“It was unusable – the casing was dented and wouldn’t be waterproof for the camera,” Harald Baur, a road safety official on Lake Constance told The Local.
But rather than getting into a flap about the ruined speed trap, he and his colleagues decided to think creatively.
“It was sitting in the garage and then we had the idea of turning it into a bird house.”
They lined the distinctive metal box with wood, covering up the large holes where the camera lenses had snapped speeding cars.
Smaller, bird-sized holes were drilled into the wood and perches were attached, while the plastic shield which prevented glare for the camera now serves as a bird porch.
The speed trap now hangs from a tree just outside Baur’s office. He said so far swifts have not been spotted near it.
“The birds are quick, but they can go as fast as they like.
“It’s lovely to watch them, and visitors always notice it and say nice things. Last year we had blue tits move in and this year we have a pair of great tits living there.
“Obviously we do not want any more speed traps to be destroyed, but we know what we will do if they are – there are a few more trees near the office which could take a bird house.”
The Local/hc
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