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submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz to c/desire_paths@sh.itjust.works

People walking between the bus stop (outside the picture) and the building (on the right) don’t like taking the long route around this huge green circle. It was pretty obvious that this would happen sooner or later.

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[-] Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io 54 points 2 months ago

One method is to make your big green circle, then see where the desire paths occur, and then use brick or flagstone, etc to mark the most used path.

[-] Uli@sopuli.xyz 73 points 2 months ago
[-] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 months ago

I’ve been thinking of collecting some flat stones and making that path myself.

[-] Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io 17 points 2 months ago

This is in the realm of Guerilla Gardening, and I strongly approve. I suggest putting some gravel under the flat stones, as it helps with leveling, and can make your positioning of the stones more durable.

[-] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 10 points 2 months ago

Guerilla Gardening eh? Of course it’s a thing… Well, now I know what to call it. I thought I was just being an anarchist or something.

Thanks for the tips too!

[-] Atelopus-zeteki@fedia.io 4 points 2 months ago

Por que no los DOS meme.

[-] kurikai@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Go do it :)

[-] Sibbo@sopuli.xyz 18 points 2 months ago
[-] Michal@programming.dev 7 points 2 months ago

I was going to recommend WhenTaken to you, but I see you're active in /c/dailygames so you must be already familiar and good at it

[-] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 months ago

That’s pretty impressive detective work.

[-] Steve@startrek.website 6 points 2 months ago

This pic has a lot of clues in it.

[-] Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 months ago

What are the other ones besides the restaurant?

[-] greybeard@lemmy.one 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

So looking at it, I saw a few things. The easy thing is to google the restaurant name, of course, but there were other clues.

The trees were tall evergreens, suggesting northern part of the northern hemisphere.

The license plates appear to be European style suggesting somewhere in Europe.

There is a street sign that is like 4 feet wide but only two lines tall. Suggesting Scandinavian.

That was as specific as I got before looking at the street view that was posted and seeing Norway.

[-] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 months ago

Why isn't this comm called "desired paths?" Sounds really weird with the wrong tense.

[-] markstos@lemmy.world 28 points 2 months ago

These paths are called “desire paths”— paths that desire follows.

[-] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Weird. The grammatically correct way is "desired path."

[-] MnemonicBump@lemmy.dbzer0.com 31 points 2 months ago

Nope "desire path" is a perfectly grammatically correct way of saying "path of desire".

[-] my_hat_stinks@programming.dev 17 points 2 months ago

The "grammatically correct" way is always whatever way is already in widespread use. Also, I'd say this is a noun adjunct, so not all that uncommon.

[-] markstos@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

"Desire path" is a valid noun phrase where "desire" functions as an attributive noun modifying "path." This construction is grammatically correct in English.

[-] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

Yes. Thanks. I've been informed like 30 times now. I get it.

[-] NoSpotOfGround@lemmy.world 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Because it comes from "paths of desire", I think. Sort of like "beauty mark" is not "beautifying mark": because it comes from "mark of beauty".

[-] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 months ago

I believe you, it just sounds strange.

[-] AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 months ago

I sort of like the strangeness, because it makes the concept feel stickier in my brain; I read "desire path" and my brain stumbles on the odd grammar and I spend longer on that concept than I would have done. It makes it feel like the noun-phrase exists as greater than the sum of the two words that make it up.

[-] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

You get used to human.

[-] panathea 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Desired paths sounds weirder to me. I think desire here is a noun and not a verb, like "love affair" vs "loved affair".

[-] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 months ago

I get it now.

[-] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago

They need to pay an old lady with a stick to sit on the circle. And when you go onto the grass she comes and starts flogging you.

[-] D_C@lemm.ee 6 points 2 months ago

Wait, free flogging? I usually pay for that!!!

[-] Ardyssian@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 months ago

Or just fill it up with trees, bushes and flowers

this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
416 points (100.0% liked)

Desire Paths

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Desire paths Desire paths can be paths created as a consequence of erosion caused by human or animal foot-fall or traffic. The paths usually represent the shortest or most easily navigated routes between origins and destinations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_path

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