√Angry residents paint squiggly lines on the road to confuse speeders

Angry residents in a small French village about 300km south-west of Paris have painted squiggly lines on an intersection in an attempt to confuse speeding drivers, but some experts think the idea could backfire.

Sacre-bleu! Or, in this case, white.

A group of residents have taken matters – and tins of white paint – into their own hands and drawn squiggly lines on the approaches to a notorious intersection in France in a bizarre attempt to stop speeders.

Angry residents from the small rural town of Baune, about 300km south-west of Paris, say some drivers blast through the intersection at up to – or in excess of – the 30km/h speed limit, with some estimating the worst offenders are clipping 100km/h or more.

An overhead photo – posted on social media platform Twitter – shows an incomprehensible series of curved lines on the three approaches to the T-junction.

???? Ce nouvel aménagement routier a créé la surprise, voire l’incompréhensionhttps://t.co/Gdd6STbXnt
— Courrier de l'Ouest (@courrierouest) July 21, 2023

There is so much white paint it is difficult to determine which are the genuine line markings, including the line at which vehicles are supposed to stop.

A report by French media outlet The Connexion quoted the local mayor, Audrey Revereault, who said the paint was designed to “create a visual disturbance to encourage people to slow down.”

While safety experts say the random markings could confuse drivers and introduce a new danger, the mayor claims the squiggly lines “are working”.

Above: Road workers apply genuine road markings at an undisclosed location. Photo: iStock.

This is not the only example of an usual road-safety measure introduced by angry locals.

In the US last week, neighbours who were frustrated by drivers speeding in their street painted a community book-sharing cupboard to look like a speed camera, and perched it by the roadside – similar to where a real speed camera would be located.

However, US authorities took exception to the vigilante move and ordered it be removed.

Several years ago, in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Marrickville, the council erected a fake “No Right Turn Camera” sign at an intersection, even though such technology does not exist.

NSW road safety authorities ordered the sign about the fake intersection camera be taken down.

Do you think locals should be allowed to come up with their own ideas to slow speeders in their area? Let us know in the comments below.

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