Sneaky Ways The City Controls People's Behaviors

#1 Fake Cameras

These days it seems like cameras are everywhere; inside every building, outside every building, on street lights, and on telephone poles. But did you know that not all cameras in your city are real? Some of the cameras you see are actually fake, put there to deter people from doing certain things.

#2 Benches

Have you ever noticed that the places around your city where you can sit, like benches, have middle arm rests, are sloped, have railings, or have some other barrier? This is intentional. These kinds of things are designed to keep people from laying down in these areas. The design keeps homeless people from sleeping in these areas.

#3 Half Benches

Half benches, like these, were created by a movement called 'unpleasant design.' They were created for the sole purpose giving people a place to lean on, but not a place were they can sit or lay down for long periods of time. This is just one way cities have discouraged people they deem undesirable, like the homeless, from loitering in certain areas.

#4 No Skating

Have you ever asked yourself why there are random metal studs along the edges of buildings or low walls? These metal studs, called "pig ears," are there to keep people from skating along these areas.

#5 Empty Police Cars

How many times has this happened: You drive down the road, round a corner, spot a cop car, and slam on the brakes. Once you get up to the car, you realize no one is inside. So why is it parked there? To make you think someone is inside, of course, and to make you slow down. It worked, didn't it?

#6 Rocks Under Bridges

If you've driven or walked under a bridge before, you've probably seen the rocks underneath the bridge or maybe on a steep slope. This is actually a design to discourage the homeless from making a shelter there. The pointy and/or uneven ground makes it extremely uncomfortable to stay.

#7 Small Openings on Trash Cans

In Switzerland, public trash bins have small openings. This is so people can't put large items in the trash cans. Although this design originated in Switzerland, it has been adopted in other places, including the U.S.

#8 Enticing Shopping

Almost every store where you shop, from the mall to the grocery store, features a design meant to pull you in and make you spend more of your hard-earned money. Lots of money goes into marketing and studying what will draw someone in. For instance, it was discovered that we perceive certain colors in different ways. We know that the color red not only draws our attention, it also tends to make people feel hungrier. Because of this, many restaurants utilize the color red in their advertising in some way.

#9 Anti-sticker Covers

In some places, sheaths are placed around poles to keep people from putting stickers or posters on them. You'll have to find another place to post your "lost dog" posters.

#10 Window Diamonds

These decorative stones look nice, but what if we told you they aren't there for decoration? Not all buildings do this, but the ones that do are trying to prevent people from sitting and sleeping there.

#11 Special Benches

This bench has been specially designed to discourage wrong doing. The bench has weird angles to keep people from staying on it too long and it is also graffiti resistant. The design is aimed to keep drug dealers from staying in the area.

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