Unfortunately, it's not 'fully functional' at all. It only responds to the amplitude of the sound, not the frequency, and only has a few 'levels'. The multiple columns are only for looks.
I'd like to see it in higher resolution and better frame rate. I'm not convinced that it's an optical illusion so much as an artifact of the low quality animation.
I would farther guess that it's a counter used to count the number of people who pass through a place. It's somehow attached to a plank or step that people step on to trigger it. I've seen something like that (what I described, not the thing in the picture) around Hadrian's wall to count tourists.
Sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy to me.
There's a difference ;)
Really though, forget scooters. For $2k you can get a Honda rebel. Way more stable, still gets 75mpg, and you don't look like such a sissy.
I would farther guess that it's a counter used to count the number of people who pass through a place. It's somehow attached to a plank or step that people step on to trigger it. I've seen something like that (what I described, not the thing in the picture) around Hadrian's wall to count tourists.