voice, Jan 16 2019
  

       + I like this. I would prefer it was a pile up of police cars!
xandram, Jan 18 2019
  

       /spray-on skid marks/   

       It's getting a bit weird when participants have to modify their underwear.
DenholmRicshaw, Jan 18 2019
  

       It wouldn't be compulsory. And if the simulated accident were sufficiently convincing, it might not even be necessary.
8th of 7, Jan 18 2019
  

       Interesting but won't the slowing effect be offset by the distracted drivers causing real crashes effect?   

       Police have no shortage of wrecked cars that you'd slow to look at. I got a "parent's day" tour of my son's police station and they have an area where destroyed cop cars are held before being repaired or dispatched to the junk yard. "Hey parents, here's something that's fun to look at. It's cars like the ones your kids drive in various states of destruction. Wow, this guy obviously didn't make it! OK, now let's go see where they get lunch."
doctorremulac3, Jan 21 2019
  

       If you were involved in a real accident it would take ages for the emergency services to get to you, as they'd probably have to check a few dozen fake accidents before they found the real one.
hippo, Jan 21 2019
  

       There are other things that would slow people down if noticed from a passing vehicle. Staging small improvised theater shows or art "happenings" might have a similar effect - these could vary from gory and harrowing through to breezy and delightful glitter-based affairs depending on the median sensibility of road-users in a particular locale.
zen_tom, Jan 21 2019
  

       I thought about that too but figured people would get de-sensitized to them. Nothing gets people's attention like blood and gore.   

       Shocking visual images of bloody accidents on those digital road signs maybe? "Wanna see your head crushed like this poor fool? Keep driving like an idiot and your picture can be up here too!".
doctorremulac3, Jan 21 2019
  

       This could actually be a dual-purpose idea: deterring accidents and employing people. Unemployed persons are given smashed-but-drivable vehicles and instructed to stage them in certain spots, as described, while relaxing in post- crash comfort.
whatrock, Jan 22 2019
  
      
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