Slow down... for a good laugh

Made out of cheap plastic and securely tied to a power pole, the fake gendarme has caused laughs for residents and visitors but drivers have also slowed down; which was the aim.

The caricacture was put up by nearby residents in Kervadail, Baden, Morbihan to slow traffic a couple of years ago and is now a bit of a totem.

Béatrice de Froberville, who lives close by, said: “It’s sympa. People know he is there and get their photo taken. And, yes, the drivers seem to slow down, too.”

The gendarme may be the worst but he is not the first as the town of Herbiers in Vendée was called a pioneer when police set up two ‘Daves’ (Dispositif Anti-Vitesse Excessive) on school streets to slow traffic.

‘Daves’ have now also spread to the eastern side of France with the village of Imling in Lorraine setting up two plastic fake versions.

The village handyman moves them every hour or so to keep drivers guessing.

Dummy cops have been used in Belgium since 2014 and are credited with cutting average speeds by 5kph and halving the number of driving offences.