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From: jbn@wdl1.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: crosswalks
Message-ID: <479@wdl1.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Jul-85 17:15:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: wdl1.479
Posted: Wed Jul 10 17:15:22 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Jul-85 03:38:50 EDT
Sender: notes@wdl1.UUCP
Organization: Ford Aerospace, Western Development Laboratories
Lines: 25
Nf-ID: #N:wdl1:3600024:000:1376
Nf-From: wdl1!jbn    Jul 10 13:00:00 1985


      England has a useful institution called the zebra crossing.  A
zebra crossing is a crosswalk in which pedestrians have 
absolute priority.  Not all crosswalks are zebra crossings.  Zebra
crossings are special.  Zebra crossings are marked with huge white stripes, 
black poles with flashing orange globes both at the sides and center
of the roadway, zigzag lines in the road approaching the crossing, 
and provided with special treatment of the approaching roadway to 
improve braking in wet weather.  Bad things happen to drivers who violate
the rules of the zebra crossing.  I saw a Mercedes driver try to drive
through a zebra crossing in use by pedestrians a few weeks ago, in
London near Marble Arch.  A woman on the curb nearby wearing a blue uniform 
with shoulderboards reading ``Traffic Warden'' stepped out into the street
and started blowing a whistle and motioning for the driver to stop.
The driver didn't; this was a serious mistake; the traffic warden began
issuing instructions into a microphone clipped to her jacket; in a few
seconds there were sirens in the distance and before getting a block the
Mercedes had been pulled over by two police cars.  Within a few minutes
the driver was taken away in a police wagon and the car was towed away
by a tow truck.
       Zebra crossings seem to be carefully respected by most drivers. 

					
					John Nagle