A report that park officials in China have found a way to keep people from sitting on their park benches for hours while others stay on their feet has been solved by placing meters by the bench. If a coin isn't placed in after 20-30 minutes, small spikes begin rising up through the seat.
In Skinnedong Province, millions of people try fleeing the city on weekend and enjoy the parks but some have gotten on the benches early and refuse to move.
After getting the idea from an art installation in Germany where sculptor Fabian Brunsing created a similar bench as a protest against the commercialisation of modern life, the Chinese have put it to practical use.
The spikes are too short to cause any serious harm - but long enough to prevent people from sitting on them comfortably, according to officials.
But as soon as the official moved away, one old guy came up and told us, "what he know. I have spike catch me in the balls twice. Not just uncomfortable."
The official returned to check the park benches once again later and to see if there were different people on the benches. A sudden scream and a man grabbing his crotch and lying in the fetal position on the ground caused the official to smile, nod and go his way.
