Stumbling blocks

One of the single biggest innovations in street construction has been the invention on standard concrete paving slabs. These mean easy and safe walking for people of all ages, conditions and levels of fitness. In Denmark this helpful means to easier walking has been made less effective by the inclusion of strips of cobbles. These cobble blocks eventually get misalligned as the sand beneath them heaves due to the effect of freezing and thawing of the ground beneath. The blocks thus form small edges for you to stumble over. At major corners these are laid diagonally in up to four alternating rows of slabs and blocks. If you are in a wheelchair, use high-heels or push a pram these consitute a constant, unavoidable small nuisance. Why would a land so focused on functionality persist with this design? Because Danish architecture is the best in the world, and that includes the paving.