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It drives me crazy when I try to cross the street in a designated crosswalk and drivers fail to stop. This every day frustration is what makes this recent video of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) using an inflatable chicken costume to enforce traffic laws both amusing and thought-provoking. In the clip, embedded below, an officer dressed in a large inflatable chicken costume attempts to cross the street while a colleague on a motorcycle is stationed nearby to pull over any offenders.
The sight is undeniably entertaining, but it also serves a serious purpose. With an alarming number of pedestrians being ignored by speeding drivers, creative measures are necessary to capture attention and promote safety. In the video, the inflatable chicken costume stands out and is hilarious and should attract a driver’s attention in a way that traditional enforcement methods might not. I mean, the visual absurdity of a giant chicken trying to cross a busy street is definitely going to get people talking … and hopefully thinking twice about their driving habits.
From the short clip, it seems the SFPD had a full squadron of motorcycle officers on standby, as multiple lawbreakers can be seen speeding past the crosswalk. It’s a creative approach for raising awareness about pedestrian rights but also adds a little humor into the often serious subject of traffic safety. And since Halloween is just around the corner, it’s the perfect season for it.
Speaking of costumes, I’ve purchased inflatable costumes before, and I can attest to how entertaining they can be. Mine came equipped with a built-in fan powered by batteries to make sure the costume stayed inflated. I’ve worn my inflatable dinosaur costume multiple times, much to the delight of my kids, who find it hysterical. This year, I’m contemplating getting an alien abducting a person for my Halloween costume. Although, after seeing the SFPD’s inflatable chicken costume, I may have to add one to my collection.
After watching the video above, one of my friends joked, “Maybe it’s not safe for the chicken to cross the road,” which I think underscores SFPD’s mission – to make crossing the street safe.
The Governors Highway Safety Association’s data analysis, Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2023 Preliminary Data (January-December), projects that “drivers struck and killed 7,318 people walking in 2023 – down 5.4% from the year before but 14.1% above 2019, the last pre-pandemic year.”
The association says that a combination of factors creates this deadly situation for people walking on U.S. roadways. “A steep drop in traffic enforcement across the country since 2020 has enabled dangerous driving behaviors – including speeding and driving impaired – to flourish. At the same time, roads are largely designed to prioritize fast-moving vehicle traffic instead of slower speeds that are safer for people walking. Many parts of the country lack infrastructure – such as sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting – that help protect people on foot. The U.S. vehicle fleet is increasingly dominated by larger, heavier vehicles that are more likely to injure or kill people walking.”
I applaud the SFPD’s efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of speeding and the importance of pedestrian safety and love their creative approach, especially with Halloween around the corner. Hopefully, it will have the intended impact on drivers and save lives.
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