It looks like the City of Hayward has some steep competition in the clever road signs department.
Drivers, meet Slow Down Cat—the latest and greatest effort to reduce speeding in Sebastopol, California. The 12-foot-tall feline sculpture was created by local artist Patrick Amiot following a discussion with Police Chief Jeff Weaver over public safety concerns. With gigantic eyes that glow at night and handheld sign reading, “Slow,” residents have no choice but to think twice before zipping through traffic.
Slow Down Cat is mounted to a lime green Caltrans trailer that moves throughout the town, generally staying in a single spot for days. While the sculpture has already made its debut across Sebastopol, Chief Weaver said it tends to concentrate on residential areas with speed limits of 25 to 30 miles per hour.
“I was so pleased that Patrick saw the need to enhance pedestrian and traffic safety and did so in a way to enhance the connectivity between the community and the police department,” said Weaver. “We’ve already received many, many requests for the Slow Down Sebastopol Cat.”
Indeed, if residents have any complaints, it’s that Slow Down Cat isn’t being used enough. Local architect and blogger Paul Fritz has called for “a battalion of Slow Down Cats” in the Northern California city, which he says is already prone to lead feet.
“Slow Down Cat is a nice idea, but he needs a more widespread presence in order to having a lasting impact,” Fritz writes. “Drivers need a constant reminding to keep their speeds down in town.”
Read more about Sebastopol's Slow Down Cat here.
Image Credit: Flickr User pikerslanefarm, https://flic.kr/p/5V5xMb via (CC BY-SA 2.0)