Why are the ends of guardrails 'rounded'? The truth behind the kindness known as 'Sodehiratan' that has saved countless lives | Safety | Business | Thinking Methods | Trivia | SNS Strategy

Hello everyone! This is Kuro no Ichigo 😊

A series on questioning the everyday norms. This time, it's about the **"guardrails"** that protect us on the side of the road.

Have you ever taken a close look at the ends of a guardrail? They aren't sharp, nor are they cut off cleanly; they are curled outward, aren't they?

"Is it just for a stylish design?" No, no, this has a very important role: **"to never pierce.""

1. 'Sodehiratan' to prevent baring fangs

In the past, the ends of guardrails weren't as rounded as they are now; they had a flatter shape. However, this had a terrifying weakness.

If a car were to collide head-on, that flat end would act like a **giant 'spear'**, piercing the car body and causing major accidents where people inside were impaled.

That is why the **"Sodehiratan"** (flat-end sleeve) shape was devised, where the end is curled significantly outward. By rounding it, it evolved to deflect the impact of a collision across a "surface," preventing it from piercing the vehicle.

2. A shift from 'sharp' to 'harmonious'

Thanks to this shape, a colliding car can be deflected outward or slide along the guardrail to a stop instead of being pierced.

It fulfills its original purpose of "dividing the road" while ensuring it doesn't harm others in a "worst-case scenario." That roundness is the **"ultimate form of protection.""

3. Kuro no Ichigo's take

Now, here is the main point of the "Kuro-style."

Don't you think this roundness of the guardrail is just like **"how we convey our words"**?

It is important to have your own opinions and arguments (the guardrail). However, if the ends remain "sharp," they become spears of logic that deeply pierce the other person's heart, causing irreparable damage.

• Do you pierce them by saying, "You are wrong!"?

• Or do you round them off by saying, "There is also this way of thinking"?

What is important in communication is to have a firm axis (guardrail) while wrapping the ends in **"kindness (roundness)."** By doing so, even if opinions clash, you can provide "realizations" without hurting the other person.

We should aim to be communicators like the "Sodehiratan," who protect people with rounded words rather than creating enemies with sharp ones.

In conclusion

The next time you walk down the street, if you spot the end of a guardrail, please say to yourself, 'Thank you for your hard work, Sodesode.'

Are the edges of your own messages and words 'rounded'? Or do they remain 'spears' that could hurt someone?

See you in the next article 😌

#KuroNoIchigo #Guardrail #Sodesode #SafetyDesign #BusinessThinking #Communication #WeightOfWords #DailyPost