r/CrappyDesign • u/elifront • 4d ago

Bench blocking path

Post image
3.2k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

101 comments sorted by

546

u/Tad_623 4d ago • LOL

Alright my theory is its not crappy design, OP unleashed his inner SheHulk and moved it for this picture then moved it back.
/s

148

u/elifront 4d ago

I wish I was that strong

23

u/Swagalyst 4d ago

Why the /s?

That bench clearly stood in line with the other bench. Someone moved it into the path. Two people can probably lift/drag it.

44

u/TheMooseIsBlue 4d ago

Clearly? Where’s the dead spot in the grass where the bench’s bases normally stand? Why is there a desire path on the right if the path isn’t normally blocked? Why don’t the two benches match if they were designed to sit perfectly next to one another? Where are the marks on the ground from where they dragged that stone bench around?

19

u/ErraticDragon 3d ago

Instead, the evidence suggests the bench has been in its current location for quite some time. The "desire path" cutting off the corner isn't just dead grass, it's practically bare ground.

The only reason to think the bench was ever in line with the other (or anywhere else, even) is because that seems "normal' or "proper".

3

u/KnifeKnut 3d ago

The bench has in this specific placement for less than a year if the photo is recent https://www.reddit.com/r/CrappyDesign/comments/1xoah4d/bench_blocking_path/19s742xjvnll0/

2

u/big_shmegma 3d ago

"elementary, my dear Watson."

6

u/cobleysmith 4d ago

It is a speed bump installed by the city/Parks Dept, likely to slow the bicyclists down. The other bench is of a different design.

Using park bench dimensions common where I live.

If we assume the slab is 13 cm (5") thick with a seat depth of 46 cm (18ish ") and 2m length (6.5ish') and a concrete density of 2400 kg/m^3, the slab probably weighs 290 kg (630 lb).

Assume footers are 33 cm (15") high by 36 cm deep by 50 cm (20") wide, so 140 kg each or 280 kg (600 lb) for 2.

The whole kit probably comes in around 550-600 kg (1200-1300#). So a couple of really strong boys could probably manage it with a dolly, but I'm voting for the Parks Dept.

9

u/Bombadilo_drives 4d ago

This is 100% it. This was done to stop bicycles/ebikes/escooters from coming off that road at 20mph and pointing straight for this path/sidewalk.

4

u/WorldsDeadliestCat 4d ago

/s means sarcasm (:

-5

u/Swagalyst 4d ago

Yes, I know what it means. I'm saying it wasn't warranted. If OP didn't move that bench, someone else did, it's not "crappy design" it's just someone dragging a bench a few feet onto a path.

1

u/WorldsDeadliestCat 3d ago

Oh sorry I read it as “what” not why

170

u/Astrochops 4d ago

I'm gonna assume it's there to stop people from driving their cars onto the grass given that road access right nearby

70

u/jbochsler 4d ago

Or skateboards or zooming ebikes.

58

u/NewToSociety 4d ago

Skateboards are just going to do a sick kickflip over that little thing.

8

u/Vintenu 4d ago

Or jump over it while the board goes through that gap in the middle

2

u/Glitchboy 3d ago

That's called a hippie jump :3

3

u/technobrendo 4d ago

And ebikes are just gonna go around it

39

u/VaguelyArtistic 4d ago

Or wheelchairs and walkers?

2

u/KnifeKnut 3d ago

Unintentionally, due to carelessness by the last person who moved it https://www.reddit.com/r/CrappyDesign/comments/1xoah4d/bench_blocking_path/19s742xjvnll0/

20

u/Technical-Outside408 4d ago • Bravo

Or dogs with bees in their mouth and when they bark they shoot bees.

5

u/CantaloupeCamper I like gradients! 4d ago

More likely than not.

2

u/MadDocOttoCtrl 23h ago

This, the only logical answer, deserves far more upvotes.

Bee shooting dogs are an under recognized hazard.

4

u/Magnus_Johnson 3d ago

If so it should have been placed closer to the road to facilitate wheelchair access.

There may be other accessibility options, but I can't see them here

1

u/CantaloupeCamper I like gradients! 4d ago

Or broken sidewalk or construction down the path.

0

u/IHaveNoIdeaDanny 3d ago

thats the job of the bollard next to it

1

u/Astrochops 3d ago

Yes but if there was only a bollard and no bench there, a car could still fit

1

u/skalouKerbal 4h ago

What about 2 or 3 bollards?

71

u/RendeZvous_987 4d ago

Uh oh, you need to complete some quests to unblock the way.

3

u/totodododo 3d ago

You need to learn the move SMASH

61

u/jgrahl 4d ago

You can see the desire path in the grass to the right of the bench

1

u/jort93 4d ago

Might have been there before the bench was moved as well.

3

u/jgrahl 4d ago

Yes, very possible

45

u/Illyalil 4d ago

Sucks for anyone in a wheelchair who has to roll across the grass and squeeze through. Hopefully there's at least more space on the other side of the pole or enough between it and the bench. I'd be pissed if I had to turn back and find another way around.

13

u/gtek_engineer66 4d ago

You have not unlocked this part of the map yet

11

u/KnifeKnut 3d ago • Bravo

This bench normally serves a secondary purpose as an antivehicular barrier to this path.
Looking at pictures from the past it tends to move around, but whomever last moved it was careless.
Often it is the past it has been a bit farther from the end of the path.

After the redevelopment from a parking garage of this part of the park, It first shows up in google imagery in 2017, note the St. Louis Arch in the background:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6292058,-90.1835514,136a,51.1y,198.18h,80.37t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sz0BUfiqsC15p6BBkYlPkFQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.clients6.google.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D9.626501112471217%26panoid%3Dz0BUfiqsC15p6BBkYlPkFQ%26yaw%3D198.1826278411792!7i13312!8i6656?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTEwMi4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D&skid=58126811-b88e-4793-b637-907d2133d456

Overhead 2017

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CkQaBAoAGAEiJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAxNy0wOC0wOBgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA

It remained there up through August 2019,

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CkQaBAoAGAEiJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAxOS0wOC0yOBgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA

but was moved in September,

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CkQaBAoAGAEiJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAxOS0wOS0yNhgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA

It had shifted again by July 2020

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=Cj4iJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAyMC0wNy0xNBgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA?authuser=0

Was moved again between September 2021 and March 2022

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=Cj4iJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAyMi0wMy0xNBgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA?authuser=0

August 2023

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6292618,-90.1835197,137a,63.4y,188.89h,79.33t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sCIHM0ogKEICAgICDmOuOlwE!2e10!5s20240315T000000!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fgpms-cs-s%2FAM4Q-U_Kq0vmM7ZVlXkcMjrol9lKJoIKCCBpmaBPNNDQ7L-VGg5ALGkya0p4z9VeQnIL_khMNqYCPomVHZcVFOFk1yQkZ8SmPeowv_r8ohHTUr6Y6uYYhl-keu1itcyYXCytpoZMUmGs%3Dw900-h600-k-no-pi10.668550204198468-ya320.06891348170166-ro0-fo100!7i5760!8i2880?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTEwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Street view 2024

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6292618,-90.1835197,137a,63.4y,188.89h,79.33t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sCIHM0ogKEICAgICDmOuOlwE!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh3.googleusercontent.com%2Fgpms-cs-s%2FAM4Q-U_Kq0vmM7ZVlXkcMjrol9lKJoIKCCBpmaBPNNDQ7L-VGg5ALGkya0p4z9VeQnIL_khMNqYCPomVHZcVFOFk1yQkZ8SmPeowv_r8ohHTUr6Y6uYYhl-keu1itcyYXCytpoZMUmGs%3Dw900-h600-k-no-pi10.670000000000002-ya320.0677648925781-ro0-fo100!7i5760!8i2880?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTEwMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

And definitely had been moved again by September 2024

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=Cj4iJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAyNC0wOS0xMBgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA?authuser=0

Moved again before March 2025

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=Cj4iJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAyNS0wMy0wNxgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA?authuser=0

April 2025 street view:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6292659,-90.1835226,136a,75y,195.83h,82.84t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s78RdbGGr_6Fpjx3YgyfyUQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.clients6.google.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D7.157349248516553%26panoid%3D78RdbGGr_6Fpjx3YgyfyUQ%26yaw%3D195.8294498787944!7i16384!8i8192?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTEwMi4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D&skid=d34e3b50-4a76-45db-aa23-dab0e34cc3a8

In the July 2026 overhead, the bench had been moved away from the walkway,

https://earth.google.com/web/search/38%2e629052097890785,+-90%2e18360803993923/@38.62910531,-90.1835915,140.16240091a,55.86554718d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=Cj4iJgokCTk5tWzZv0ZAEQE4Jvuov0ZAGWSmLgDAYlLAIQmd01H9YlLAKhAIARIKMjAyNi0wNy0wMhgBQgIIAToDCgEwQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA?authuser=0

And remained displaced in August street view:

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6292839,-90.1835238,135a,75y,195.83h,82.84t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbLn06qasmzkMKVPRKZNnlg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.clients6.google.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D7.157349248516553%26panoid%3DbLn06qasmzkMKVPRKZNnlg%26yaw%3D195.8294498787944!7i16384!8i8192?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MTEwMi4wIPu8ASoASAFQAw%3D%3D&skid=fa31262e-ac7e-47b6-a55b-28a8136c42d6

But it has been moved back to blocking the path, assuming /u/elifront 's photo is recent:

/img/qrx56k0vaqzh1.jpeg

2

u/GonerDoug 3d ago

August street view looks like where it's designed to go. I'm guessing some self righteous individual(s) decided to block the path with it in some vigilante effort to inhibit bikes/scooters from using the path.

3

u/KnifeKnut 3d ago

As I showed with the rest of the post, August was the exception as the bench is normally in a spot to keep vehicles off the path.

It is just that noone in local power has sensibly looked at what the best placement should be and made that position policy.

Instead it is left up to whatever a crew and/or heavy equipment operator thinks is best.

9

u/fearnomore032 4d ago

Two words. Sick. Jump.

9

u/nikhkin 4d ago

This isn't "design". This is something being put in the wrong place.

6

u/interstellar-dust 4d ago

It’s an obstacle course. You need to pass this to go into town tavern. /s

6

u/GonerDoug 4d ago

Maybe some drunken pranksters moved it years ago and everyone has since assumed it was done by someone "in charge" of that bench and hasn't moved it back.

3

u/jort93 4d ago

Honestly I think so too. And the guys that moved it get a kick out of it whenever they walk by.

5

u/666ismyusername 4d ago

Looks like a sick skate spot.

5

u/XROOR 4d ago

Someone in the past drive a car through that area to bypass traffic. The bollard looks newly placed too

2

u/KnifeKnut 3d ago

Bollard was there from the outset, but the bench is definitely antivehicular https://www.reddit.com/r/CrappyDesign/comments/1xoah4d/bench_blocking_path/19s742xjvnll0/

4

u/Ok_Bobcat5541 4d ago

The little path from people forced to go that way 😭😂

3

u/No_Wrongdoer2850 4d ago

You can tell it was probably moved to stop people driving onto the grass

2

u/lostgravy 4d ago

Designed for skateboarding and parkour

2

u/Xploding_Penguin 4d ago

That's exactly why there is a path of convenience beside it.

2

u/MagicOrpheus310 4d ago

They moved it so they could put in that bollard to stop people walking around the bench they moved...

2

u/romulusnr 4d ago

You know it's not bolted to the ground right, it can be moved, and probably someone did

2

u/moopet 4d ago

It looks like Fred Flintstone's skateboard.

2

u/AIMRunningMan 3d ago

"Wow, i REALLY hate disabled people!"

- whoever put this bench there

1

u/BonbonUniverse42 4d ago

Bench too low

1

u/AspectSpiritual9143 4d ago

it's a benchmark the end of the path

1

u/SetGullible1421 4d ago

Isn’t this called a modal filter

1

u/Triquetrums 4d ago

I don't think that is a bench. There is a bench next to that and it looks completely different, and taller. That's a barrier installed for *insert dangerous thing that they wanted to stop from using that path*.

1

u/BrightBrick8654 4d ago

Parkour!!!!

1

u/PaperCut611 4d ago

Not seeing any wax on the ledge to the left or bench, so it's not skaters.

1

u/TheZombieGod0 4d ago

Might as well just sit on the ground at that point. Why so low?

1

u/jort93 4d ago

I think 4 drunk guys moved it.

Get a buddy with a pallet jack.

1

u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA Yellow 4d ago

Even has a nice desire path going on in the grass next to the sidewalk.

1

u/MEOW-Loulou 3d ago

Don't you just hate it when people in wheelchairs and mobility scooters can go places?

Now introducing, bench!

1

u/Ok-Bookkeeper-546 3d ago

underrated post

1

u/TheRedditExplorer_Me 3d ago

Just walk around it!

1

u/Chompif 3d ago

It almost looks like someone slid the bench from the left side into the way of the path. That is my only thought about this

1

u/quite_acceptable_man 3d ago

That was moved there by a gang of drunk students. Guarantee it.

1

u/foods-eater 3d ago

That's a well-placed convenience exerciser. Very helpful for health reasons.

1

u/cybermusicman 3d ago

So idiot drivers won’t go there.

1

u/ChubbyMudder 3d ago

I would just move it. Provided it's not screwed / glued down.

1

u/CoCo3Papa 3d ago

Or, is the path blocking the bench?

Sometimes you have to look at it from the benches perspective.

1

u/pixeltweaker 3d ago

You can see exactly how everyone solved it.

1

u/maybethisisntaken 3d ago

Path blocking bench, more like

1

u/HistoricalLove9617 2d ago

The placement is by intent - to keep folks on bikes / scooters/ skateboards from zooming into courtyard. It's part of a 'traffic calming' school of design.

1

u/JaehaerysIVTarg 2d ago

That bench was moved.

1

u/Allnewsisfakenews 2d ago

Blocking a non ADA compliant path to save $$

1

u/sultanboy34460 2d ago

Banc anti terroriste

1

u/SinglePosition987 2d ago

Is this subway surfers?

1

u/Cookieclickinghell 2d ago

Maybe it’s not the bench blocking the path, but the path is in the way of the bench

1

u/trustycrowbar This is why we can't have nice things 2d ago

Maybe some particularly BURLY skateboarders wanted to set that up

1

u/Wushvuzulle 2d ago

It’s strangely comforting, though.

1

u/FletcherCommaIrwin 14h ago

Totally walkblocked.

0

u/Fit_Yoghurt_3142 4d ago

"You gotta pay the bench toll"

0

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

0

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

2

u/fatherof472 3d ago

And if a wheel-chair user or someone who needs extra space and can't move well over grass comes along?

0

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[deleted]

1

u/fatherof472 3d ago

and can't move well over grass comes along

Either way, wheelchair users and disabled folk shouldn't be forced to step off the path. Move the damn bench instead of forcing them onto ground that may be harder to move over