MOTORISTS driving in the school zone saw a little girl on the road who appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
Warning signs were posted in the area, but nothing could have prepared drivers for what they were about to see.
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Girl on the road surprises motorists in VancouverCredit: YouTube/preventableinjuries
Signs reading “In a rush in a school zone? Seriously?” lead to the girl, who can be seen most clearly from 30 feet away, but has disappeared as the driver approaches.
Safety group Preventable teamed up with the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation to install this $15,000 optical illusion of a girl chasing a ball in Vancouver.
Safety groups hope it will make speeding drivers stop and think, while reminding them to always expect the unexpected.
“The idea is to really get people talking about the issue of school zone safety,” says Jennifer Smith, Preventable’s senior program manager.
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“We brought back the Pavement Patty to remind drivers that even at low speeds, children can be seriously injured or killed,” said Preventable Co-CEO Dr. Ian Pike.
“Slow down, put your phone down and give your full attention to the road.”
The team at Preventable also shared a video of the painting in action on their YouTube page.
Their installation, called Pavement Patty, was printed on a large 40-foot sticker on skid- and weather-resistant vinyl, and was placed in front of the school.
They stated that the image has a gradual effect.
As you approach, you can see something on the sidewalk, and when you get to the optimal vantage point—about 30 feet away—you see a girl.
Preventable was also careful not to make the effect unsettling or alarming, saying the girl doesn’t appear all of a sudden.
But despite their best intentions, the illusion has drawn plenty of criticism.
One YouTube user wrote: “That’s a really bad idea. If the drawing was on the pavement where cars don’t go, then it’s fine. For once, drawing on the road is dangerous.
“The first time the driver slows down or even stops because he thinks there is a child, but gradually you get used to the drawing and you will ignore it, especially if it is in other places.
“When instead of drawing a real child, tragedy happens.”
While another added: “Unfortunately, I’m afraid the driver might mistake the illusion for the real thing, overreact and actually cause an accident.
“I think it would have forced me to swerve too if I didn’t know about it, and that puts the lives of myself and others in real danger.
“It would be a little more understandable if it wasn’t exactly where it is, where the driver ‘should’ be.”
“Perhaps along the side of the road, where it would cause a slowdown but avoid swerving and provoking real dangerous driving.”
Want more optical illusions that will put your driving skills to the test?
Test whether you have the 20/20 vision required of a top driver if you can spot a frog hiding among the cars.
Anyone can see oncoming vehicles, but only those with the sharpest eye can spot the stealthy amphibian.
Or see if you can spot the car hidden in the bathroom scene in the images below.
This puzzle will test your intelligence as well as your visual accuracy.
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As you get closer, the image of the girl becomes increasingly distortedCredit: YouTube/preventableinjuries
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From a greater distance you can just see the road markingsCredit: YouTube/preventableinjuries
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Can you see the car hidden in this picture? Credit: Bright Side
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Do not worry! We have the answer for you. Credit: Bright Side
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education