...in the several weeks beginning in mid-February 2004, when, slowly at first but with mounting velocity, manhole covers started to disappear from roads and pavements around the world. As Chinese demand drove up the price of scrap metal to record levels, thieves almost everywhere had the same idea. As darkness fell, they levered up the iron covers and sold them to local merchants, who cut them up and loaded them onto ships to China. The first displacements were felt in Taiwan, the island country just off China's southeast coast. The next were in other neighbors such as Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan... Wherever the sun set, pilferers worked to satisfy China's hunger. More than 150 covers disappeared during one month in Chicago. Scotland's great drain robbery saw more than a hundred vanish in a few days. From Montreal to Gloucester to Kuala Lumpur, unsuspecting pedestrians stumbled into holes.

Parking and access control policies should also be developed in conjunction with the installation of manual rising bollards. Clear signage indicating when and how these bollards are to be raised or lowered can eliminate confusion among the public and help prevent unauthorized access.

Ground-embedded bollards serve multiple roles in modern urban design, promoting safety, defining spaces, enhancing aesthetics, and providing versatile functionality. As cities continue to evolve, the effective utilization of these structures will play a crucial role in creating safer, more organized, and visually appealing environments. As they blend seamlessly into the surroundings, ground-embedded bollards exemplify the intersection of functionality and design, making them a vital component of urban infrastructure for the future.