Optical Speedbumps Create Illusion of Little Girl Darting Out In Front Of You

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 10:07 in Mathematics & Economics

Slow Down As the driver approaches, this 2-D optical illusion painted on the pavement comes into focus, appearing in 3-D and reminding drivers to slow down. Civil authorities around the world have tried all kinds of tricks to get drivers to slow down: speed bumps, rumble strips, flashing lights, the decoy police cruiser, and of course the good old-fashioned speed trap. The British Columbia Automobile Association Traffic Safety Foundation is taking a different tack: scaring the living hell out of drivers. In an effort to brusquely remind drivers of the consequences of wanton acceleration, they're painting an elongated image of a child chasing a ball into the street in 2-D on the pavement in such a way that it appears three-dimensional. The painting, like the one above, is being trialed by authorities in a West Vancouver school zone starting yesterday and will be removed after a week of evaluation. From a...

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