Striking bike crash sculpture is making motorists “drive noticeably slower,” says artist

If any local authorities, faced with the prospect of a government seemingly intent on undermining years of active travel and traffic-calming policies, are on the hunt for a creative approach to highlighting the need to protect vulnerable road users, they should look no further than East Flanders, where artist Hilaire Smet has unveiled a rather unique reminder to motorists to slow down.

The striking sculpture, which features the legs of a hi-vis clad commuter cyclist lodged in a hedge while his broken bike lies on the ground, was installed in the Belgian town of Temse, at the notoriously dangerous junction of Houtbriel and Rupelmondestraat, where two years ago four people were injured in two separate collisions just 12 hours apart.

Since then, the local council has introduced a series of traffic-calming measures, including speed bumps and the implementation of a 30kph zone (just under 20mph).

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“It’s very effective,” artist Smet said of the mew measures introduced by the local authority, in an interview with Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.

“You cannot negotiate the traffic plateau at 30kph without damaging the car. Now they slow down. We regularly hear crashes at night when a driver takes the platform a little too fast.”

The success (at least during the day) of Temse’s approach to road safety inspired the 68-year-old former builder to construct his own additional traffic-calming device which, he says, has encouraged motorists in the town to shave a little extra speed off as they approach the junction.

While reminding drivers of their duties on the road was an important motivating factor behind the sculpture, increased safety for cyclists and pedestrians wasn’t Smet’s only objective in creating it, however.

“It was actually meant to be funny,” he said. “I'm known around here as a joker. As an artist I wanted it to look as lifelike as possible. The inspiration came because in addition to painting, I have recently also started working as a sculptor.

“Five years ago I retired and converted my warehouse into a studio. I work there with bicycle parts, among other things. One thing led to another…

“The legs are made with bicycle parts. I measured my own legs, so I didn’t have to look for trousers and shoes that fit. I also found the bicycle in the stable at the back, it belongs to my father. I thought it would come in handy!”

[Credit: Kristof Pieters]

Smet says the sculpture has gone down well with locals and visitors to the town, noting that “I see nothing but smiles and sometimes they stop for a photo. It has an effect”.

He continued: “I retired as a construction contractor five years ago. Recently, a customer for whom I built a house said that he also wanted to order such a traffic calmer. Maybe there is a revenue model in it.”

While there is certainly a tongue-in-cheek element to the work, Smet points out that the sculpture also serves an altogether more serious purpose.

“I am an avid cyclist myself,” the 68-year-old says. “A trip of 120km in a day is normal. This year alone I have 13,000km on the odometer.

“So, I know better than anyone how dangerous traffic is for a cyclist. On one bike ride I sometimes come into confrontation three or four times with a car whose driver had not noticed me or had noticed too late. I anticipate that, but I also realise that things could end differently if I were not so alert.”

Smet hopes his unique traffic calmer will remain in place at the junction for the foreseeable future.

“After all, it has an effect because the cars drive noticeably slower. Maybe I’ll think of other fun traffic calmers like this in the future. I am now working on one made from old mannequins.

“If I were to place one with a miniskirt on the street, the male drivers would undoubtedly slow down too,” he concludes, with a wink.

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With Flanders typically regarded as one of cycling’s true heartlands – as we noted in a feature on Belgian cycling statues earlier this year – Smet’s piece of art certainly isn’t the only sculpture devoted to all things two wheels in Belgium.

Though I’m not sure Tom Boonen’s legs or the plethora of Eddy Merckx monuments were ever designed with the ambition of slowing down drivers and protecting vulnerable road users.

But maybe, thanks to Smet’s pioneering work we’ll soon see a new statue of Wout van Aert or Remco Evenepoel reminding motorists to leave 1.5 metres while overtaking cyclists… Does anyone have the number of a Flemish council?