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Japan's Melody Roads Play Music as You Drive

Posted by samzenpus on from the someone-has-watched-stupid-human-tricks dept.

Krishna Dagli writes "The road works by using grooves, which are cut at very specific intervals in the surface. Just as traveling over small speed bumps or road markings can emit a rumbling tone throughout a vehicle, the melody road uses the spaces between to create different notes."

10 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. As in by renegadesx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    An oversized viynal? But what if you dont like the song?

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    1. Re:As in by Farmer+Tim · · Score: 5, Funny

      But what if you dont like the song?

      Change lanes.

      "No officer, I wasn't driving dangerously, I was in shuffle mode".

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    2. Re:As in by Debug0x2a · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sir, do you realize you were traveling at over 300 bpm? I'm going to have to ticket you for driving at prestissimo speeds.

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    3. Re:As in by omeomi · · Score: 5, Funny

      Should be an interesting way to gauge your own speed. Besides using an odometer.

      A lot of people find the speedometer easier to use than the odometer for determining their speed...

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  2. Reverse by pete-classic · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you drive up that road in reverse it says, "Paul is dead."

    -Peter

    1. Re:Reverse by noidentity · · Score: 5, Funny

      If you drive in reverse, someone's going to be dead pretty quicky.

  3. Re:Whimsy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    That platform is in Nagoya. It's called the "Area 21". The glass "pool" on the top collects rain water to nourish the grass areas around the area.

    The area beneath is used for a lot of purposes, from concerts to street soccer championships.

    Nagoya (and Japan) has a huge number of projects with the sole purpose of making the city life more fun and less stressful. Like the lamp posts playing smooth jazz in the evenings, or the carousel attached to a building close to Area 21.

    There are virtually no street vandalism, so they can put a lot of statues and art on the streets, and it stays untouched and unharmed.

    Of course it's not heaven on earth, there are problems, but in the lat 2 years it became my most favorite city.

    I lived in many places, Midwest, west coast, east coast, europe, singapore, new zealand, but so far, the city life in Japan is the best I have ever experienced.

  4. Deterrence by pavon · · Score: 5, Funny

    While it looks like these were done just for fun, one idea I have heard is to place them only in the passing lane, at regular intervals. This would discorage people from staying in that lane any longer than they need to, else be forced to listen to "It's a Small World" at increasingly annoying pitch the faster they drive :)

  5. Re:You mean like... by tjstork · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not yet. But your kids will be trying to sneak to Canada, I can guarantee you that

    More people have snuck into the United States in the last thirty years than live in Canada, I can guarantee you that!

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  6. Gravel road highway by heretic108 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Boy: Daddy, why are we driving on gravel road?
    Dad: I don't know, Watusabi. It was tar sealed road yesterday.

    (500 metres later)

    Boy: What's that sign say, Daddy?
    Dad (slowing down and reading sign): "This melody road contains copyrighted music. Under the DMCA, and Japan's copyright treaty obligations, this road has been dug up to remove the infringing notes"

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