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50 Times City Architects Failed To Understand People’s Needs, And It Resulted In These ‘Desire Paths’ Appearing Around The City
Merriam Webster dictionary defines a desire path as “an unplanned route or path (such as one worn into a grassy surface by repeated foot traffic) that is used by pedestrians in preference to or in the absence of a designated alternative (such as a paved pathway).”
This may sound like a pretty formal definition, but in its heart, desire paths show so much more than our daily shortcuts and preferred ways to reach destinations. They reflect routines, habits and presence of a living being, whether it’s a human or an animal. They stand like lines of traces carved well into dirt, grass, and anywhere, really.
There’s even this mesmerizing corner of Reddit, “Desire Paths,” “dedicated to the paths that humans prefer, rather than the paths that humans create.” Below we wrapped up some of the most interesting examples that capture our imagination.
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#1
The World’s (Actual) Greatest Desire Path! He Carved A Road Through A Mountain Over 22yrs To Shorten The Distance From His Village To The Nearest Hospital From 70km To 1km
btaglln 3 years ago
If I remember well, he started it due to his wife passing because of the time it took to get her to an hospital
Debbie 3 years ago
https://www.thebetterindia.com/18326/the-man-who-moved-a-mountain-milaap-dashrath-manjhi/
Bad Alchemy 3 years ago
This dude needs a Nobel Prize. If there are any qualified nominators out there, please nominate him.
Hayasahibaa 3 years ago
His name is Manjhi. His pregnant wife got injured while climbing the mountain and couldn't even reach the hospital in time due to inaccessibility. And so he decided to carve the mountain, with only a hammer and chisel.
Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
He did this because his wife was sick. It's sad he had to do that but he did what he did for love.
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
Can't forget, won't regret what he did for love.
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RELATED:
#2
My Cat Passed Away Last Night. These Were His Paths
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
I buried a cat a couple months ago, so I know the feeling.
Load More Replies... Catte West 3 years ago
Remember, those we truly love never leave us. They only move from the uncertainty of life to the safety of our hearts.
Donna Leslie 3 years ago
♥️Sorry for your loss. It leaves such a deep trench in your heart. Its so frustrating when people downplay the loss of a pet because they're not human.
Just a vampire (They/He/She) 3 years ago
Cats are some of the greatest friends we'll ever have. RIP lil buddy
#3
If You Try Sometimes, You Get What You Need
David Kennedy 3 years ago
Also Canadian.. would have went with the fence as well.
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BenMaharaj 3 years ago
If someone gets injured on your property they can sue you. I applaud the intent but a fence is wisest.
ThePalm52 3 years ago
It's called compromise for the good of everyone. There's too little of that in the world today.
Ann Coffman 3 years ago
🎼 What the world needs now, is compromise, 🎶 sweet compromise....🎵
Load More Replies... Max M 3 years ago
Nope nope nope. Suddenly there are people in your yard, killing your garden etc. If i wanted people in my yard, i would start a football team
Holly Gennaro 3 years ago
When I lived in Illinois, I had a huge flower garden in my front yard. A few younger kids, like age 4 or 5, came to my garden and ripped up a bunch of my iris and lilies "because they are pretty and want to give them to their mom." Sure! No problem! I've easily got over a hundred. Don't just yank, though. Tell me and I'll cut them off for you. So they brought those home. Momma sent them back for more! So I cut a few more, then said, "No more! The bees need some, too!" Within a week, my flowers were destroyed. Older kids, aged 13 and 14 were ripping the iris out of the ground, claiming they wanted some for THEIR momma. But when they'd yanked out the rhizomes, they flung the plants on the ground. Other kids were smacking each other with the rhizomes, holding the sword-like leaves. They stomped on them and crushed them. I wasn't allowed to put a fence in our front yard, so from being nice to two little kids, my entire yard was destroyed.
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XenoMurph 3 years ago
I'd have left a little sign explaining it's my garden, with a basket for donations. "Treat Toll Path"
Dandelion Girl 3 years ago
A very nice idea, but I bet people wouldn’t put donations in the basket, they would just walk through 😭😭
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Hippopotamuses 3 years ago (edited)
There is just one thing you may, or may not, need to be aware of. There is an old English law that essentially says, if you grant access to your property for a certain length of time (I recall it being 365 days, continuously), it can become permanent public access. It may not apply in Canada, but it does apply in some other Commonwealth countries which have not revisited this article of English Common Law.
When you want a shortcut, whether when going from the bus stop to the office or stopping by the corner shop, but the path designated for you seems way longer, you pick an unbeaten path instead. You soon realize that many others before you have already done that by traces it left in the grass.
Robert Macfarlane describes desire paths as “paths and tracks made over time by the wishes & feet of walkers, especially those paths that run contrary to design or planning”; he calls them “free-will ways”. JM Barrie described them as “Paths that have Made Themselves”. There’s something both fascinating and somewhat mysterious about them, so no wonder there are countless Reddit threads and communities dedicated to them.
#4
Generations Of Bunnies Have Worn A Perfect Groove In My Neighbor's Fence
Minath 3 years ago
It's a good idea to have a little hole like this if your entire garden is fenced as it helps hedgehogs use their usual foraging routes.
Fraxinus excelsior 3 years ago
When I replaced my fence panels, the old ones were as rotten as a pear I made a picket style panel,(used old bed slats) so that the local hedgepigs could still come and go.
Proverb Woman 3 years ago
Hedgepigs!!?? You are definitely not American ;)
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Jane W. 3 years ago
No bunnies allowed in MY garden, I'll tell you that. They destroy gardens.
Jessie 2 years ago (edited)
They really don’t. I’ve had wild rabbits/bunnies cross my yard for decades and they have never destroyed anything (the vegetables are fenced in).
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#5
After Our Dog Passed, We Turned His Desire Path Into A Forever Path
J 3 years ago (edited)
My mom did this while our dog was very much alive because he was ruining a path through her garden. She watched him one day, mapped out his garden routine, and built a little tiled concrete path along his route. He used that path daily and mom’s garden was never disturbed again. My mom is a professional engineer, by the way. “You can’t change behavior, so you need to design around it.” RIP Rufus 🐾
Gina Mangin 3 years ago
My heart is bursting..Im going to do the same for my Cedric when he passes❤🐕 Thank You 😙
Nul Nemo 3 years ago
Why not while he's still alive, so he can enjoy it too? 😳🌹
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Louise Stange-Wahl 3 years ago
So sorry to hear of your loss. Have been through this many times. Know that they'll be waiting for you at the Rainbow Bridge!
#6
Desire Path Of A 17yo Kitty
Mary 3 years ago (edited)
We had a Siamese that lived to 20+ years. As she aged, I now see the similarities in their body image. My mom kept ours for too long but we all were there for her needle and a little funeral in our backyard. I was 5 YRS old when my Dad first brought her home, I remember clearly. As a kitten she hid under a chair and I couldn’t get to her, lol!
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Sherry Allison 3 years ago
Extra love for him I have one turned 16 this month. He's thinner and can't jump high anymore so I worry about him. I've had him since he was a little hand sized feral born baby. He gets lots of kisses now.
A. M. France 3 years ago
You have done a wonderful job so far. Keep at it. You’re the cat mom that little feral boy needed ❤️
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Yoga Kitty 3 years ago
They often start to look a bit ruffled and ragged with older age as they lose the fat under the skin and the fur starts to look a bit "unkempt" - that does not mean that they are not cared for...
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Virginie Michaud 3 years ago
Older cats don't drink enough and it causes their kidneys to fail. Having a foutain and feeding them a little wet food helps. My oldest cat was 22 years ans 10 months when she passed, and only started looking like this her last 6 months. A lot can be done to improve and extend a cat's life, starting with quality food.
Emily mack 3 years ago
Bro my 15 year old cat looks like she’s made of bones… how does your 17 year old cat look like that…?
A. M. France 3 years ago
Try YuMove. This isn’t an ad or anything but my cat looked the same at 15 and I got really scared because I thought she was going to die :( My mom had bought the dog version for her old girl so I thought I’d get the cat version for Quintilian. She put on weight and her fur completely recovered in a few months, then she started getting the zoomies again! I’m so happy I got my funny energetic girl back :) I thought I’d reach out just in case it helps your cat too. They are the best creatures 🐈⬛ ❤️
Load More Replies...To find out more about this mesmerizing community on Reddit named “Desire Paths”, Bored Panda reached out to its moderator C.M. Gillespie, who happily shared some insights. “When I originally joined the subreddit, it was about 3000 subscribers deep. I’d seen someone mention it in a comment section, likely on a post of a desire path on /r/pics or a mention in /r/AskReddit of these paths being paved following natural foot traffic on a college campus,” the mod explained.
They also recounted: “A user named SecularScience created the subreddit after someone posted a picture of a desire path on another subreddit, probably /r/pics, and a commenter noted that they have a name! It emerged out of curiosity.”
#7
The Oval Walkways At Ohio State University Were Paved Based On The Students' Desire Paths
Passerby 3 years ago
Well, changing the path to fit the human is easier than changing the human to fit the path. The students at my school often just cut the corners of the lawn in front of a building, as that was the shortest route. There was an attempt to stop them from doing that, but with no avail. The school finally gave up and just built a walking path through that corner of the lawn.
Aunt Messy 3 years ago
This is what they did at the university I went to, periodically they would have aerial photographs taken, then build sidewalks based on the paths students had made on the lawns.
Jay Krissy 3 years ago
They did that at my University too. They built a new commons/cafeteria and place a dont walk on the grass sign on the lawn that seperared it from the other lecture halls/buidlings. Welp there was a diagonal line leading tfrom the commons door to thr closest building..lol. They eventually had to create a proper concrete path..😅
Randy Klefbeck 2 years ago
Likewise at University CA Irvine when the central park area was first laid out.
#8
Found This Beautiful Path Earlier This Year
No Name 3 years ago
Looks like one of the gardens in Copenhagen. Frederiksberg if I had to guess.
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Ruby 3 years ago
Crocus are some of my favorites, they always grew around my childhood home in early spring.
Load More Replies... PenguinQueen 3 years ago
I live in the UK and see places like this all the time - finding it strange that a lot of people here can't believe this is real
LisaW 3 years ago
I live in a swamp. This is like something out of a Disney movie to me.
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#9
Found A Lovely One In Dorset
Mary Peace 3 years ago
I just went through the same thought-process, Paul.
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Phil Green 3 years ago
The path through the cornfield I used to walk with my son to school and back was actually on an ancient map. The path was clearly visible in summer, through the corn. But what struck me was that there had been a path there for centuries and even when the farmer ploughed it and planted it, the path was still there. Nothing grew on it. It was also the site of a battle during the English Civil War.
According to the moderator of the Desire Paths subreddit, to this day, word of mouth continues to be how the community finds each other. “When someone unknowingly posts a picture of a desire path, people tag the subreddit and the community grows.”
Gillespie told us that desire paths are so fun to spot. “Once people know they have a name, they start seeing them all over the place. It’s a ‘once you see, you can’t unsee’ scenario.”
#10
Doggo Desire Path At A Local Off-Leash Park. Remember That Pavement Can Be Too Hot For Paws On A Sunny Day!
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
there are a couple of nature preserves in the city I live in with paved paths and on the sides of all of them are paths like this that dogs have made! I love it!
Hobby Hopper 3 years ago
They really should be using white concrete. I know it can be hard on the eyes, but it's much cooler on the feet.
Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
If it's too hot for a dog to walk on a path, it's too hot for the dog to go out period. Get up early and walk your pet before sunrise and walk again MUCH much later. By all means buy your doggo some shoes but still do not take the dog out unless early morning or a few hours after sunset. Dogs overheat very easily and cooling them down is a tricky process. If you get it wrong you can kill them.
Irish woman abroad 3 years ago
Well, I must have the weirdest dig ever. In summer, I do look for as much shade as possible, but she would rather walk on the hot road or gravel than the grass if she thinks there's the slightest chance of food around! (and by food, I mean any old c**p that she can smell).
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Riley Quinn 3 years ago
I was on our local bike path and saw a man continuously yanking his dog onto the hot asphalt. He was totally oblivious to the pain this was causing his dog until I stopped to explain the dog's behavior. Fortunately for both me and the dog, he understood and complied.
No Name 3 years ago
Could also be a joggers' path. Pavement is hard on the joints, dedicated running shoes can get very expensive, and roads and sidewalks are often occupied across their full width. I see a lot of these around the Lakes in Copenhagen wherever there's a paved footpath with grass to one side, and they always have joggers in them (and people passing groups walking 3-4 abreast).
Marcia Garcia 3 years ago
True. This is a crucial daily activity for my 2 old dogs.
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Evelyn Haskins 3 years ago
Although-- WHY is there a sealed road in an off-leash dog park???????
#11
It Took 4 Years
Amy Preston 3 years ago
Perfect! No more muddy shoes on the train after rainy wet days! Win-Win!
#12
The Ants In My Garage Built A Bridge Over My Glue Trap
anon panda 3 years ago
if you're interested in ants look up ant Canada on youtube
Load More Replies... Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
I'm glad they did because glue traps are vile contraptions. Just let them be.
ThreeAngryLlamas 3 years ago
Good. Glue traps are disgusting, inhumane torture devices that should 100% be illegal.
Jaya 3 years ago
Glue traps are terrible, can you imagine what a horrible experience it must be for an animal to be stuck while they're starving, just waiting, in agony from hunger, feeling their body get worse and worse until they finally die? Don't do that to an animal.
Ellen Lanser 3 years ago
spiders do that all the time with flies - and I don't mind that much ...
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Seth 3 years ago
I don't advocate being cruel to living creatures, but I also live in the real world where sometimes you need to eradicate ants. Glue traps don't work (they'll kill less than 0.1% of the colony) and they're about as cruel as a trap can be (they slowly die of thirst over days). To actually rid yourself of problematic ants, mix 3 parts sugar with 1 part borax, then leave small piles of of where the ants frequent. They die shortly after eating it, the whole colony will be gone within 2 days, and it doesn't contaminate your soil. Never glue traps.
According to the Redditor, “If you haven’t noticed a desire path before, look for worn-down grass made by people who step off the sidewalk and decide to take the shortcut instead. They’re not the designated, paved paths. They’re paths that are trod on the grass in between.”
Interestingly, in Dutch, they’re called “elephant paths” by some people, though Gillespie said they are not sure if that term is commonly used. “I think the translation is Olifantenpaadje. Someone on the subreddit said they’re called Trampelpfad in German.”
#13
The Never Ending Path
Tothetaint42 3 years ago
How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Cathelijne Van 3 years ago
Can you imagine how lovely it would be if they were to plant oaks and other trees to make it more, you know, nature...
Rylosalex 3 years ago
Colorful leaves falling and twirling in the wind......the ground covered in crunchy fresh smelling colorful leaves creating a beautiful carpet.....*sigh*
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Vicko Fidelis 3 years ago
Walking among those trees every day is probably the most beautiful thing in my life
Mary 3 years ago
So beautiful with the sun catching part of the trees as it sets. I would like to live very near there. I’m smelling the faint scent of the flowers and can feel the warmth if the season in the air. And. From my pretend condo on the left, I can hear kids playing there, on their bikes..
#14
I'm In A Long Distance Relationship With My Girlfriend, And This Is Where I Walk When I'm On The Phone With Her Every Night
Greg Voevodsky 3 years ago
Damn, you got a pacing problem. Find a new path, ride a bike, something less stressful. This is going to work out for either of you.
Load More Replies... Rachel Mion 3 years ago
my husband and I lived next door to each other before we married, and there was quite a path between our houses.
Thundercuss 3 years ago
Oh, but it is. Not measured in linear distance but in steps taken.
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No Name 3 years ago
This just begs for pavers or gravel with a flower bed at either end, a flowering shrub behind the T intersection, and some ivy or fern filler along the back. Bonus points: it'll impress the gf when she visits. Depending on the local climate, a pack of grocery store flower seeds could go pretty far if the plants in question are perennials or self-seeding.
Pursuing Peonies 3 years ago
Add a bench somewhere in there and maybe a little fountain/bird bath/sculpture and it'd be absolutely amazing. Definitely take a little while though.
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MiriPanda 3 years ago
Looks like the circles Scrooge McDuck makes, when he's worried about somethinh :)
Rylosalex 3 years ago
Or the path that Rachel from Friends walks whenever she's on the phone
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Riley Quinn 3 years ago
I think you mean pace. Otherwise, it's a very short walk implying a very short conversation.
#15
Ux vs. Design
zububonsai 3 years ago (edited)
"Mankind moves like water, always prefers the shortest way possible." Architects and landscape architects who design longer "more beautiful" routes and ignore this basic traffic knowledge deserve to be shot by martial law. (This is the hill I'll die on, I'm a parcel deliverer 😡)--- Every pedestrian suffers and swears silently... What's the point in making your customers uncomfortable??! Like in the picture above: A sliiight curve in a shorter way would have been okay (like the shortcut created by "walking voters"), the paved craziness is just a sad sight.
Leslie Harris 3 years ago
When Sheridan College was designed, they didn't put in paths the first term it was open, beyond the ones immediately around the building, they let the students and staff find the quickest routes between buildings and parking, and the city sidewalks. Once they worn paths were in place they paved them.
Courtney Christelle 3 years ago (edited)
Waste good space paving paths no one uses. Leave the green alone.
Robert B 3 years ago
Where I went to college at they started building walls to block shortcuts. Come back from summer break to see students walking back from short cuts pissed off cos a wall is there now.
Pursuing Peonies 3 years ago
As well they should have been. They're paying to use that service, it should be made for them, not literally against them.
Load More Replies... Alexandria Z 3 years ago
Designers mindset is A straight square block is cheaper than a curved one so that equals more profit to go straight. Sad but usually true.
Predator liquifies -loading 3 years ago
What can I say…all animals chose a shorter path, even if the longer one is clearer
Whitefox 3 years ago
I kind of understand this.. Many cities have an easement for the sidewalk and the rest of the property belongs to the property owner. Theoretically, If some one tripped and broke their leg using the dirt path over private property, they could sue the landowner. Alternatively, the land owner could have people trespassed if caught on their property. Now, as far as paths on public walkways, be smart!
Andrew Furman, a professor in interior design and architecture at Ryerson University in Toronto, has been researching desire paths for years. According to him, they tell us something about “the endless human desire to have a choice. The importance of not having someone prescribe your path”.
“An individual can really write their own story. It’s something really powerful if you do have that agency to move,” Furman argues. Desire paths allow us to “not follow the script,” something that can be interpreted as a form of resistance. This is because in a heavily constructed city, there are “rules as to how public and public-private spaces are used”, Furman believes.
#16
At The Student Residence. I Tried To Walk The Intended Path For Once. It Was Long
Amused panda 3 years ago
Presumably constructed with so many curves to allow disabled access without too steep an incline.
Deborah B 3 years ago
As a wheelchair user, I concur, and am grateful, but there's no reason they couldn't have both paths.
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Michael Largey 3 years ago
Or it was the path they figured drunken college students would take on their way back to the dorm.
John G 3 years ago
Yep, probably the Drunken Desire Path and they paved it.
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john s 3 years ago
...and the architect's proposal: "a meandering path encourages students to slow down after classes, introducing a guided meditation into the everyday walk home."
Nannerdog 3 years ago
Me trying to explain my poorly thought out argument in an essay due in 30 minutes
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Tina Harnish 3 years ago
At a university? Doesn't say much for the brains who're supposed to run the place.
#17
Superstition
Dodomaster Lord of chickens 3 years ago
Why has it taken so long to be repaired though, I mean there's an entire path around it.
Alienking06 3 years ago
I think it's actually a supporting beam, not broken.
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Nenya 3 years ago
I’ve heard about walking under a ladder would bring bad luck, but haven’t heard that about support beams..
Devil's Advocate 3 years ago
It's a religious thing, anything that breaks a triangle which represents the holy trinity
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Green One 3 years ago
what? cyclists on a penny-farthing or 8ft unicycle? or giraffes on a normal bike?
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Bradley Skotko 3 years ago
Here in the US, utility companies will place poles like this in strategic locations. They are used if a nearby pole breaks and a replacement is needed. The workers can go to the nearest location with the standby pole, unhook it from the pin connection at the top and move it to the new location. It saves from having to truck in poles from a further away storage location and restores power more quickly.
Boris’ Mom 3 years ago
Question: if it was a guy-wire instead of a post, would people still walk around?
#18
Desire Stairs
Sara Carnes 3 years ago (edited)
I'd still either fall down it or fall up it no type of stairs will help with this issue 🤣😂
ohlordylordy 3 years ago
Is it just me? Or do you also feel a need to place round beach stones in these holes like eggs in a carton?
#19
This College Paved Over The Desire Paths After Waiting A Year To See Where Mud Trails Formed
Thefishtankguy 3 years ago
I said that exact thing right before I saw your comment!
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Riley Quinn 3 years ago
Be still my beating heart. Designers patiently waited to see where to place the paths.
#20
My Dog's Desire Path Is Filling Up With Flower Petals. Looks Pretty At The Moment!
Neir Lucan 3 years ago
And then you find him reclining, with a rose in between his teeth, candles lit...
#21
Yes Yes Yes!!
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago
Although "Paths of Desire" is still #1 for trashy novel titles.
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Alleman Jennifer 3 years ago
Apartment complex put in zero paths during construction. Once everyone moved in, they waited awhile until the desire paths were established then came back and construtced those paths. Pretty smart.
Thundercuss 3 years ago
Does the desire path remain a desire path once it has been made and official path? I think it does if it remains the chosen path.
#22
Honestly I’m Not Sure What They Expected
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
usually those circles are put in for cyclist so they can turn around easier. But they should have anticipated walkers not using it and paved the middle as well.
Headless Roach 3 years ago
Looking at how sharp the roundabout entry is - it will not work even for cyclists, I am afraid.
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Gloria Bethallen 3 years ago
Am I crazy or is that a face?! Edit: I didn't see the other comment about this
Max Robitzsch 3 years ago
Actually, this is what's called "helicopter architecture" - looks great from the air, on a plan. Is annoying or simply invisible from the ground.
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#23
Desire Path Spotted On The Campus Of Monster's University
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
That's Pixar for you - they always pay attention to the little details. Everything from desire paths to what a chef's uniform would look like if its wearer fell in the river. (They actually got one of their employees to put on a uniform and jump in a pool).
Neir Lucan 3 years ago
I feel like there should be tons more though, since the demographics are so radically different for monsters.
#24
Found This As A Post On Facebook. Elephant Paths Anyone?
Antonia 3 years ago
Is true. In a new neighborhood the counsel took pictures in the snow to see how people prefer to walk.
AW 3 years ago
that's a great idea, it would give them a sense of the paths people prefer w/out having to wait years for the worn-down paths to show up
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Linda Jansen 3 years ago
I am dutch. I never heard it being called an elephant pad. and I think this was made by cyclist.
Ellie L 3 years ago
There even is a book about it. https://www.jandirk.com/olifantenpaadjes.html
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Mike Quinn 3 years ago
Also, kids on bikes usually get those kind started. Can't ride the stairs very easily
#25
Does This Count? A Footpath So Badly Constructed Nobody Wants To Use It
Laura Ketteridge 3 years ago
Too uneven! If a person tried to use the constructed path there would be a very real danger of falling and twisting/breaking an ankle.
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#26
Not Sure If This Is Allowed. Swimming Paths Made By A Moorhen On The Way To And From Its Nest
Donkey boi 3 years ago
I don't care what the rules are for this sub. I'm saying this is allowed!
Charlie Birkner 3 years ago (edited)
" haha they'll never find my home, because they'll never figure out which way I went!"
#27
The Sidewalks On My School’s Quad Are Not Symmetrical Because They Were Installed Based On Where The Grass Was Worn Out…
M Madalena Og C 3 years ago
But actually, this is what I learnt (25 years ago!!) that urban design was made! They would't pave until the desire paths were clear, because those are the most 'clever' ahd shortest paths! I can't believe this is not obvious now...
Jean Thompson 3 years ago
I can see a tiny desire path to the right of the crossway, just before the joggers.
#28
One Step Desire Path. Shortest One Ever
Heather Nemanic 3 years ago
Or it could just be some Dogs favorite relief station. Have you ever noticed a Dog never hits the pole very well…
#29
My College Put Sod On The Path And Put Up A Sign. The Students Listened To The Sign And Created A Path Next To The Sod
AffenpinscherMom 3 years ago
While many other colleges are paving the desired paths, you have to deal with this.
#30
She’s Made A Few Desire Paths. I Like This One The Most
Ria C. 3 years ago
Took ours no time honestly. There are fence paths and a path straight to the neighbor's back fence. That one took less than a month, although the grass still grows even when mowed it is visible.
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#31
Google Acknowledges The Desire Paths On Our Campus
Nizumi 3 years ago (edited)
Google did this to me in Barcelona. That "path" along the wall? Yeah - Google Maps showed that. IMG_7299-6...39828d.jpg 
Nandang Duryat 3 years ago
It's from a map contributor, you may create your own map's path based desired path at any place on the map.
#32
This Path In Russia Is Very Desired
Greg Voevodsky 3 years ago
I take it this path points to Mecca and people travel on it often during times of prayer must suddenly stop.
Load More Replies... BG 3 years ago
These are new rugs being purposely worn down to be sold. Worn rugs are sold as antiques and cost more.
Moo Moo Futch 3 years ago
So basically, a scam then. Because of that I hope people walk around the rugs. That'll learn em!
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Riley Quinn 3 years ago
I used old carpeting, cut in strips, in my gardens to keep the weeds down instead of sending it all to the landfill.
#33
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
Green One 3 years ago
0.004 miles is 6.5 metres (21 feet) it should be 0.002 miles, about 10 feet
Pursuing Peonies 3 years ago
The roots and rocks are natural steps which is safer and easier than the bare ground in some places as the dirt turns slippery when compacted.
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#34
Was Told To Post This Here, So Here I Am Posting This Here
Deborah B 3 years ago
Someone needs to add another sign. "Please pave the path that fills the purpose that the users have defined. -Thank you, the community."
Kevin Doyle 3 years ago
That is so lazy and condescending, the sign itself with labour included is probably half the cost of the path.
#35
Squirrel Desire Path
Skylar Jaxx 3 years ago
Looks like it goes to the light pole. To eat go up to eat or store what they got from the tree and watch for things the humans drop
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Trisec Tebeakesse 3 years ago
Boston Common! (Squirrels are tame, too - you can hand feed them.)
Ann Coffman 3 years ago
Notice the thin house wedged between the two much larger buildings? Desire House!
#36
Well Worn Wall Mart Path. Deepest I've Ever Seen
Sara 3 years ago
Oh my gosh! This is the Walmart nearest to where I live and I got way too excited that I recognized something on Bored Panda! Hahaha! Anyway, this is not where all of the employees park, it's on of the parking aisles closest to the door and they're always really busy. The person that took the picture is actually standing in a parking space. If you parked here you pretty much open your door and have to step out onto the grass because it's so close. I saw another comment say it looks like it was made by a bulldozer, but it wasn't. Over the 15 years I've lived in this town I watched it go from a tiny desire path and people kept traversing it and it really did just get that worn down naturally.
Nathaniel Reeves 3 years ago (edited)
Yes!!! Right there on Loop 288, Denton Texas 😎 and just like you, I was also way to excited lol
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Bryan With a Why 3 years ago
"Wall Mart"? Really? It's literally spelled in the picture for you! 🙄
Kylie Mountain 3 years ago
This appears to be off to the side of the building. This could be the area where all the employees are parking; or, I know of a few places just in my local area where these big box store lots are adjacent to apartment complexes, and there's trails showing where the residents walk over to get groceries.
Ann Coffman 3 years ago
Maybe one day there will be a Walmart on every corner?
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Candice Cook 3 years ago
We have one of these next to a store in my neighborhood. The sidewalk that leads around to the entrance is on a really busy road with no protection from traffic so people made their own shortcut.
Ruth Hempsey 3 years ago (edited)
This reminds me of an old farm wagon way I used as part of the shortest route to visit my Nana. The hedges on either side were way higher than the path itself , worn down by probably centuries of passage. There were roads like that all over my home county in northern England and no doubt elsewhere in the country and Europe in general. Including Roman ones.
#37
It Seems We Desire A Sidewalk
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
it amazes me how many cities don't have sidewalks everywhere. The city I live has tons of places without sidewalks and there are people walking all the time. I mean we have 2 major sports arenas in our city and there are sidewalks there but just two blocks over... no side walks. like what?!?!!?
Headless Roach 3 years ago (edited)
Whenever I can, I'll prefer walking to driving. Visiting US a couple of times (different states) I was really surprised how many places didn't have any sidewalks. Bad luck?
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Robert Trebor 3 years ago
I went to a restaurant in Sacramento, California, walking from my hotel. After crossing the street at the crosswalk with the building on my right, right at the corner, thickly planted hedges prevented access until I walked all the way to the far end of the building, and even there I had to enter using the driveway, as there was no walkway. Yikes!
Hobby Hopper 3 years ago
I love that blooming clover. Small grass and clover flowers are my favorite.
Karen Grace 3 years ago
As a kid our yard was full of different colors of clover and "sour bananas". We loved it.
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Karen Grace 3 years ago
And the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge in the background. I've always been intrigued by bridges.
Load More Replies... #38
People Made A Desire Pentagram Inside A Big Roundabout
Keerthi Vardhan 3 years ago
Humans by nature choose least resistant path, presumably a straight line to destination
#39
My Dad Shoveled A Path But The Rest Of The Family Decided It Was Too Far
#40
This Desire Path Has Slowly Disappeared Now That No One Is Coming To The Office Due To Covid... Wonder How Many Others Are Disappearing
UKGrandad 3 years ago
Just shows that nature will repair itself once we're no longer around to continuously damage it.
Dip thong 3 years ago
Earth is going to do this one day. Just as soon as she slings us off of it.
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Ann M Clinkscales 3 years ago
Interesting! That could be the next segment...what else is disappearing at work due to lack of use/people to keep it going?
Ann Coffman 3 years ago
Vending machines? Used coffee grounds, paper cups, paper waste, much less trash in general?
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Joel Young 3 years ago
Nature will take over...tame that wild beast! Looks like someone's been keeping up with the lawn care. Go figure :) Looks good. Kinda like the people that learn to stop chewing on their fingernails until they're bleeding from little nubs, and they learn to use fingernail clippers. Success!
#41
Restrictions In Poland Hitting Hard
Obvious Decoy 3 years ago
With the width of the track it looks like they set up a dirt track baby racing league.
Sherri Mantooth Bagwell 3 years ago
No matter the restriction, those colicky babies need to be walked...a lot!!
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Carman Davis 3 years ago
Poor thing. Mom getting her exercise while strolling baby OR said baby will not/can not (colic) sleep so mom is doing her best!
#42
If This Isn't A Big Enough Sign That You Need To Trim Your Hedges More Often I Don't Know What Is
Valerie Page 3 years ago
Of course it's here. Look how close our houses are together and on what side of the road cars are parked.
Load More Replies... Mama Bird 3 years ago
Or shrink in height. It’s just that the top of the hedge is too close to the tree. It’s suffocating my close…
Load More Replies... Karen Grace 3 years ago
Either the hedge was planted too close to the sidewalk or the sidewalk was built too close to the hedge. Either way the pertinent people didn't take future growth in mind while doing this. They were rather short sighted.
Gladys Hayes Southerland 3 years ago
Right between a tree and a very uncomfortable place... you & me both
#43
My Moms Path For Entering And Leaving The Lake
Amaranthim Talon 3 years ago
That looks so creepy to me! I realize it is just my own freak out but the idea of swimming in such murky water- not knowing WHAT could be in there! (Looking at it from the POV of a Floridian aware of snakes and gators)
#44
Extreme Desire Path
Alexandria Z 3 years ago
Ha ! I'm not walking an extra 10 feet to an opening, I'm making one here.
Thomas Ewing 3 years ago
Nobody is ever seen using it, but within 24 hours of fixing it, it's open again.
MadJess Tic 3 years ago
I like how it looks like somebody Rolled the fence pieces back, maybe so there’s less/no pokey bits sticking out..?
BenMaharaj 3 years ago
And don’t you know the owner of that fence can be sued if someone using this gets hurt or killed as a result of passing through this clearly unofficial walkway smh
#45
Technical University Delft (Nl) Paved All Desire Paths
Jasper VK 3 years ago
Sorry, but it didn't happen that way. The central axis of the university used to be a road called the Mekelweg, and was transformed to the Mekelpark. The design for the park had the paths in it from the start, it was not that the park was there first and they THEN paved these. https://www.mecanoo.nl/Projects/project/44/Mekel-Park-Campus-Delft-University-of-Technology Something like this DID happen at the university of Eindhoven, where the university in the end paved the 'Limbopad' to the station, which was called that way because students from the province of Limburg took that shortcut to the railway station: https://www.tuencyclopedie.nl/index.php?title=Limbopad
#46
What Am I To Do With The 2 Seconds I Saved Today?
Karen Grace 3 years ago
Makes sense. You got what appears to be a walkway next to the building till you get to the corner, and then your supposed to vie with the cars to cross? Nope, the path is safer.
Error 404 (He/They) 3 years ago
Why is the pole in such an awkward place anyway? It's in middle of the road.
Gladys Hayes Southerland 3 years ago
The rebel in me would do the path even tho l know l should do the pavement
Mickie Shea 3 years ago
We used to get old cigar boxes and put our saved seconds and such inside until needed
#47
My University Giving Into The Desire Path
Kelly Hartle 3 years ago
Here in Indiana a lot of the desire paths made by deer were used as the template for roads.
#48
Check Out The Size Of This Absolute Unit
Mark Howell 3 years ago
It's made by people trying to get away from the politicians in the building on the right ;o)
Ann M Clinkscales 3 years ago
The buildings are beautiful! I would walk that way also just to admire them!
#49
Dutch Anti-Cobblestone Bicycle Desire Path
Bored Seb 3 years ago
have you ever bike on a cobblestone street/path ? that's so uncomfy! Grass is way better...
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Jessie 2 years ago (edited)
That’s bad for the tire though. Next to that there’s no logical reason to keep your tires under-inflated as it will cost you more energy and bumps in the road will not be any softer, a particularly high bump or stone could even pop your tire because the rim is more likely to hit the ground.
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Jessie 2 years ago
Definitely not, bricks are so much better. There is nothing as bad as cycling over cobblestones.
Load More Replies... Mary Peace 3 years ago (edited)
This one looks very neat. It's so narrow, I guess it's only the cyclists that use it.
Cecile Desjardins 3 years ago
So now we can walk on peace, not getting freaked out by zipping bikes
jsgriffith 3 years ago
Look! Down the middle of the cobblestone. A desire path out of the worn down grass between the pavers.
#50
This Attempt At Making A Pathway Through A Park
Yeah, okay. 3 years ago
It's like landscape architects never had to walk to and from places...
Green One 3 years ago
why would you design a path that doubles your distance? unless its on an incline and requires wheelchair access
Jessie 2 years ago (edited)
If it’s a nice park and not a desert then it makes sense to create a path that lets you see all of it.
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#51
I Took This Two Years Ago But Just Discovered The Sub So I Thought I'd Share. Just A Bike Path Behind My Old School
#52
I’ve Never Seen A More Concise Or Humorous Example Of This Sub In Real Life
#53
Been Walking To Work Everyday For 2 Years And I Just Realized I’ve Been Making My Own Path
#54
The Real Path Does Not Even Exist Anymore
#55
A Slavic Desire Path That Is Toll Free
mrsmir 3 years ago
Thank goodness for your comment because I was so confused with this picture 😂
Load More Replies... #56
There’s A Sign Here That Says "Cyclists Dismount"
sofacushionfort 3 years ago
In the US we have those signs too, ignored by Mr Extreme Athlete who won’t share a narrow footbridge with the elderly or small children or dogs on leashes
#57
Will You Take The Desire Stairs Or The Desire Ramp? (South Downs, England)
Isabel Care 3 years ago
Looks like the burial mounds at the top of Kingly Vale. Walk up the steps and slide back down the path. Chalk is very slippery
#58
Somebody Really Thought This Design Would Be A Good Idea
Debbie 3 years ago
Depends if his is on a hill. Going straight up in a wheelchair or with a stroller is not fun.
Seabeast 3 years ago
Some cities will pave multi-use pathways like that even on the flats. They just don't get that many people use them for serious transportation, not just casually noodling along.
Load More Replies... #59
"Two Roads Diverged In A Yellow Wood"--One Shaves 250 Yards Off The Paved Trail. (See The Satellite Inset To Appreciate This One.)
Joe Smithee 3 years ago
and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler- love Robert Frost 2Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood.
ADHD McChick 3 years ago
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I? I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.
Load More Replies... #60
Does This Count? Ants Walking The Same Path Over And Over Again Made A Mark On These Dusty Tiles
#61
Bollards Were Installed Last Week At My Estate, Meaning All 450 Houses Have To Use One Road To Exit. In The Wise Words Of That Bloke From The Dinosaur Film "Life Uh, Finds A Way"
Babs McGurk 3 years ago
Likely they've closed this exit and want everyone to exit at a different location.
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Roos Dillema 3 years ago
Stupid decision. What if there is an emergency and only one way in for the firedepartment or EMT's?
Anne Reid 3 years ago
We are slowed down, especially when we have to get to the furthest house. And if there are speed bumps? Precious minutes lost!
Load More Replies... #62
The Path My Dog Created So She Can Say Hi To Her Neighbor
#63
My Apartment Turned A Desire Path Into An Official Path
#64
They Really Re-Sodded The Path
Aunt Messy 3 years ago
It's ok, though, because it's not going to last very long.
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#65
Visitors At Parc Floral De Paris Prefer To Jump The Moat Instead Of Going The Long Way Back
#66
Dense Snow Melts Slower Than Regular Snow
#67
No, I Don’t Think I Will
The Radio Demon 3 years ago
That passive aggressive winky face did it for me.
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#68
Virtual Desire Path In Red Dead Redemption 2
#69
This Absolute Unit On The Left And His Little Brother On The Right
RMA 3 years ago
Bike desire path left, pedestrian desire path right. Bureaucratic path centre.
Lsai Aeon 3 years ago
Hate these things with a fiery passion. not only do they screw things up for bicycles but wheelchairs as well. If those blockers are wide enough for a wheelchair then they're wide enough for a bicycle to slalom through which is what they don't want, so guaranteed a wheelchair cannot get through them. As a wheelchair user, f*****k this s h i t
#70
One Of The Best I’ve Seen Irl. Taken In February
#71
I'm Putting Desire Paths Everywhere I Don't Follow My Paths In Animal Crossing
Pizzagirl 91 3 years ago
I do this in some places, but since I move all over when looking for fossils or hidden coins, it's not feasible for the large spaces.
Daydreaming in the dark 3 years ago
can you show us all the designs with a grid(so i can see each square) plz? this would really help!!
#72
My Dog's Everyday Path
#73
What Is This, A Desire Path For Ants?!
#74
In North Korea Satellite Imagery You Can Clearly See Where People Walk Across Deserted Motorways
Chris Hooley 3 years ago
Philosophical question: Can the motorways be deserted if they were never occupied to start with?
harpling 3 years ago
Another philosophical question: Can they be called motorways if there are never any motors on them? Or are they just ways?
Load More Replies... #75
What Is This, A Desire Path For Ducks?! Yes, Actually
#76
These Stairs Are Terrible, I Hate Using Them. Each Step Is Like Half The Height Of A Normal Step, But They're Too Wide To Comfortably Take Two At A Time
Saint Thomas 3 years ago
It depends on the size of your legs I guess ^^ I'm tall so I can easily take 2 steps at the time were smaller people can't.
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#77
When Desire Becomes Reality
#79
Kids Cheating In This Hedge Maze
#80
There’s So Much Going On Here
#81
“Avoid The Bend” Desire Path From England
#82
Do Moles Count? The Path Is Out Of Sight, But Implied... I Sat And Waited For Half An Hour Before Movement Resumed On The Last Mound
Amanda B Bench 3 years ago
Ugh, mine too! And the little creeps moved to my front yard this summer for the first time ever 😡
Load More Replies... #83
This One Is Bound To Cause Some Heavy Breathing For You All
#84
My Friend Sent Me This Desire Path
#85
London Desire Path Is So Dry It’s Becoming A Desire Canyon
RoanTheMad 3 years ago
I'm assuming this happened during that heatwave when the devil decided to have the hottest phal he could find and fart on europe and the uk :')
#86
The University Said No
Weirdest Bi You’ll Ever Meet 3 years ago (edited)
The damn thingies are to big!
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Weirdest Bi You’ll Ever Meet 3 years ago
I cried mentally when I saw this! You made my hard day!
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#87
I Needed A Miracle To Make It To Class On Time, And Here Is That Miracle
boredkoala 3 years ago
A 3' (1m) radius is usually standard on path intersections to avoid this.
#88
A Path So Desired That The Hill Has Been Eroded Away 🙏
Tim Douglass 3 years ago
Parking lots get a lot of these because it turns out that pedestrians don't like having to walk in the same space as lots of cars are driving. This isn't a desire path, it's a survival path.
#89
Girlfriend Found "One Of Those Pathy Thingies You Showed Me"
#90
Underwater Path Created By People Walkin Through About 2 Feet Of Water To Get To That Stone At A St Patrick's Well In Ireland
Amanda B Bench 3 years ago
Nope. I've seen too many horror movies to be getting in water like that. Do they have alligators in Ireland? 🤣
#91
This Walmart Parking Lot
Tuna Fish 3 years ago
The tire tracks that go diagonally from the outside rows to the exit. Car desire paths, I guess.
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#92
Do People Finger Tracing Their Desired Path Count?
#93
Desire Staircase
Alain Terrieur 3 years ago
Damn, I'll never get up there because I use my right foot to start climbing stairs. LOL
#94
Doggo Path
Helen Bennett 3 years ago
Dogs make different lines than humans do - maybe because they're running? Would dog paths be fun to cycle round?
#95
So Popular It’s Worn Down The Hump
#96
One Of My Favorite Local Desirepaths. Over A Small Stream, On Industrial Pipe
#97
Desire Paths Left By People Walking Away And Stumbling Back To Their Tents At Glastonbury
Saint Thomas 3 years ago
Does this fit in the list ? Desire paths are traced on empty spaces. Here it's just because people had to navigate between the tents.
#99
My Neighbor Has Worn This Path To His Car Over 9 Months
#100
The Rarely Seen Vehicular Desire Path
Jennifer Norton 3 years ago
you see tons of those along the highways here in Texas. People don't have time for traffic!
Alain Terrieur 3 years ago
Is it legal to exit the road like this? On highways in my country is certainly is not.
M O'Connell 3 years ago
We had a silly road closure due to some intersection work that would have required driving more than 1.5 miles out of the way if you wanted to go north, so quite a few people made a grassy u-turn instead.
#101
The Path My Dog Takes Every Day To Visit The Neigbors
harpling 3 years ago
I've just spent way more time than is reasonable trying to figure out the arrangement of legs and head on that dog. Which are the front legs? Which way is the body facing? Is the head really coming out of the side?
TKA 3 years ago
I see head bottom left sniffing ground and 4 legs positioned as normal for the head being out front. Tail or stick above the dog.
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Lexi Jensen 3 years ago
Getting a new puppy soon hope they make many many desire paths in my yard! :)
#102
I Pass This Desire Path Often And Every Time I Laugh At How Completely Pointless It Is
Tim Douglass 3 years ago
It's not really pointless. If you are going to the right, around the corner of the building there, you either cut the corner here and stay right of the rocks or you have to weave through the rocks somewhere along the way to get to the apex of the corner. This saves a lot of effort farther up. Notice that it points straight at the corner of the building.
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What do you think ?
Caroline Sinclair 3 years ago
Respect to the organisations and institutions who accepted the reality of human choice! Hopefully those who are too stubborn to follow the wisdom of desire paths will see the light eventually.
Wendy 3 years ago
Although this isn't always the case, sometimes architects have our hands tied in regards to this. Here in the US we have to apply ADA regulations for accessibility. This means that pathways must be within a certain slope, width etc. So in order to follow the law, we can't use the easiest path.
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liam newton-harding 3 years ago
Wish I could remember the name of the architect, but he would never design paths around his buildings, or campuses. Instead, 6-12 months after the building was completed, and occupied, he would come back, look at the desire paths, and have them paved, or tarmaced.
Ruth Hempsey 3 years ago
I hadn't heard the term either, despite my familiarity with them. Live and learn. 😊
Load More Replies... Dancing Armadillo 3 years ago
We had to park across the street in a designated parking lot. There was a wall that when it came to a lower spot.. everyone would hop over to get to main building vs walking farther down and back up. Women in dresses.. guys in slacks.. college kids.. all jumping over or sitting and swinging legs over to jump. It went on for about a year until a female employee tried to hop over in heels and fell pretty bad on her face.. the next week maintenance cut a pathway through the hop over spot in the wall and poured a cement pathway.
Heliocracy 3 years ago
Because OSHA requires that a remediation be made when possible for workplace injuries, assuming you're in the U.S.
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RoanTheMad 3 years ago
We're all guilty of it, but goddamn does it show us how lazy we are lmao
Cee Sparrow 3 years ago
I do not like the term "desire path." I'm just going to call them paths.
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago
I wish I could post the bike trails in my neighborhood from when I was a kid, connecting every Dead End to every other Dead End, some breaks in laws, some along paper roads, and some simply in fun loops and detours through jumps. Some homeowners would put up fences or lay down logs to keep us out... it turns out that in every instance they were trying to lay claim to property that wasn't theirs!
Caroline Sinclair 3 years ago
Respect to the organisations and institutions who accepted the reality of human choice! Hopefully those who are too stubborn to follow the wisdom of desire paths will see the light eventually.
Wendy 3 years ago
Although this isn't always the case, sometimes architects have our hands tied in regards to this. Here in the US we have to apply ADA regulations for accessibility. This means that pathways must be within a certain slope, width etc. So in order to follow the law, we can't use the easiest path.
Load More Replies... liam newton-harding 3 years ago
Wish I could remember the name of the architect, but he would never design paths around his buildings, or campuses. Instead, 6-12 months after the building was completed, and occupied, he would come back, look at the desire paths, and have them paved, or tarmaced.
Ruth Hempsey 3 years ago
I hadn't heard the term either, despite my familiarity with them. Live and learn. 😊
Load More Replies... Dancing Armadillo 3 years ago
We had to park across the street in a designated parking lot. There was a wall that when it came to a lower spot.. everyone would hop over to get to main building vs walking farther down and back up. Women in dresses.. guys in slacks.. college kids.. all jumping over or sitting and swinging legs over to jump. It went on for about a year until a female employee tried to hop over in heels and fell pretty bad on her face.. the next week maintenance cut a pathway through the hop over spot in the wall and poured a cement pathway.
Heliocracy 3 years ago
Because OSHA requires that a remediation be made when possible for workplace injuries, assuming you're in the U.S.
Load More Replies... RoanTheMad 3 years ago
We're all guilty of it, but goddamn does it show us how lazy we are lmao
Cee Sparrow 3 years ago
I do not like the term "desire path." I'm just going to call them paths.
the Return of Bruno 3 years ago
I wish I could post the bike trails in my neighborhood from when I was a kid, connecting every Dead End to every other Dead End, some breaks in laws, some along paper roads, and some simply in fun loops and detours through jumps. Some homeowners would put up fences or lay down logs to keep us out... it turns out that in every instance they were trying to lay claim to property that wasn't theirs!
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