Grab a brick: Pedestrians flock to Granville Island to try safety stunt
Pedestrians could be seen waving what looked like bricks Monday, as they crossed a busy street on Vancouver's Granville Island.
Signs posted on either side of the crosswalk instructed people on how to be seen by drivers: Grab a brick from the basket provided, look left and right, and then wave the brick in the air while walking across the street.
"We found that when you introduced something with sharper corners, suddenly you’ve got people worrying about their paint, you’ve got people worrying about their windshields," said Luke Bailey of Vision Zero Vancouver, with a grin on his face.
He was smiling because the concept was all part of an April Fools' Day prank dreamed up by the organization.
At the same time, they hope the joke will lead to some serious discussions about road safety.
“What we really need is to build our streets and intersections more safely so that people outside cars and inside cars are kept more safe,” said traffic safety advocate Lucy Maloney.
The playful mischief was hit with pedestrians, with many people flocking to Granville Island just to use the crosswalk and take photos of the foam bricks.
Others who didn’t realize it was a joke thought “it was a ridiculous idea” until they caught on.
Vision Zero Vancouver actually came up with the idea several months ago, but decided it made more sense put up the display around April Fools’ Day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton dead following prison attack
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
2 children among 5 people hospitalized after head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's west end
Two young children and three adults were seriously injured in a major collision on Highway 417 between Palladium Drive and Carp Road in Ottawa's west end Friday afternoon.
DND moving 1,000 employees out of Ottawa office building due to safety concerns
The Department of National Defence is moving approximately 1,000 employees out of an office building in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood, citing safety concerns for its employees.
Baby dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to woman who was in police custody
A newborn is dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to a woman in police custody.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
Fast food chain value deals ramp up in the United States: What does it mean for Canada?
After years of price increases and a decline in customers, fast food chains in the United States are competing with each other and offering value deals in hopes of bringing more foot traffic into their establishments.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86
Marian Shields Robinson, the mother of Michelle Obama who moved with the first family to the White House when son-in-law Barack Obama was elected president, has died. She was 86.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.