zebra crossing

A zebra crossing in Sydney, Australia

A raised zebra-crossing-speed-bump at a school zone in Marine Parade, Singapore

A zebra crossing at a traffic signal in Rotterdam, Netherlands

These lines indicate to UK motorists that a zebra crossing is adjacent.

A zebra crossing is a type of pedestrian crossing used in many places around the world. Its distinguishing feature consists of alternating dark and light stripes on the road surface, from which it derives its name. A zebra crossing typically gives extra rights of way to pedestrians.

Characteristics

The crossing is characterised by longitudinal stripes on the road, parallel to the flow of the traffic, alternately a light colour and a dark one. The similarity of these markings to those of a zebra gave rise to the crossing's name. The light colour is usually white and the dark colour may be painted – in which case black is typically used – or left unpainted if the road surface itself is of a dark colour. The stripes are typically 400 to 600 millimetres (16 inches to 2 feet) wide. If there are no additional traffic lights, pedestrians always have right of way on a zebra crossing. In some countries (e.g. UK) Zebra markings are only used where pedestrians have permanent right of way. In other countries (e.g. Germany) they are also used on Pedestrian crossings controlled by traffic, and pedestrians only have priority when the lights show green to the pedestrians.^{[citation needed]}

History

After some isolated experiments, the zebra crossing was first used at 1000 sites in the UK in 1949 in its original form of alternating strips of blue and yellow, and a 1951 measure introduced them into law. In 1971, the Green Cross Code was introduced to teach children safer crossing habits, replacing the earlier "kerb drill".

In the United Kingdom the crossing is marked with Belisha beacons, flashing amber globes on black and white posts on each side of the road, named after Leslie Hore-Belisha, the Minister of Transport, who introduced them in 1934. The crossings were originally marked by beacons and parallel rows of studs, and the stripes were soon added for the sake of visibility.

Regional variations

This section requires expansion.

In the United Kingdom, lollipop men or women (crossing guards) frequently attend zebra crossings during school hours.

In the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia and most other European countries pedestrians have right of way even if they are still on the kerb, but about to enter the zebra crossing.

In North America, zebra crossings are more usually called crosswalks.

In New Zealand, motorists are required to give way to pedestrians. Previously if the crossing was broken by the road centreline motorists only had to give way to pedestrians on the left (motorists) side of the road, rule changes in 2005 simplified this[1]. If crossing the road within 20m of a zebra crossing pedestrians must use the crossing.

Tiger crossing

A tiger crossing is a variation of a zebra crossing used in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, which is a former British colony. It is painted yellow and black as opposed to the white and black used on a zebra crossing. In the UK, it allows cyclists to cross the road in a central area of the road without dismounting, and motorists must give way to both cyclists and pedestrians. Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire experimented with tiger crossings in 2006 and 2007, but replaced them with Toucan crossings.^[1][2]

In popular culture

A zebra crossing in Abbey Road, London, featured on the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road

A zebra crossing appears on the cover of The Beatles' Abbey Road album. This has made this crossing a minor tourist attraction, and it has been incorporated into the Abbey Road Studios logo. Since the Abbey Road photo was taken zigzag lines at the kerb and in the centre of the road have been added to all zebra crossings to indicate the no-stopping zones on either side. The band Shriekback's album Sacred City contains an entire song, Beatles Zebra Crossing?, about the Abbey Road zebra crossing and its status as a tourist attraction.

There is also a tongue-in-cheek reference to zebra crossings in the science-fiction comedy novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by English author Douglas Adams, in reference to Man using the improbable creature called the Babel fish as proof to the non-existence of God... the novel says, "Man then goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed at the next zebra crossing."

References

• History of Road Safety, Gerald Cummins
• The History of British Roadsigns, Department for Transport, 2nd Edition, 1999

External links

• Zebra crossing in Canadian Centre for Architecture exhibition
• Traffic signals and pedestrian crossings