Five or ten years ago, the local Kroger introduced 3D, photorealistic, shaded stickers as advertisements on the floor. I once nearly fell over because, after peering at something on a shelf, I went to take a step back and caught sight of a floor sticker out of the corner of my eye. I instinctively tried to step over this fictional obstacle, even though I had just noted it moments earlier as I walked up.

I assume I wasn't the only one to have this problem, because they were gone by the next time I went shopping.

That said, there are so many drivers already distracted by their phones and 'infotainment' systems that I don't know if obnoxious advertisements will make things any worse.

That story reminds me of curling — there've been instances of professional curlers tripping over in-play curling rocks because the rocks were sitting over similarly-coloured ads under the ice surface.