When you’re in your car, you can be a safer driver by watching your speed and going in for regular maintenance, but sometimes, you may need some help. That’s why there are guardrails and street signs. However, when they’re made out of metal and synthetic materials, they can rust, fail, or fall apart over time.
Enter bamboo. Many countries worldwide are using bamboo in a variety of applications, including to create their fences, guardrails, and more. In addition to being a solid substance, natural bamboo is also better for the environment.
Here are four reasons why you should rally for bamboo barriers in your neighborhood.
1. Bamboo Is Incredibly Strong And Resilient
Bamboo is being considered for barriers and signage in many places around the world for several reasons. Among them is that it grows naturally and can be used in a variety of applications.
The other big reason is that bamboo is incredibly strong due to its strength-to-weight ratio, which allows it to hold heavy loads. Bamboo also has a long lifespan. It is excellent for barriers and essential signage to last the test of time.
2. Bamboo Guardrails Can Save Distracted Drivers
The perks of bamboo are catching on globally, and they’re already in use on a highway in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, with great results. The 200-meter guardrail was tested extensively. They found that it can withstand impacts and protect drivers. As an extra benefit, it has a greater recycling value than barriers made of steel.
Guardrails are essential to protect motorists who veer off of the road. Losing control is often the result of distracted driving, which can come in many forms. It could happen when you’re engaging with too many people in the car, taking your hands off the wheel, or looking away from the road to change the station or adjust the GPS. Texting and eating behind the wheel are also common culprits. While you should always focus on driving, if you lose control, a solid bamboo barrier could be enough to keep you from going off the road.
3. Extra Safety When Leaving Home
Installing a bamboo fence is a good way to stay safe before you even get on the road. That’s because bamboo is becoming one of the newest trends for fence construction since it’s robust, easy to install, and looks great in landscaping applications. You could use bamboo to create a privacy fence between neighbors or put a wall of bamboo against your existing fence to make it stronger.
Another idea is to line your driveway with bamboo to protect your car and create a guiding barrier so you can see exactly how to back out of the driveway without driving over the grass or items in the yard.
Pair your fence with a backup camera that will show everything that’s behind you without you having to strain your neck. You can add a backup camera to your car for less than $500. If you get a wireless camera, you can install it yourself by hooking it to the back of the vehicle and then controlling it with your phone. The best cameras will show the approximate distance to the objects behind you so you know how much space you have to maneuver.
4. Protect From Natural Elements
Finally, bamboo barriers can protect you and other drivers from the elements and natural disasters. Recently, bamboo walls were used in Uganda to hold back rising flood waters. Bamboo grows fast and creates a strong defense so the water won’t flood the roads and cause an accident. Additionally, bamboo has strong roots that stabilize the soil. So they can be planted beside riverbanks to keep them from collapsing.
There are many ways that bamboo can keep the roadways safe and keep drivers out of peril. The fact that bamboo is also natural and sustainable is just another reason why it’s a material that should be built into more roadside barriers around the world.
