Mobile speed bump
mobile speed bump n.
A car that travels at the speed limit to force the cars behind to do the same.
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Example Citations
---------------------------------
The city of Vancouver is exploring the idea of sanctioning a
grass-roots traffic-calming program that enlists the silent majority
of reasonable, rational, law-abiding drivers to stop being so
silent.
Instead they'd slap NEIGHBORHOOD PACE CAR stickers on their vehicles
and set a highly visible example by rolling down Vancouver streets at
lawful speeds.
Yes, you heard right: Making Vancouver streets safer simply by making
a public point of driving the posted speed limit.
--Scott Hewitt, "How'd you like to be a mobile speed bump?," The
Columbian (Vancouver, WA), November 27, 2003
Elaine Clegg of Idaho Smart Growth, which runs Boise's Neighborhood
Pace Car program, calls herself "a mobile speed bump." She slows cars
driving behind her by driving the speed limit.
A sense of humor is required, she says. The Idaho program has bumper
stickers saying "Follow me to the next red light," "Would you rather
I were a speed bump?" and "Honk if you want me to slow down." So far,
about 500 residents have joined the Boise program by signing a pledge
and putting Pace Car stickers on their cars.
--Patrick McMahon, "Residents fight back against speeders," USA
Today, May 13, 2002
---------------------------------
Earliest Citation
---------------------------------
Want to slow down traffic on your street?
Try a leisurely drive during rush hour. Boise, Idaho, residents did
that through their PACE CAR program. They turned their cars into
"mobile speed bumps" by purposefully driving the speed limit, forcing
trailing drivers to ease off the accelerator.
--Toni Coleman, "Seminar to focus on 'calming' traffic," Saint Paul
Pioneer Press (Minnesota), May 14, 2001
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On the Web
---------------------------------
http://www.wordspy.com/words/mobilespeedbump.asp
---------------------------------
See Also
---------------------------------
placemaking:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/placemaking.asp
rumble strips:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/rumblestrips.asp
sleeping policeman:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/sleepingpoliceman.asp
speed hump:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/speedhump.asp
traffic-calming device:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/traffic-calmingdevice.asp
---------------------------------
Subject Category
---------------------------------
Technology - Cars:
http://www.wordspy.com/index/Technology-Cars.asp
---------------------------------
Words About Words
---------------------------------
I fell in love -- that is the only expression I can think of -- at once,
and am still at the mercy of words, though sometimes now, knowing
a little of their behavior very well, I think I can influence them slightly
and have even learned to beat them now and then, which they
appear to enjoy.
--Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet, short-story writer, and playwright,
"Poetic Manifesto" in the _Texas Quarterly_, Winter 1961
---------------------------------
Word Spy Links
---------------------------------
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http://www.wordspy.com/book/
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http://www.wordspy.com/index/index.asp
Top 100:
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Feedback:
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Copyright (c) 2004 Paul McFedries and Logophilia Limited
A car that travels at the speed limit to force the cars behind to do the same.
---------------------------------
Example Citations
---------------------------------
The city of Vancouver is exploring the idea of sanctioning a
grass-roots traffic-calming program that enlists the silent majority
of reasonable, rational, law-abiding drivers to stop being so
silent.
Instead they'd slap NEIGHBORHOOD PACE CAR stickers on their vehicles
and set a highly visible example by rolling down Vancouver streets at
lawful speeds.
Yes, you heard right: Making Vancouver streets safer simply by making
a public point of driving the posted speed limit.
--Scott Hewitt, "How'd you like to be a mobile speed bump?," The
Columbian (Vancouver, WA), November 27, 2003
Elaine Clegg of Idaho Smart Growth, which runs Boise's Neighborhood
Pace Car program, calls herself "a mobile speed bump." She slows cars
driving behind her by driving the speed limit.
A sense of humor is required, she says. The Idaho program has bumper
stickers saying "Follow me to the next red light," "Would you rather
I were a speed bump?" and "Honk if you want me to slow down." So far,
about 500 residents have joined the Boise program by signing a pledge
and putting Pace Car stickers on their cars.
--Patrick McMahon, "Residents fight back against speeders," USA
Today, May 13, 2002
---------------------------------
Earliest Citation
---------------------------------
Want to slow down traffic on your street?
Try a leisurely drive during rush hour. Boise, Idaho, residents did
that through their PACE CAR program. They turned their cars into
"mobile speed bumps" by purposefully driving the speed limit, forcing
trailing drivers to ease off the accelerator.
--Toni Coleman, "Seminar to focus on 'calming' traffic," Saint Paul
Pioneer Press (Minnesota), May 14, 2001
---------------------------------
On the Web
---------------------------------
http://www.wordspy.com/words/mobilespeedbump.asp
---------------------------------
See Also
---------------------------------
placemaking:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/placemaking.asp
rumble strips:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/rumblestrips.asp
sleeping policeman:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/sleepingpoliceman.asp
speed hump:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/speedhump.asp
traffic-calming device:
http://www.wordspy.com/words/traffic-calmingdevice.asp
---------------------------------
Subject Category
---------------------------------
Technology - Cars:
http://www.wordspy.com/index/Technology-Cars.asp
---------------------------------
Words About Words
---------------------------------
I fell in love -- that is the only expression I can think of -- at once,
and am still at the mercy of words, though sometimes now, knowing
a little of their behavior very well, I think I can influence them slightly
and have even learned to beat them now and then, which they
appear to enjoy.
--Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet, short-story writer, and playwright,
"Poetic Manifesto" in the _Texas Quarterly_, Winter 1961
---------------------------------
Word Spy Links
---------------------------------
Home:
http://www.wordspy.com/
Word Spy, the Book:
http://www.wordspy.com/book/
Joining the List:
http://www.wordspy.com/subscribe.asp
Index:
http://www.wordspy.com/index/index.asp
Top 100:
http://www.wordspy.com/topwords.asp
Feedback:
http://www.wordspy.com/contact.asp
Copyright (c) 2004 Paul McFedries and Logophilia Limited