Pavement parking could be prevented by installing the call devices along kerbs and pedestrian areas according to the inventor of the tool. The catclaw can be positioned on the side of kerbs and will unveil a lethal spike when the device is pushed down with force.
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The small dome will only take three minutes to install and requires no power supply or maintenance to run.
Catclaws do not pose a threat to pedestrians as they can only be activated by a certain weight passing over the device.
The ETA said the prototype model will trigger on 200kg and confirmed a cargo bike could, in theory, be heavy enough to expose the blade.
The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) which has developed the design said the device could have prevented recent terror attacks involving vehicles travelling at high speed.
Car-related incidents such as the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge attacks in 2017 may have had a different outcome if something had pierced through the rubber.
Inventor Yannick Read of the ETA claims the device could solve multiple issues surrounding road danger.
He said: “We’re addressing road danger – there’s a real problem with drivers parking on the pavement or driving on the pavement because they can’t be bothered to wait.”
However, the new device is unlikely to ever be made road legal due to the extra risks the tool possesses.
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Many road users may not be aware their tyre has been pierced at all which could lead to blowouts and car crashes on major roads in a safety risk.
Many motorists attacked the device online, branding the tool as a bad idea because tyres were a vital safety component of a vehicle.
Commenting on the group’s website, motorist Geofrey Biggins said: “If you punctured a tyre and the person was unaware and drove off they could have all sorts of accidents.
“What if it just caught the edge of a tyre and partially ripped the sidewall and the person then happily drives onto a motorway and has a blowout and wipes out a bus full of kids.”
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The tool got its name from the cats eyes that line major roads across the UK and also compress under the heavyweight of a car.
Pavement parking is only illegal in London where motorists can be hit with £70 fines for causing an obstruction.
Motorists are urged to not block pavements with their vehicle but this is not illegal across the rest of the UK.
However, this could soon change after the Transport Committee revealed plans to introduce a nationwide ban.
The group said pavement parking can have a considerable impact on many people’s lives and has put many locals at risk of social isolation.
Inventor Mr Read added: “We’ve shown the principle works. It wouldn’t be appropriate to put them everywhere. I’d be interested to hear their objections.
“It’s illegal to drive on the pavement, there’s no excuse to do it. So if you’re not breaking the law your tyres are safe.”
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