Pothole Sticker Illusion

Hans Van Mulders found this optical illusion advertisement, and decided to share it with us: “This might be something for your website! Wish you success with your excellent site.” As you see from 3 images below, a large sticker of a pothole was laid on the road creating the illusion of the real pothole. Drivers would see it and slow down to avoid the jerk to their car but would feel nothing. The message “Feels Like Pioneer Suspension” was painted few meters ahead. If you like this kind of optical illusions, visit the “Billboards” section, similar illusion stickers were created by Duracell, Anti-smoking campaign of some sort, Jobsintown, 8TV… Oh, and here’s a little trick I’ve learned today. Open Google, type “find chuck norris” and press “I’m feeling Lucky”!



54 Replies to “Pothole Sticker Illusion”

  1. Sounds like a lawsuit just waiting to happen!

    What if I wasn’t paying attention (my fault), and at the last second noticed the potholes (their fault), jerked my wheel, lost control, and killed someone?

    I’d of course never admit I wansn’t paying attention, and liability would fall on them for creating a false scare that could result in bodily harm.

    Under U.S. law that probably qualifies as terrorism under the Patriot Act!

    1. chill out! its all in fun and games no need to freak over an optical illusion.

    2. “I’d of course never admit I wansn’t paying attention, and liability would fall on them for creating a false scare that could result in bodily harm.”

      That just goes without saying you don’t like taking responsibilty for your actions. if you were to admit that Both you and the Prankster would be liable.

      Personally, I would hone up to my mistakes

  2. U in US should start accepting some responsibility for your own actions if you are a fool behind the wheel and kill someone its not the stickers fault that you r not looking ahead when you drive

  3. Clint,
    I’m pretty sure they had to get all sorts of Goverment permits to be able to place those ads. Besides, they’re probably set in a low max mph area, in order for it to be truly appreciated and not cause major traffic jams.

    It’s incredible real!

  4. have to admit i agree with clint this is dangerous like theres not enough carnage on the roads without ppl adding to it just for advertisment of shocks dont need to be carless behind the wheel to panic when you see them as everyne is saying they look so real you could be the safest driver in the world see these and slow down before you realise there stickers and get rear ended, kids in the back ya worth it lose your kid have some persone devistated over killing a kid all to advertise new shocks…

  5. Nice illusion!

    However, say I see a real one around the same area and I think it is another one of those ads and don’t slow down?

  6. i think there super empose. look at the picture of the guy, the shadows dont look right and the lighting on the guy does not mach the the back ground.

  7. Definitely superimposed. Look at the traffic continuing as the guy works on laying the sticker on the road. Real work of that kind would be accompanying by cones and other traffic directing tools.

  8. that is fkin INDIA!! everything is allowed here…. There are real 2 feet deep holes on the road every 2meters.. so drivers arent that scared any ways…. lol.. its nice!

  9. I don’t think they’ve been layered in, considering a quick google about pioneer suspension will confirm that in fact they did do these ads.

    They certainly wouldn’t get away with it in Australia either.

  10. This is in India, there are no rules. The roads look like this without the stickers.

    If this were America, you bet there would be lawsuits before the stickers even touched the pavement.

    And for all the people who always say that images are photoshoped, (looking at you pat and joe)
    not everywhere does the traffic stop and workers get nice little plastic cones. Use your brain.

  11. Totally irresponsible and clearly shows the disturbing value system of the client. I would not buy a product from a company that sees putting people at any risk as a viable risk to increase profits.

    I truly can’t believe someone could be this stupid – and actually pay for it.

    Hey – why not a picture of a dead body! Surely that would work even better.

  12. Clint, shut up. You sound like an idiot. You are correct about the lawsuit thing, i would probably swerve. But when you start trying to sound tough and talking about the patriot act calling it terrorism you sound like a moron.

  13. Sure they look real in these pictures, but I think in real life you would know these are stickers. A flat surface looks much different than a concave surface. I doubt the stickers are placed next to existing potholes.

    If you kill someone because of one of these advertisements, you should not drive ever again. I’d hate to see what happens when you go over train tracks.

  14. I’m pretty sure that my mom would have crawled across these ‘potholes’ in order to cautiously maneuver them and not damage her car!!! this is really funny!!! lol!

  15. From hoax-slayer.com:

    According to this email forward, fake potholes are being placed on roadways in order to slow down drivers in an innovative attempt to combat the problem of speeding. The first two photographs show what appear to be quite large and deep potholes in the lanes of a busy motorway. However, the last photograph shows that the "potholes" are in fact strategically positioned stickers that have been placed on the roadway. Although they only consist of flat images of potholes, the stickers would look three dimensional and quite realistic to approaching drivers.

    However, the stickers are not used as speed limiting devices as claimed in the message. The text painted on the roadway a few meters ahead of each pothole sticker show their real purpose. In reality, they were used as part of an advertisement for Pioneer Suspension, a vehicle suspension supplier. The ad was intended to suggest to drivers that, with Pioneer Suspension fitted to their vehicles, they would enjoy a smooth ride even on rough roads. Information about the ad published on the Ads of The World website notes:
    POTHOLE STICLER – A large sticker of a pothole was laid on the road creating the illusion of a real pothole. Drivers would see it and slow down to avoid the jerk to their car but would feel nothing. The message "FEELS LIKE PIONEER SUSPENSION" was painted a few meters ahead.
    According to Ads of the World, the ad was created by Advertising Agency, Y&R Everest, Mumbai, India in 2007. It is unclear under what conditions or circumstances the advertising tactic was carried out. As many commentators have noted, unless the tactic was used in very controlled conditions, such fake potholes could actually be quite dangerous. Approaching drivers could swerve suddenly to avoid the "pothole" and serious accidents could result.

    A similar tactic was used in an ad for Ford Ranger in 2006. Ads of the World notes:
    The projects purpose was to allow drivers to experience the Ford pickup's attribute of softness on hostile surfaces. In order to achieve this, several floor graphics were imprinted with cracks, snow and/or mud in various city streets. Next to them, a road signal that read "This is how it feels, Ford Ranger" was placed. Drivers drove through a difficult road without feeling it; situation that led them to experience the unique softness of riding in a Ford pickup. The floor graphics were placed in lateral streets and parking areas with speed limits that didn't exceed 10 kilometers per hour, with the objective of looking out for the driver's safety.
    Such tactics might be quite effective as advertising mechanisms. However, given their potential to cause accidents, it seems doubtful that any jurisdiction would use such potholes stickers as speed limiting devices on busy roadways.

  16. Anonymous said…
    this aint in india ya fools because the text is writte in eglish and they dont speak english in india

    No only do they speak and write English in India, they do so far better than you appear able to.

  17. I agree with all that the use on a fast paced busy street is not safe but the placement at an intersection with a stop sign that people ignore would work.

  18. ok they speak english in india due to siomw incedet with the bbritish yada yada yada u can look it up people in india rely speak english and before u correct me i understand i am spelling words incorectly u dont have to be a jack about it oh and im not sure where these are probably in india

  19. Come in Bulgaria /in Europe,for illiterate/… they are absolutely real here…the worst roads you have ever seen!

  20. The whole thing is fake and gay. That’s not really him on the road. Look at the shadow, there should be some light coming in through his legs. He is photo shopped onto that road.

  21. That Chuck Norris thing is awesome! It says,”Google won’t search for Chuck Norris because Google knows you don’t find Chuck Norris, he finds you.”

  22. Just come to Scotland we have them that size for real. It’s like dodgems every time you go out in the car. The garages do a whopping great business on shock absorbers and broken springs

  23. I like your illusion of the street pothole. Where would someone find one of these and how much would it cost?
    I would one for my street to slow some of these idoits down.

  24. Where can I buy this? There’s this annoying biker that goes down my road and purposely revs his bike to set off our car alarm. We’ve told him to not do it many times, and he still does it. Just want this to teach him a lesson to not rev his bike especially at night to set off my car alarm. It’s really annoying, and my babies can’t sleep, then i can’t sleep and become tired the whole day.

    1. That’s really a shame. Maybe you should talk with the local authorities and see if there’s anything they can do?

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