Pedestrian Street Crossings

[Arthur Little]

Spotted this article, which asks if these are programmed to "operate *too fast"?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-41010020 ...

Yes, they *ARE, IMO - especially for elderly folk, or those with mobility problems - and I'm NOT disabled!

[grahamw48]

Better than being run down on the totally ignored and useless white striped 'crossings' in the Philippines.

Though recently... I have spotted some dedicated pedestrian traffic lights there, in our nearest city ! Amazing.

[Arthur Little]

Better than being run down on the totally ignored and useless white striped 'crossings' in the Philippines.

Oh, . But then ... ... judging from an embarrassing experience I had in Vienna last year - even
the Austrian police don't seem to recognise the function of zebra crossings.

Though recently... I have spotted some dedicated pedestrian traffic lights there, in our nearest city ! Amazing.

's always a start, I suppose.

[SimonH]

Always beware of pedestrian crossings in Italy, as a good friend of mine found out

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ing-Italy.html

[Trefor]

Pedestrian crossing in Europe seem to work on a system where if the pedestrian has not stepped onto the road then the cars keep going. You have to step out in front of them and then they stop.

[Ako Si Jamie]

A girl I know got run over on a pedestrian crossing in a hit and run last month. Was in hospital for awhile. Tests for brain damage and all that. She seems to be OK though.

[johncar54]

In UK the law re pedestrian crossings is that a pedestrian USING the crossing has precedence.

That means AS SOON AS A PERSON HAS PUT A FOOT ON IT. Not when they are standing on the footpath looking at the crossings. And that also include a pedestrian who gives drivers no indication that they about to use the crossing.

Note- Vehicle drivers are obliged to give way only to pedestrians, so not cyclists, skateboarders etc. who are using the crossing to cross the road, they have no right of way over vehicles.

PS The same applies in Spain and probably elsewhere in the EU.

And, just in passing: Whilst probably all drivers know they must not park on a crossing, they should also not stop on a crossing when they are in congested, slow moving traffic. Drivers failing to do that were a particular problem to me when I was a young PC on school crossing duties. It meant I had difficulty ensuring that school children, whom I had to lead, weaving through the stopped traffic, were safe.