Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Traffic Calming

Sneckdowns: Taking the World by Storm

11:44 AM EST on January 22, 2014

Image: Clarence Eckerson/BBC
Image: Clarence Eckerson/BBC
Image: Clarence Eckerson/BBC

The #sneckdown is now a phenomenon, with nature's traffic-calming gaining international media coverage and photos popping up from across the U.S. and Canada.

"The snow is almost like nature's tracing paper," Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson told the BBC. "It's free. You don't have to do a crazy expensive traffic calming study. It provides a visual cue into how people behave."

The sneckdown dates back to at least 2001, when Transportation Alternatives wrote: "[T]he next time someone tells you that you can't have a neckdown on that corner or this corner because there's not enough room, show them what happens every year when it snows."

Clarence first documented "naturally occurring neckdowns" for Streetfilms in 2006. Seven years later, Streetsblog founding editor Aaron Naparstek coined the hashtag, and the rest is history.

Here are pics from yesterday's storm. Keep 'em coming.

Seventh Avenue and 36th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Tri_State/status/425706540423991297##@Tri_State##
Seventh Avenue and 36th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Tri_State/status/425706540423991297##@Tri_State##
Seventh Avenue and 36th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/Tri_State/status/425706540423991297##@Tri_State##
The Bowery. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/christamaeorth/status/425742294177034240##@christamaeorth##
The Bowery. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/christamaeorth/status/425742294177034240##@christamaeorth##
The Bowery. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/christamaeorth/status/425742294177034240##@christamaeorth##
181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/UptownCurrent/status/425718871765823488##@UptownCurrent##
181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/UptownCurrent/status/425718871765823488##@UptownCurrent##
181st Street and Cabrini Boulevard. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/UptownCurrent/status/425718871765823488##@UptownCurrent##
Broadway at 111th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/glenn_mcan/status/426002518418939905##@glenn_mcan##
Broadway at 111th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/glenn_mcan/status/426002518418939905##@glenn_mcan##
Broadway at 111th Street. Photo: ##https://twitter.com/glenn_mcan/status/426002518418939905##@glenn_mcan##

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Ossé: Bedford Ave. Bike Lane is Stuck in DOT’s ‘Community Engagement’ Purgatory

"Over the past couple weeks [the DOT] has been saying that they need to do more community engagement on the issue," the Council member said of the much-discussed project.

March 19, 2024

Cycle of Rage: Council Members Slam DOT for Successful Safety Projects

What do three street safety projects across the city have in common? Hypocrisy by some Council members, that's what.

March 19, 2024

Tuesday’s Headlines: Make America Grate Again Edition

A Sanitation worker made a larger political statement than merely parking illegally. Plus other news.

March 19, 2024
See all posts