mekka okereke :verified:
Bollards > Trucks.
There are enough angry, violent men in the world that it makes sense to always have bollards around places that large numbers of pedestrians will gather.
So if you're going to upgrade your bollards, please don't remove the old bollards weeks before you install the new ones.
https://bsky.app/profile/worldbollardassoc.bsky.social/post/3lebzcr4bxk2v
1/N
mekka okereke :verified:
Bollards also protect everyone, pedestrians and drivers, from unintended acceleration.
If you accidentally stomp on the gas right next to a busy farmer's market, you'd rather show up and be embarrassed on World Bollard Association, than show up in court defending vehicular manslaughter charges.
2/N
mekka okereke :verified:
I live in the USA, where we have no gun control. Our guns are most definitely out of control.
But I remain optimistic that we can get some truck control at least?
We already have truck licensing, mandatory safety courses, and we take your license away if you're dangerous. Need a few more bollards.
3/N
mekka okereke :verified:
And more bike and pedestrian infrastructure. "Trucks over there, humans over here." 👍🏿
And more kei trucks. Look at this cute little truck! Look at it!
If it ran over your foot on the way to put out a cigarette, you'd just say, "That's OK little guy! Go go go!"
https://www.connecteddotsmedia.com/blog/celebrating-teeny-tiny-joys
4/4
mark
@mekkaokereke the kei trucks are getting outlawed for safety reasons, which is hilariously backwards in the most USian way
Stu
@mekkaokereke I wish I had access to one of these. More actual utility than a massive truck or SUV, and small enough it'll rattle around inside a US-size garage. I'd absolutely be that person who lugged stuff around for people. Save every other vehicle on my street being a full size pickup, anyway.
mekka okereke :verified:
It's a joke account like that account of the bridge that keeps ripping the top off of trucks. Except World Bollard Association just posts pictures and videos of cars and trucks getting eaten by bollards.
tom jennings
There's a World Bollard Association?
Of course there is.
And probably competitors.
coldclimate
@mekkaokereke I love kei trucks
mekka okereke :verified:
Maybe you could even help a Cybertruck owning friend move a bike!
https://bsky.app/profile/mekka.mekka-tech.com/post/3ldm6nmof622s
Mike Perham
@mekkaokereke welcome to the club 😎 https://bollards.club
Emily
@mekkaokereke You can always tell what a city values if you look at what it protects with bollards. Here in Pittsburgh, it’s gas stations and the clump of utility machines outside important buildings, but not pedestrians or cyclists. We get paint and flex posts.
Michelle Catherine Marcó
@mekkaokereke As a driver, I appreciate bollards, especially when they’re used to protect bicyclists. Makes it a lot easier—and a lot less anxiety-inducing—to share the road with them.
I’m sure I’ll appreciate it even more if I ever return to cycling. (I stopped as a child, out of fear, after I got hit by a car. The fear has long since abated. The only challenge remaining is getting a good bike at a good price.)
Ben Lopatin
@mekkaokereke Even if I were not bollard-pilled, I particularly love the framing in this article
"No matter who you are or how much money you make, the only way to avoid the irrefutable physics of stationary concrete vs. fast-moving steel is, simply, *not to hit the damn bollard"*
mekka okereke :verified:
Do you prefer telescope or matador?
Telescope bollards are much more affordable and practical, but I think the matadors are so cool!
JustAFrog
@mekkaokereke I get there has to be access for emergency rescue, but that's why retractable bollards were invented.
Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK
@mekkaokereke even at our sixth form centre (this is a college like the two senior years of high school) there are small bollards around the pedestrian crossing. Its not even as much against a malicious attack (although it would have been considered on the risk assessment) the driving age here is 17 so there's also a risk a nervous/new driver gets confused and may try to turn into the school across the pedestrian crossing rather than the correct pick up/drop off point..
Marcin Wichary
@Canageek @mekkaokereke Oh, man, that’s Todd’s! I rode in it – I can confirm it’s very fun! (Coming from Europe, I love small cars. Alas, even cars in Europe are reportedly not immune from getting bigger these days.)
Canageek
@mekkaokereke Ok, that is a REALLY cool truck
Jeff Grigg
The World Bollard Association on "X" (formally "Twitter")
mekka okereke :verified:
BlueSky is better.
https://bsky.app/profile/worldbollardassoc.bsky.social
bhtooefr
@ATLeagle @mekkaokereke there is a lot of me that wants to build modern versions of this and sell them
“oh, kei trucks are unsafe because they don’t meet FMVSS? well, how about this? this does meet FMVSS, yet is significantly less safe.”
(actually, technically, it fails to meet FMVSS in one way: the headlights are too far apart to be legal as a motorcycle, I believe. but, a modern version could trivially fix that.)
Ben Lings
@mekkaokereke Paris has this everywhere (plus super high kerbs… I’m not sure how much is for pedestrian safety and how much to stop people just parking anywhere they like…) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2019/8/19/the-streets-of-paris
mekka okereke :verified:
Also acceptable!
Pylon can be either a bollard looking thing or a taller structure. Bollards are just the short ones.
Kelvin Shadewing
@mekkaokereke Wait, that's what they're called? I always called them pylons.
Rich Felker
@mekkaokereke I can second this. I'm in a place where bollards aren't just safety but the primary obstacle to intentionally driving and parking vehicles on sidewalks, and it's awesome how they double as safety.
Jess👾
@mekkaokereke Those things are So Cute! All I ever really want a truck for is the periodic carrying some lumber or a big IKEA box of furniture or something. So as long as it has good tie down straps, whatever works. Smaller and better gas mileage the better.
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