Caution: Children at Play

These installations of silhouettes on the median fencing of a busy street in San Diego isn't an April Fool prank but it certainly gave me pause the other night. I was heading up the hill when a descending car coming down turned onto the street. The other car's headlights back lit the figures just as I passed by them. For a second I thought a group of kids was playing in the center of the street and I imagined that one kid was going to run in front of my car, thereby making me swerve in avoiding hurting one child instead cause me to run over the jaywalking pregnant woman and her toddler.


That these silhouettes are installed in this location makes a bit of sense as there are several schools nearby and there may be the intention to cause drivers to pay more attention to their vehicle operation when they are in the area. I do wonder however if the figures are serving instead to desensitize drivers, particularly ones that frequent the vicinity, to any actual pedestrians who may be walking in the street illegally.