http://www.rennicks.com/userimgs/1121882063.47483675.php6EPupS.jpg

I've seen this on my travels in continental Europe. But like 'happy car', it seems to be one of those things that much of Europe has, but the UK doesn't. I can't remember where, but to my surprise, I found a photo of a new Chinese motorway, which had one of these, identical to the ones you get in France. I'd always seen these things as a uniquely continental Europe thing, because I don't think you get them in the US or anywhere like that.

Also, the website I got that photo from (after much googling, so you knew what I was going on about), is a sign/bollard manufacturer based in Ireland, but I'm not aware that Ireland uses these either.

Just how common are these bollards in Europe? How common are they on other continents? I know that France & Spain use them, and that they look identical in both countries (no obvious design differences). Also, do you think they're really necessary, as the UK, US don't have them and get by fine. Also, feel free to add any other weird/unusual/country-specific street furniture.

Yes,pretty common,especially on motorways/expressways:
http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/4669/resizeofimg2448ky9.jpg

^^ That's Hungary then?

Why's it us good old Brits that always have to be different, even in the most slightest of ways? :)

Hmm... In Poland there are some on S3 near Gorzów Wielkopolski

Boo, we're missing out. There must be a European country other than the UK (and Ireland, I guess) that doesn't bother with these. Do the Scandinavian countries, or former USSR have them?

Poland doesn't seem to use the same design as the one RawLee posted, which is the specific type I'm talking about...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v733/smar/A2%20Wielkanoc/Konin-Ozorkow/IMG_2517.jpg

Poland doesn't seem to use the same design as the one RawLee posted, which is the specific type I'm talking about...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v733/smar/A2%20Wielkanoc/Konin-Ozorkow/IMG_2517.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb208/Szumaher/S3/ZOG/IMG_0669.jpg

I mean them :cheers:

Cool. Welcome to the EU. ^_^

I take it that the one I posted was an old style one?

Probably, but I am not sure. Other Polish forumers might know better but I this you are right.

these are not used in Germany

http://rippachtal.de/05/A05-1-24-40.jpg
http://rippachtal.de/05/A05-1-25-40.jpg
rippachtal.de

http://autobahnatlas-online.de/Bildergalerie/a5-frda-13.jpg
autobahnatlas-online.de

I quite like them.

Italy

http://www.nonsolotigullio.com/chiavari/foto/chiavari_autostrada.jpg

^ Yellow? You rebels! ^_^

France
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee235/Gareth_Parr/FranceBollard.jpg

Spain
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee235/Gareth_Parr/SpainBollard.jpg

China
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee235/Gareth_Parr/ChinaBollard.jpg

UK
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee235/Gareth_Parr/UKbollard.jpg

<= :( oi !

at least you're not the only one in Europe ;)

Indeed. Nice to know that the great land of Germany doesn't. Finland doesn't neither, from photos I've just seen. :)

Yes,pretty common,especially on motorways/expressways:




Yes, there are some on motorways in Ireland. Not many though.

Luxemburg have some, not everywhere
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/Luxemburg/A13/IMG_4000.JPG
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/Luxemburg/A6/IMG_4070.JPG
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/Luxemburg/A3/IMG_4044.JPG

Apparently, neither the Netherlands don't seem to have them
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/niederlande/a15/Bild%20270.jpg
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/niederlande/a15/Bild%20247.jpg

Nor Belgium
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/belgien/ring%20brussel/P3110234.JPG
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/belgien/a1/Bild%20395.jpg
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/belgien/A27/ri%20Deutschland/Bild%20419.jpg

Nor in Austria
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/austria/A1%20Ri%20Salzburg/Bild%20272.jpg
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/austria/a14/Ri%20Bregenz/PB120668.JPG
http://autobahn-bilder.de/images/austria/A9%20Ri%20Graz/Bild%20086.jpg

But in Switzerland
http://www.autobahnen.ch/images/pic00956.jpg

in mexico we have some of those, they are sometimes placed when the security rail has sharp corner to protect the drivers when in coalition with the corner (which happens very often to drunken people)

No, we don't have them in the Netherlands.

The former USSR countries also don't use them.

Neither Slovenia except on some toll stations.
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z202/keber1/lj%20obvoznica/LJobv-35.jpg

I haven't seen any in Czech yet... well, I don't remember seeing that...

I think they are not installed in Slovakia. Most of the divergence bollards look like this:

http://www.dialnice.info/album_pic.php?pic_id=1639

^^That is quite a dangerous place to stop your car, even if the police forces you.
In NL I've never seen this one, but we have other ones.

In Norway I have only seen those things separating the lines between toll booths, but I have only seen them in yellow colour.

The closest thing we're got to this in the UK is this...

http://www.rennicks.com/userimgs/bits/rennicks/trafsigns/icon/Illuminated__Bollard__K90.jpg

But you never find it of motorways, usually just built up areas.

We have them in Bulgaria too, At least in Sofia there are everywhere and they're yellow. :):cheers:

http://www.crow.nl/img/fromdb/vp_2352_50x120.jpg

in Croatia we have them and they are yellow :D

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o197/deko1243/DSC_5327.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/A1/A1_put_u_sibenik/DSC00505.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/A1/A1_put_u_sibenik/DSC00499.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/ixic/A1/A1_put_u_sibenik/DSC00470.jpg

They are used in Greece too - in green.

As traffic sign, yes.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d158/ont1991/PC200017.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y22/Istanbullu/Kamil_Buke_Resim17.jpg

Apparantly, we have some sort of gore point signage.

Low version:
http://i36.************/2qan15d.jpg

High version (behind the overpass).
http://i35.************/3465jsl.jpg

It looks like they're choosen randomly, often, the aren't placed at all.

Estonia doesn't use them either...

Actually, what are they good for? Just signing the separation of lanes, that can be done by normal signs as well... and regarding the fact that we're talking about motorways, they can' really offer more security because they're simple plastic as far as I can see.

Interesting. Ireland does have these. Is this a recent developement, as I've never noticed these before, when looking at pictures of Irish motorways...

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee235/Gareth_Parr/IrishOffRamp.jpg

Well, most places that supposedly do not have these bollards have reflective (usually striped) signs at the point of divergence, although not everywhere. They are important at night or in conditions of limited visibility, as they reflect brightly and essentially scream at you that you are about to run into a wall :)

This particular design, however, is somewhat unique (I believe originally used by the French?), although it has been adopted in some other European countries and, interestingly enough, in China.

Britain, Finland, much of the former USSR and (at least I thought) most North American states/provinces don't use anything. Someone mention that you find that design in parts of Mexico. It'd be great to see examples of this, or in other parts of North/South America.

^^ Well, we do have them in Ontario:

http://www.onthighways.com/hwy_401_images/401_cl_344_east.jpg

You can also see some sort of barrels to dampen a potential impact.

Nah, Finland and Sweden do not have them.

Greece(Attiki odos):

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/140449138_88470f5122_o.jpg

In Israel either we have these blue divergence signs like in the UK or we don't have anything.

http://www.mifgaim.co.il/media/Picture%20020(5).jpg

i thought that yellow ones are more common, but it seems that only Italy and Croatia use yellow instead of green

^^ Well, we do have them in Ontario:

http://www.onthighways.com/hwy_401_images/401_cl_344_east.jpg

You can also see some sort of barrels to dampen a potential impact.

That's not the actual design I'm talking about though. Most countries have some sort of marker at that place, but the UK, and seemingly many US states, don't have anything there whatsoever.

The closest thing we're got to this in the UK is this...

http://www.rennicks.com/userimgs/bits/rennicks/trafsigns/icon/Illuminated__Bollard__K90.jpg

But you never find it of motorways, usually just built up areas.

The Silent Policeman.
Love it.

Actually, what are they good for? Just signing the separation of lanes, that can be done by normal signs as well... and regarding the fact that we're talking about motorways, they can' really offer more security because they're simple plastic as far as I can see.

Don't know for sure but it seems it's somewhat soft plastic, with air inside and it's a bit heavy and loosely attached to the pavement. Hitting a divergence is obviously not a desirabe event and it can only happen to drunk/sleepy drivers. I guess it can somewhat mitigate the effects of an impact which is not going to take place at full speed and 90° angles anyway.

Or so I guess.

Don't know for sure but it seems it's somewhat soft plastic, with air insideActually after their placement they puor water in till fill'em at least half their volume
That makes 'em more stable and effective in case of impact

I did see one that had been hit, somewhere on the south of France. It was dented right in the middle, but still in its holding place.

I never knew about the water thing though.

^^ You can see the water thing showcased in the movie "Speed".

But how about this:
vNQnDqZiaqY

^^I had seen this one before. Very unlikely that a divergence bollard can carry so much water in it :D

But how about this:
vNQnDqZiaqYOMG!!!! :eek:

i thought that yellow ones are more common, but it seems that only Italy and Croatia use yellow instead of green
Bulgaria uses them too :):):)

http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l326/bgplayer19/16072008414.jpg

never seen them in austria. we just have self glowing signs insteed

i think switzerland has

For the UK it's already said so in Portugal they are like this:

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/8882/8c036qk0.jpg

I think there are pebbles inside them.

That's not the actual design I'm talking about though. Most countries have some sort of marker at that place, but the UK, and seemingly many US states, don't have anything there whatsoever.

I know, it's just that you said that in North America most jurisdictions don't have anything whatsoever, so I showed that in Ontario (which is in North America) we do have markers :).

Senegal has them!
http://www.au-senegal.com/IMG/jpg/tunnel-fann.jpg

^^ Probably because Senegal was a French colony.

http://www.onthighways.com/hwy_401_images/401_cl_344_east.jpg
^^ The sameare used here in Colombia :yes:

Actually, what are they good for? Just signing the separation of lanes, that can be done by normal signs as well... and regarding the fact that we're talking about motorways, they can' really offer more security because they're simple plastic as far as I can see.

I really like these and think they should be used everywhere. They're very intuitive; their function is to tell drivers they have to go on either side of it and two arrows to the side does that very effectively.

I like those barrels with water too, they look good in slow mo in the movies :D But I guess most motorways in Europe use some sort of crumple zone for that..

Latvia doesn't use them!

On an urban avenue in Antalya;
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d158/ont1991/P9080297.jpg