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silent cop
A circular steel plate about 60cm in diameter with a pattern of steel projections on top, set in the centre of a road at an intersection where there were no traffic lights. To encourage traffic to keep to the left. Today's traffic round-abouts serve a similar purpose: Don't run over the silent cop.
Editor's comments: Any regional variation in the naming of these objects?
Contributor's comments: I am sure we used the term "Silent Cop" in Victoria when I lived there in the Sixties!
Contributor's comments: Also used years ago in Perth, W.A.
Contributor's comments: I used "silent cop" in both Qld and NSW.
Contributor's comments: Used in Tas. in 1940-60 to my knowlege, was a dome shaped metal object firmly fixed in the centre of an intersection. All have been replaced with the growth of traffic lights at intersections.
Contributor's comments: Used in North Coast NSW in 1940s.
Contributor's comments: We certainly used the term "silent cop" in SA northern region as well.
Contributor's comments: The silent cops in Melbourne up to the 60s were smooth steel domes -- I've never heard of any with projections.
Contributor's comments: We used to call them submerged cops.
Contributor's comments: I got my driving licence in North Sydney in 1968. I passed "first go" but my friend nearly missed out. He referred to the metal dome in the middle of the road as a "silent cop". The overly sensitive testing officer was not amused, and refused the boy a licence until he correctly named it a "traffic bollard".