Unusual scenes have been recorded on Chinese city roads that call into question the effectiveness of traffic calming measures. A video that has spread on social networks these days shows a series of cars and scooters trying to make their way through extremely narrow passages bordered by black and yellow pillars. Instead of ensuring a smooth and slower flow of vehicles, these barriers force drivers to make risky maneuvers that often result in direct physical contact with the obstacle.
The video documents the moments in which the vehicles scrape against the edges of the barriers, leaving visible damage on the bodywork. The pillars themselves, which were supposed to serve as a preventive measure to reduce speed and prevent accidents, are in a state of disrepair. Considerable damage to the concrete and peeling paint are visible – which is evidence of the frequent and strong impacts of the vehicles that pass that road every day.
The virality of the video on social networks indicates a general dissatisfaction with such technical solutions. Viewers note in the comments that the bottlenecks created by these measures do not achieve the desired effect of calming traffic, but generate additional stress and unnecessary repair costs. The video montage vividly illustrates how poorly planned infrastructure can have the opposite effect from what was initially intended. The exact location, as well as the exact time when the recordings were made, are not publicly known. However, visual evidence of the condition of the bollard clearly indicates that the problem is not from yesterday, but rather a location where incidents have become a daily occurrence.