There is nothing calming about Calming Areas. These are barriers intentionally placed on a road to make one slow down. I’m not talking about speed bumps here. I’m talking a post in the middle of one side of the road on an island protruding out from the kerb (that’s “curb” in American.) These will be accompanied by a sign notifying which direction has the right of way, as only one car at a time can get by the obstruction. It’s actually quite a source of agitation and frustration if one is in a hurry…not very calming at all….
Locals say that these chicanes (yep, that’s what they are called, which synchronistically is another C-word) don’t slow down all traffic; some drivers take it as a challenge (Hey! Another C-word! I’m on a roll here!) to see how quickly they can pace through them, having the exact opposite effect.
Calming Area photo courtesy of http://www.geograph.org.uk/
Making Life an Art 
More and more new developments seem to incorporate these chicanes now. Ferraris seem to be able to negotiate these, but it is rather amusing to watch them travel over speed bumps 😉
http:chittlechattle.com will be ‘C’ing up soon.
Wow! We don’t have it here in Indonesia.
Wow this was news to me. In India we dont have such formal ‘ calming areas’. They just crop up here and there whenever the good old police decides dinner isnt ready yet so may as well slow the already crawling traffic…definitely not calming at all 😉 Thanks for the informative post and the scope for a bit of a rant 🙂
Haha. You’re welcome.
They sound dangerous too!
They are because they narrow the road significantly
ha these must make for some very chagrined drivers! [I added another C 🙂 ]
I second Dahlia, in India they jump out at you when you least expect them and there is most likely a policeman right after to jump at you too! A true test of driving skill.
@freya3377 from Life as Freya
that sounds like a set-up to me! Not playing fair at all.
Oh I hate those things! They go with suburban sprawl like caffeine with coffee, they’re there to make us twitch when we’ve had too much of them!
Sophie
Sophie’s Thoughts & Fumbles | Wittegen Press | FB3X
Great simile!
Hehe you are on a roll with the C words ;D
– Joy C is for Charity
Thanks!
We have speed bumps here which are supposed to work like a calming area I suppose but not this obstacle like thingy that I’m sure drivers will only see as a challenge, as you mentioned 😉
a challenge and an irritation
Boy, that’s confusing- and like you said, the exact opposite of calming!
Thanks for stopping by!
Almost like construction workers standing there with their slow/stop signs when there is only one way.
haha. yep, equally annoying!
These are funny. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’d probably be the person to take it as a challenge. Also, I had no idea that curb is sometimes spelled kerb.