You’re cruising down the road, nearing a school zone, when BAM! Out of nowhere, a little girl chasing her ball across the street appears. Your heart races, you slam on the brakes, and then her image dissolves. What?
Two Canadian safety organizations have partnered to install a $US15,000 device that projects the likeness of a girl chasing a pink ball down the street onto a road in Vancouver, British Columbia. She’s seen most clearly at a distance of 30 meters (about 98 feet), looks like a blur from further away, and disappears up close.
The BCAA hopes it will remind drivers to “expect the unexpected”, but it seems that it could just catch less-than-attentive drivers off guard, leading to accidents stemming from drivers trying to avoid this imaginary girl. [Geek.com]
Corteks
September 3, 2010 at 4:40 PM
“leading to accidents stemming from drivers trying to avoid this imaginary girl”
This seems like the most likely outcome ImO, it seems like an inordinately stupid idea. And what happens after people have experienced this? Maybe next they’ll see a real girl running across the road and, thinking it’s the illusion, not bother stopping :/
Yes people need to be careful on roads and should be looking out for obstacles constantly. Scaring the hell out of them with fake obstacles isn’t a wise way to do that.
Report PermalinkGraeme
September 3, 2010 at 5:00 PM
And then they get used to seeing it so ignore it, until it’s a real girl chasing a real ball.
Report Permalinkenndee
September 3, 2010 at 5:48 PM
bah humbug
I say let them run over the little girl with the ball.
What are they doing outside anyway? It’s much safer being inside and playing NBA2K10 on your ps3.
Report PermalinkArky
September 5, 2010 at 8:27 PM
Yes. Gods, this is so dumb on every level… increases the odds of an accident by new people avoiding the fakee image, while conditioning people to ignore a girl running out on the road with a ball. WHAT THE HELL?
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