Saturday, November 22, 2008

"Lying down" policemen


What do they call them where you live: sleeping policemen, policiers couchés, speed tables, speed cushions, road humps? Here in Belgrade, they're called "lying (down) policemen," and they're basically of three kinds:

1) the "just-keep-speeding-no-damage-will-be-done-to-your-car" type as shown here in front of a school; (?!)
2) the "if-you-don't-slow-down-your-wheels-will-be-knocked-off" type;
3) the "gently-rounded-hill" type;
4) the "obstacle course" kind that are scattered across the road at intervals.

I have heard that in some cities there are even "dynamic" speed bumps, activated only if a vehicle is travelling above a certain speed.

According to a local news station, 7 pedestrians are struck by motor vehicles each day in Belgrade. Some say speed bumps don't prevent accidents. What do you say?

13 comments:

Webradio said...

Hello Bibi !

In France, this is called a back of a donkey...

See You later !

USelaine said...

I've always just called them speed bumps. I think they help a lot, but they can't prevent all kinds of accidents. I like the idea of dynamic ones. I'd never heard of that before.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I've just called them speed bumps.

Don't see the point of those ones though - only useful if the driver actually has to slow down in order not to cause damage!

Anonymous said...

Speed bumps are not big enough. I think cars should be made to jump several feet up into the air when a driver goes over them too fast. Instead they out a dinky (tiny) with rounded corners, things made of asphalt, for people to drive across. Why would anybody slow down for something like that?

I think this is my first trip to your blog in a while. I am in Brookville, Ohio where it is cold this morning – 13 degree Fahrenheit = -10.5555556 degree Celsius. If I were just walking past you on the street I would probably smile and nod my head. I hope you would too. LOL

Mihajlo said...

Dynamic speed bumps like these?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvvPFu3aibU
Mihajlo

Richard Lawry said...

I love all the different names. I had only hear them called speed bumps.

An Arkie's Musings

Anonymous said...

Bibi:

The figures you give about pedestrians being struck is not surprising, if I may say. Belgrade drivers are terrible!!! No one follows any rules.

Maybe I just wasn't used to it, but it seemed chaotic when I was there last.

soulbrush said...

we call them speed bumps, what funny names for the same thing.

Pat said...

Mihajlo, that is hilarious! Anybody reading this now, please check out the link Mihajlo left in his comment!

MuseSwings said...

I'm with the speed bumps people. I think we also have a number 5 here that knocks the entire car off the suspension. I've never actually seen anyone walking in an area that has speed bumps so my opinion is they are there only to assist the economy of the repair shops.

marley said...

Here in the UK we call them sleeping policemen. But it is all the same :)

Becky said...

Yup, here in the States it's "speed bumps." Though in England I saw signs labeling them as "humps."

If placed correctly, I think they can prevent pedestrian accidents. But really, it's a matter of the pedestrian and the driver BOTH paying attention to what's going on around them.

Anonymous said...

Speed bumps are more less the same all over the world, especially in more urban districts. I've been to Belgrade on several occassions in fact, and the ones they have are the same as elsewhere. I must say that drivers are definitely more disciplined than in Italy or Spain, not to mention Greece. And the thing about 7 daily traffic victims is just rediculous and incorrect :)

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