Engineers in Sacramento, California are now counting on the subliminal to encourage motorists to "slow down". Apparently, Sacramento residents unconsciously hit the brakes when they seek ugly concrete bulges built on the side of the road. To add to the driver distraction, red light cameras are now flashing some motorists when they enter on a green light. It's part of testing and the photographing of front and back licenses plates of cars traveling the opposite direction.

On Sacramento streets, he sees various-shaped little concrete protrusions at intersections popping up like winter-rain mushrooms. They are about 3 feet wide or long, and sit off the curb, next to a pedestrian crossing.

What in heck are they?

They are called intersection portals, or corner bulbs, or bulb-outs. Traffic engineers are having them built where large, fast-flowing streets meet, such as three-lane, one-way streets like 21st Street in midtown.