VIDEO: European drivers vs. concrete pillar
More widely used in Europe than in America, retractable concrete-reinforced pillars, placed underneath the road, do a much better job than wooden toll arms or even tire-snagging spikes at stopping traffic from getting into restricted areas.
As this video demonstrates however, some of the (evidently) less intelligent drivers on the road have tried to outsmart these simple pilings and have failed miserably, to the detriment of their vehicles.
Bit of advice: if you see one of these columns retract to let a car through, don't try to squeeze through. It won't work. But watching others try is a load of fun! (The music is just the icing on the cake.)
[Source: Motorpasion via Winding Road]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
ZenDriver 1:21PM (10/30/2006)
What a stupid idea.
It appears that these pillars are placed in areas where relatively large vehicles are the only ones allowed to enter (busses into bus only zones, delivery trucks into loading docks, utility trucks into fleet parking areas etc). These sorts of vehicles offer very limited visibility to those behind them and even the 'Do Not Enter' signs places to the left and right of the limited access zone entrance would only be exposed (visually) to a driver behind one of these vehicles for a very short period of time.
So let's say you are a bit lost, perhaps in a new town or unfamiliar area (not unheard of in Europe where the signs are numerous and drivers are often from out of country). You are following a bus or truck trying to get around and the next thing you know- bang. Your car receives hundreds of dollars worth of damage, you look like a total fool and there are probably criminal (traffic) charges levied against you.
Do people probably try and run around these barriers? Yes, I think the silver car is an example. But that being said, I'll bet you that the vast majority of skewering incidents were people who never saw what was coming. Unless a traffic mistake could lead to death (say, running a red light), a little bit of road confusion should not result in such a severe punishment.
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Brad 1:28PM (10/30/2006)
I agree, I found the video funny at first until the black SUV hit the poles and their was a baby in the backseat! That must be very traumatising for the whole family , and clearly that man would never take such a risk with his own young baby.
In theory it's a good idea, but if I visited Europe the same thing would probably happen to me, I've never heard of such a thing.
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Carlos 1:30PM (10/30/2006)
This is in Manchester where an IRA bomb had a lot of influence on the traffic engineers, leading to such extreme measures.
Under normal circumstances, this is a stupid solution because the goal of traffic control is to get traffic to flow the way you want it without accidents. Retractable bollards give people hope that they can beat the system - they're a poor deterrent. They also mete out punishment that's WAY out of proportion to the crime, and that only leads to more jams (on bus routes no less).
They are also quite entertaining =].
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Wilhelmina J. Higginbotham 3:03PM (10/30/2006)
I always feel like I am in some 1984-ish police state when I go to Europe.
It is not ‘cute’, but rather a very nasty society where people–sorry chattel–are “processed” daily by the bureaucracy, who treat them like the cash cows they are.
**Why on Earth would you need retractable poles on a public road?**
Utter foolishness if you ask me.
You laugh. Soon they’ll be checking people for prostate cancer as they come off the train.
But don’t worry–it’s “progressive”, no?
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felonious monk 1:31PM (10/30/2006)
"As this video demonstrates however, some of the (evidently) less intelligent drivers on the road have tried to outsmart these simple pilings and have failed miserably, to the detriment of their vehicles."
If that's an issue over there... imagine the havoc it'd cause here in the states. Personally, I think it's a good idea as long as ample warning is given about the poles. For those who do not pay attention or heed the warnings, it'd be a lesson not easily forgotten... which is exactly the problem with drivers here. They are too used to getting away with their bad habits.
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M. 1:32PM (10/30/2006)
This is definitely not Europe! Maybe an island close to Europe, but not mainland Europe!
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Peter 1:37PM (10/30/2006)
Anyone have a video of the "severe tire damage" one-way controllers here in the US? Like the ones at car rental spots in airports. I'll bet that would be fun to watch.
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Ozmotear 1:39PM (10/30/2006)
It obvious that these people are trying to "beat the system." If you watch the black CRV closely you can see that he cuts the pedestrians off and accelerates to make it into the lot.
I'd love to see these in the US.
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Pacey 1:49PM (10/30/2006)
I'd love to see these brought to the US.
Watch the first 30 seconds again. Those signs are either lit up or so reflective they look lit up. Either way, they are announced ahead of time. They're being used to let authorised vehicles into certain areas and people are trying to avoid something (toll, whatever). They just get to feel it harder when they try and break the law.
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purecoda 3:56PM (10/30/2006)
Watch carefully as the driver of the van in the last segment smashes his windshield with his forehead! Want to know a simple way they could have made this system better? Simple - they should have placed the entry on a curved road, not a straightaway where people might attempt to speed through, even mistakenly.
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MikeW 2:00PM (10/30/2006)
Oh snap. Should have got a motorcycle.
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finbred 2:02PM (10/30/2006)
"clearly that man would never take such a risk with his own young baby." Brad, I wish you were right, but you're not. And the way he was driving he didn't just risk his baby, but pedestrians, too. And there are millions like him. See how the mother just takes the baby and leaves? I think she had enough. I would have.
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GeoTracker 2:08PM (10/30/2006)
I don't feel too bad for the black vehicle and the damage it caused. Watch the video and you'll notice he cuts off a woman with her baby in a stroller...
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Tiago do Vale 2:14PM (10/30/2006)
This is in the UK... And don't tell me that "ohh I was lost" fairy tale: these guys knew what they were doing: they were trying to be "smarter" than the system: and I don't pity them... In fact: I quite enjoy seing these "smart-butt" guys taking what they deserve.
By now, you know I don't like those guys who think they can "out-smart" everyone else :) it's true...
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c'est Raoul 7:23PM (10/30/2006)
Those are funny images. Some of them clearly gave it a try. But I agree. Those removable fences are great, but only for specific situations. Markets, marinas, parkings, etc. which see less regular through traffic, and are not exposed to full traffic as there (bus only in the middle of town). Easy to miss it while following a bus for example.
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mike 2:11PM (10/30/2006)
It was a funny video. If you watch closely, both cars speed up trying to beat the pole.
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Phix 2:14PM (10/30/2006)
There are two huge warning signs made of reflective material on either side of the narrow entryway leading into that area.
Like others have mentioned the people in the video really don't seem to have made a miscalculated driving error. That black CRV is absolutely pathetic... he has his own baby in the back and he thoughtlessly accelerates nearly clipping that other persons stroller on the sidewalk.
To the person who said someone wouldn't needlessly put their own baby in risk.... I'd love to believe that but frankly there are enough idiots in this world who don't even deserve to have a baby. :/
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Hank 2:15PM (10/30/2006)
I really, really, really, really, really want that for my driveway. Really.
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srivendel 2:25PM (10/30/2006)
Two things to add. First, I think it's some sort of Kia or Hyundai, and not a CR-V. Second, the freakin' airbags actually go off! That's quite an impact. No wonder the woman took the baby and ran.
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asp 4:53PM (10/30/2006)
I live in Manchester and know of the actual bollards in the video. The amount of signage leading up to these is so apparent you'd have to consciously know that you're driving in a restricted zone, to be there you'd have to be a complete idiot, as all those shown here indeed are, to be caught by these. I've seen a small van get stuck on them, but they were blatantly trying to beat the one-way system so it served them right. Unfortunately they had virtually no damage.
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