Behold, invention at its most mean-spirited and miserly: a park bench that makes you pay to sit. It might sound like a good way for municipalities to raise a little revenue, but don’t we have municipal taxes for that? How much does it cost, apparently half a Euro buys you some sit time – until an audible alarm warns you that your money is about to run out.
The spikes don’t look like they would be able to skewer anyone, but they would feel uncomfortable enough that you don’t want to stay there without paying.
http://www.uberreview.com/2010/07/pay-sit-park-bench-designer-deserves-a-spike-to-the-butt-or-four.htm