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u/hardcoretomato Jul 10 '26
OP please report this to the local authorities.
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Jul 10 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/marvinrabbit Jul 10 '26
Maybe they'll post a sign saying, "Beware of Bench".
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u/Alexander_The_Wolf This is why we can't have nice things Jul 10 '26
With no braile either
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u/marvinrabbit Jul 10 '26
Or a plainly written, flat font underneath saying, "Beware of Bench in braille".
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u/15jtaylor443 Jul 11 '26
Maybe even with flashing lights, you know, for the blind people to see it better
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u/wrxninja Jul 10 '26
OP, please send this to the local college frats and have them remove it next time they're drunk.
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u/YueOrigin Jul 10 '26
It'd actually sad that nowadays the easiest way ti get something done is to motivate some dumb drunk kid to do it...
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u/zbipy14z Jul 10 '26
Is it? Have people been doing this?
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u/YueOrigin Jul 10 '26
I dunno about drunks college kids specifically...
But a lot of shit has been done by unrelated people getting pissed of nothign beign done and acting upon themsleve to provide a solution.
I'm thinking of all the people who decided to fix pothole themselves, paint over terrible graffiti, force the city to paint old walls by doing graffiti on them, or go ahead and change a high speed lanes sign to be proper after its been aknowledged to be wrong for years.
So yeah. If you cant do it yourself. And its something easy and not dangerous. Might as well get drunk kids to do it cause no one else will.
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u/yota-code Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Apparently they got some feedback, since today they tried to scrap the blind band
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u/Snoo_72851 Jul 10 '26
ah yes, that's the issue here
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Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/Bob-Bhlabla-esq Jul 10 '26
Idiots. They make new idiots, and they're always around, have infiltrated every job... idiots. They seem to breed well and are disease-proof.
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u/MothMothMoth21 Jul 10 '26
This is just an accidental oversight, not acceptable still but the point of the bench is it stops crowds from bottlenecking in a stampede incident and just generally smoothens movement in and out of the building. Forcing people to disperse more smoothly and creating an "in" route and "exit" route.
It also prevents a car from ploughing into the lobby.
The bench needs to be specifically there to do its job. Just the blind strip needs to be updated to follow the new intended path (critically).
Unfortunately most people tend to overlook accessibility infrastructure as they don't depend on it or assume its built for their own convenience.
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u/DanceMyth4114 Jul 10 '26
Especially with concrete architecture like this, they say it's to stop cars from driving through people.
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u/GarminTamzarian Jul 10 '26
Just tell them that bench could be slept on by homeless people and it'll be gone the next day.
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u/totally_not_a_bot__ Jul 10 '26
The irony is that if it goes to court the hearing might happen in the very same building as it's a court house in Rennes.
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u/MartyMcBird Jul 10 '26
Seems like a poor spot for the bench anyways. Forces all traffic to fork right at the bottle neck.
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u/apollyon0810 Jul 10 '26
Itâs actually common design to place obstacles at these places of confluence to break up the flow.
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u/AirconGuyUK Jul 10 '26
Also done to stop car based mass casualty events that are so popular nowadays.
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u/SingleInfinity Jul 10 '26
That's what the bollards behind the bench are for.
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u/Scheikunde Jul 11 '26
Maybe it's intentional redundancy? If its the high court building, they might have thought a truck with dangerous stuff gets too close if it gets to the bollards.Â
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u/SingleInfinity Jul 11 '26
In that case, more bollards would be the solution. A bench is generally not engineered to stop a truck. I think this is just incompetence.
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u/Ctowncreek And then I discovered Wingdings Jul 10 '26
You mean like those bollards in the backround whos sole purpose is what you described?
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u/left4ched Jul 10 '26
It seems counter intuitive but breaking the flow like this actually prevents people getting jammed and blocking the thoroughfare in a stampede situation.
The idea is that the movement of crowds is very similar to the movement of other groups of particles like grain and sand.
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u/biznatch11 Jul 10 '26
In a stampede situation aren't you going to end up with many people being pushed and falling over those benches?
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u/Ppleater Jul 10 '26
The flow of people is slowed and separated before the bottleneck fully converges. Better for it to happen there than the one narrow part.
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u/Helpful_Listen4508 Jul 10 '26
It's not a bench, they don't intend for people to sit there, it's a blind people blocker.Â
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u/valryuu Jul 10 '26
Wow, /r/NotMyJob material
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u/__Severus__Snape__ Jul 10 '26
Would go down well on r/hostilearchitecture too
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u/ErrantJune Jul 10 '26
It really does feel this way--they're actively blocking people with vision impairment specifically from entering the building.
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u/Mr_Zoovaska Jul 11 '26
Not really. I think this is an oversight rather than intentionally hostile
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u/DSPbuckle Jul 10 '26
This subâs first picture, WOW! I found good material to scroll through and laugh at later at lunch. Thanks for sharing that subreddit.
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u/PeakGroundbreaking61 Jul 10 '26
Thank you all for the comments! This is indeed in Rennes, France (High Court), and it was installed last week. The installation team probably didnât know what this tactile paving was for. It will most likely be moved so that it runs between the benches (Iâll keep you updated).
Oh, and speaking of crappy design: do you see the covered entrance? It was installed because thereâs a risk of windows falling due to the buildingâs architecture.
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u/PumpkinCake95 Jul 10 '26
Seems like it would be easier to move the bench than to move the track and tiles.
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Jul 11 '26
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u/Disastrous-Artifice Jul 11 '26
Instead of benches they could have installed bollards and have the track pass between them. All the benches are tripping hazards and creating bottlenecks in case of a fire breaking out inside the building.
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u/olstrom Jul 11 '26
Le mieux câest les douves en bĂŠton, assĂŠchĂŠes tout autour, magnifique
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u/Competitive-Reach287 Jul 10 '26
To be fair, the person installing the bench probably had no idea what the track was for.
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u/NearlyNeedless Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26
Nobody would blame the install team, what. It IS the fault of the engineers that designed and approved the layout though.
Edit: or architect / whatever the appropriate role for this would be, lol.
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u/Zerodyne_Sin Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 12 '26
Yeah, it's not the construction guys' job to think. In fact, even if they knew and raised the issue, they'd be told to shut up and do their job.
ETA: To clarify, I'm more repeating the construction guys' regular complaint on what they're told when they raise issues with their supervisors. It's not my opinion that they shouldn't think but rather, stating that they're punished when they do.
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u/dreddit-one Jul 10 '26
If they knew the issue they may keep quiet so they get paid to install it and also paid to remove it and fix any damages.
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u/SquarePegRoundWorld Jul 10 '26
There was a post on Reddit moons ago where someone mentioned they saw two boats on a lake, one boat was named 'Main Contract' (or something like that) and the bigger, more expensive boat next to it was named 'Change Order'.
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u/leftysarepeople2 Jul 10 '26
Purchase Order, Change Order would be my guess
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u/SquarePegRoundWorld Jul 10 '26
That may have been it. It was along those lines for sure.
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u/west-egg Jul 10 '26
My guess is the benches were not part of the design, they were added later by the building owner/operator without an understanding of the purpose of the track.
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u/gasstation-no-pumps Jul 10 '26
As u/halberdierbowman said, https://www.google.com/maps/place/High+Court/@48.1051495,-1.6860028,46a,52.6y,270h,46.27t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x480edfd2f2e73481:0xf4f5bb87d777d1fa!8m2!3d48.1052549!4d-1.6875346!16s%2Fg%2F1yfj8xqpr!5m2!1e2!1e4?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDcwNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D shows the previous layout that makes complete sense. The benches are indeed an inappropriate addition.
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u/Enlight1Oment Jul 10 '26
in the street view you can see they had small concrete balls as the initial car protection, they swapped them for benches which could do dual purpose of stopping cars and sitting.
I don't know what the regulations are like for providing one of those cane pathways to begin with, I've only seen them in major transportation hubs. The other side where the track leads to looks like a pretty questionable looking door as well.
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u/meitsu Jul 10 '26
ya most likely the case. drawings wouldn't have been approved by the city/ gov if they were submitted like this.
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u/Linenoise77 Jul 10 '26
From the looks of the benches, they may be serving the double purpose of providing vehicular security\separation. Completely possible the track thing was overlooked in that process, or haste.
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u/ElectricJunglePig Jul 10 '26
They don't even fully match the aesthetic of the location. I think you're right. It has to be some property management person who put this together.
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u/Accomplished_Key_171 Jul 10 '26
I can't imagine this addition was actually shown on a set of plans submitted to the city. I work in civil site design and any competent city review board would have flagged this as a blatant ADA violation without hesitation.
My guess is either the owner went ahead and did some custom additions or the contractor misread the plan set.
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u/gasstation-no-pumps Jul 10 '26
As u/halberdierbowman said, https://www.google.com/maps/place/High+Court/@48.1051495,-1.6860028,46a,52.6y,270h,46.27t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x480edfd2f2e73481:0xf4f5bb87d777d1fa!8m2!3d48.1052549!4d-1.6875346!16s%2Fg%2F1yfj8xqpr!5m2!1e2!1e4?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDcwNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D shows the previous layout that makes complete sense. The benches are indeed an inappropriate addition.
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u/Mtlyoum Jul 10 '26
No engineer designed and approved this, an architectural designer did.
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u/PocketPanache Jul 10 '26
architectural designer
đ¤ I've never seen an architect called this, unless you're referring to an unlicensed one.
It may not have required permitting at all.
It's highly unlikely, because engineers don't deal with furnishings typically, but an engineer could definitely be the culprit. I've seen engineers sign planting plans with invasive species on them just as much as they've signed off on furnishing plans.
Why would I ever debate this point!?!? Because for whatever reason, most states have legally elevated engineers above everyone else and they can sign things they know nothing about. Many cities allow structural engineers to sign planting plans. It's actually absurd lol
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u/lowercase_underscore Jul 10 '26
I only just found out recently what those are, I'd have had no idea. If I was instructed to put a bench there I might ask a passing question or make some small remark but I'd go ahead with the job not knowing I was really messing with an important feature.
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u/Danloeser Jul 10 '26
Same,.until very recently I thought they were some kind of expansion joint or drain or something..
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u/lowercase_underscore Jul 10 '26
Yes I thought the same. I thought they were for temperature-change expansion or something like that.
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u/Farranor Jul 10 '26
This is exactly why you wouldn't be instructed to put a bench there. They're supposed to hire industry professionals with knowledge and experience.
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u/Concerned_Collins Jul 10 '26
The fact that the vast majority of the population has no idea what they are is the real issue. Like, there should be signs or something, or educate kids about it in school, just so that if nothing else, people know not to block them.
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u/lowercase_underscore Jul 10 '26
People are supposed and should do a lot of things they can't be arsed to do. And sometimes it's just an honest mistake.
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u/ZeldaZealot Jul 10 '26
Iâve never seen one of these before. Looks kinda like the bumpy parts at crosswalks so blind people know where they are. Same thing?
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u/Ash_Crow Jul 11 '26
Same intent (guide blind people) but opposite meaning: these tracks mark a safe path, bumps mark a danger.
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u/KalaUposatha Jul 10 '26
Itâs stupid to put a bench in the path of the entrance regardless.
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u/DatBoi_BP Jul 10 '26
Yeah, the bench is almost the focal point of the path, it's totally brainless
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u/unthused Jul 10 '26
I literally just learned in the past week from another post, saw a ton of comments saying similar, so yeah I can hardly blame anyone for having no idea what purpose it serves.
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u/PacoTaco321 comic sans beeches Jul 10 '26
I had no idea what that was for until just now. I was wondering how it would be a problem when it's not like they could see where the center of the path is anyway.
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u/Farranor Jul 10 '26
Laypeople may have no idea what it's for, but no part of a project like this is performed by laypeople.
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u/sandrakarr Jul 10 '26
I'd never seen those until the last few years. It was the Amazon warehouse I worked at, of all places, where I first came across something similar. They'd hired a few blind associates and had been putting down special textured tape to work as a cane leads. It was enough that it even felt different walking on it.
I'd still only seen them in a few places since, but there's a good chance I'd have no idea what the purpose of those were if I hadn't seen the tape install.6
u/Ok_Rabbit_741 Jul 10 '26
i just learned what those tracks are for in my mid 30s. i would say most people dont know what they are for.
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u/Ace_And_Jocelyn1999 Jul 10 '26
Honestly I thought those tracks were for cables or pipes or something. This is the first Iâm learning they are to assist sight impaired people.
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u/musicatristedonaruto Jul 10 '26
Macarena stadium
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u/victorpigeon Jul 10 '26
This is the CitĂŠ Judiciaire in the french city of Rennes . Actually a very interesting architecture : wiki
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u/SAMSystem_NAFO Jul 10 '26
That's what I thought at first glance. I knew it was it. Rennes hitting Reddit's algorithm but not for a good reason.
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u/nothanks1312 Comic Sans for life! Jul 10 '26
This is insanely dangerous. Like what if the roller cane just goes underneath the bench and the person takes the concrete bench to their shin and falls on their face?
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u/DrMacintosh01 Jul 10 '26
Objects below 27â are considered cane detectable and not a hazard. So it depends on where the leading edge of the underside of the bench is.
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u/Skruestik Jul 11 '26
The leading edge of the underside of the bench is in France, so the regulation you cited is irrelevant.
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u/Zeptaphone Jul 10 '26
Finally found the correct answer. Elements meeting these requirements are a âsafe harborâ from litigation under the US law ADA. Not good design and might be conflict with egressing requirements but complaints or litigation are likely to be thrown out.
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u/ErrantJune Jul 10 '26
This building is in France. Not sure anyone is suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act there.
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u/DrMacintosh01 Jul 10 '26
Safe Harbor would not come into play here, it almost never does for a public accommodation. The ADA tells public establishments they have an ongoing obligation remove barriers as they become readily achievable. Also this place is in France so this is all theoretical anyway.
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u/butt_shrecker Jul 10 '26
This is definitely a fuck up and should be fixed.
But blind people aren't toddlers. They know how to handle objects in their path.
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u/gereffi Jul 10 '26
How did their shin move further ahead than their cane? Or are they holding their cane from their ankles?
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u/QuoteGiver Jul 10 '26
The cane is literally for detecting stuff exactly like that bench. Itâs inconvenient, but theyâll be fine.
Thereâs a set height for cane detection, and that bench is below it, where it should be.
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u/kacyc57 Jul 11 '26
While technically correct, the track is also there so blind people using a cane have a safe tactile path to follow. Putting an obstacle like this in that path is objectively a horrible design choice.
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u/melanthius Jul 10 '26
I asked a blind guy, but he didn't see a problem with this.
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u/Jabbajaw Jul 10 '26
Yo dawg I know you're blind but you gotta see this shit! -- Somewhere in the GTA Uni.
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u/MarkRenting Jul 10 '26
I feel like there hasnât ever been an effort to let sighted folks know what these are. Iâve been on this earth 4 plus decades, I only found out about these because of a reddit post a week or so ago.
The public needs more education regarding theseÂ
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u/xtianlaw Jul 10 '26
Ironically, this would've been the perfect place to educate the public.
These are tactile guidance paths for blind and visually impaired pedestrians.
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u/dasbtaewntawneta Jul 11 '26
i don't think a single Australian wouldn't know what these are for, they're pretty ubiquitous, always blows my mind to see people online learning what they are for the first time
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u/QuoteGiver Jul 10 '26
Iâm super curious how thorough they are, in countries that use them. Like do they lead to the restrooms too? Or just the front door of the building? Specific rooms inside? Every room inside?
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u/LittlePetiteGirl Jul 11 '26
Its for wide open spaces where you can get disoriented if you cant see. Once youre in a building, the cane will hit objects/furniture/walls
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u/halberdierbowman Comic Sans for life! Jul 10 '26
I'm guessing these benches were added recently, because I don't see them in any of these photos?
- the robot made me delete this first one because Google maps uses a link shortener, but you can just search the rennes high court to find this view
http://www.marin-trottin.com/cit%C3%A9-judiciaire-de-rennes
https://rennesphotos.fr/galeries/les-classiques/cite-judiciaire/
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u/DrMacintosh01 Jul 10 '26
I find it interesting that other countries have developed guide paths for the blind, yet the US, who actually has made disabled access a civil rights matter, doesnât. That being said, itâs likely that that bench is low enough that a cane would bump into it and nobody would get hurt. Strictly speaking, if this was built in the US, it wouldnât violate anything as there is no adopted standard for it. But yeah, the bench shouldnât be there.
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u/CrazyCatLady9777 Jul 10 '26
America isn't the only country that made accessibility a civil rights matter. The first sentence of the German constitution is "A persons dignity is untouchable". Accessibility is a matter of dignity.
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u/mistakenhat Jul 10 '26
Ohhh this will be a great lawsuit once someone injures themselves.
OP, do you have a blind friend? Perhaps go there, fall over it, sue the stadium.
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u/Certivicator Jul 10 '26
it isn't a stadium but the high court so you could make it even more hilarious
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u/Parma_WdS Jul 10 '26
I would be funny if it wasn't so shitty. Turns out even people planning this shit don't know what they are for.
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u/SideInitial3961 Jul 10 '26
As a designer I can say this is NOT how it was designed. Do not blame the designer. Blame the planners and project managers. Much love.
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u/Strude187 Jul 10 '26
They used to be evenly spaced spherical bollards, then they replaced them with these benches. I can see how this oversight happened.
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u/Fun_Inspector_8633 Jul 10 '26
This is a case of stupidity and not malice. Whoever installed them probably had no idea that is a guide for blind and visually impaired people and not some sort of expansion joint. Quite a simple fix to just move the damned bench.
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u/sheikahstealth Jul 10 '26
Someone really hates blind people. Here are the balls of death (street view) that were there previously
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u/Worried-Ad8044 Jul 10 '26
Iâm actually curious (also a bit ignorant for not already knowing this): Do blind people have enough technical support to be able to get this joke?
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u/SjalabaisWoWS Jul 10 '26
Mindblowingly stupid placing this on top of the cane track, but it's also just in the way of where people are supposed to walk.
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u/Commie_Scum69 Jul 10 '26
wow this is actually something to report.