Like Bott’s dots and cat’s eyes, the word neckdown comes from the language of traffic flow regulation. A neckdown is an extension of a curb that widens the path for pedestrians and slows moving vehicles. Also called curb extensions, bulb-outs, bump-outs, and elephant ears, they’re a means of slowing traffic without using signs or lights. A sneckdown is a neckdown naturally formed by cars driving on snowy streets. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Traffic Neckdown”
Grant, do you know what a neckdown is?
N-E-C-K-D-O-W-N.
Neckdown?
That’s where an internet neckbeard’s chest hair meets his beard.
Well, you’re the slang expert.
I don’t know.
What’s a neckdown?
I was reading about the language of traffic, and, you know, we’ve talked about that before, like bots, dots, and cats’ eyes.
Oh, sure, yeah.
A neck down is an extension of the curb that increases pedestrian space and shortens a street crossing.
If you saw a picture of it, you’d know what I’m talking about.
They’re also called curb extensions and bulb outs.
Oh, yeah, yeah, bulb outs, sure.
Oh, yeah, you know bulb outs?
Yes, of course I know those.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, they’re also called elephant ears or build outs.
Yeah, so these are traffic calming techniques.
Yeah.
People instinctively slow when they see these.
Right.
Without stop signs, without signage, you can force people to slow, and they don’t quite realize what they’re doing.
Mm—
Exactly.
And so they’re also called neck downs, I guess, because you make the neck narrower for the car to go through.
And a snick down is one that’s naturally formed by snow.
You know, if cars are turning.
Snick down.
A snick down.
Okay.
Yeah.
Very good.
Ooh, good.
The language of traffic.
There’s lots more.
Anyway.
