The Netherlands is small, but every once in a while the country manages to sneak its way into the international headlines. Whether it’s Haarlem banning meat adverts, or the removal of Amsterdam’s oldest houseboat from the canals, there’s always something going on - although the latest story to make it out of the Netherlands is certainly an odd one.
This week, a bollard - which has already developed a bit of a reputation amongst drivers in and around The Hague - became famous (or infamous) in the United States after causing its 50th accident.
One bollard, 50 crashes; apparently, that was something people living near the Escamplaan in The Hague thought was worth celebrating. And celebrate they did! After emergency services confirmed that the 50th collision had taken place last week, local residents hung up some festive bunting to celebrate the occasion.
Luckily, drivers tend to walk away from the collisions relatively unharmed, although each incident reportedly costs the municipality around 7.000 euros in repairs and clean-up costs. The latest incident, while it was “celebrated”, has also once again brought up conversations about whether or not the bollard should be removed.
News of the Netherlands’ most dangerous bollard has crossed the Atlantic, making it onto American news sites such as The Drive. The news also made it onto Twitter, where the World Bollard Association tweeted “HUGE congratulations to our number one bollard in the Netherlands.”
Since the 50th crash last week, the bollard has managed to cause its 51st collision. So the next time you’re driving on the roads in The Hague, be sure to look out for unsuspecting bollards!