Pedestrian Crossings
Sir, —It has been a source of worry to us for some considerable time that the state of pedestrian crossings on New Zealand roads is psy chologically unsound The white lines which constitute the pedestrian crossings are in fact drawn in an incorrect position. They are a psychological barrier to the pedestrian, who must step over them to reach the other side of the road, and provide an incentive for the motorist to speed through. As a result of our research we have come to the conclusion that the lines should run parallel to the line that the pedestrian takes as he crosses the road. This transfers the psychological barrier from the mind of the pedestrian to that of the motorist.—Yours, etc., BRIAN BATEMAN. CONAL ATKINS.
April 4, 1968. [The Commissioner of Transport (Mr R. J. Polaschek) replies: "The design of New Zealand’s zebra pedestrian crossing is based on the recommendations of the United Kingdom's Road Research Laboratory which carried out experiments on many alternative designs before adopting the “zebra,” which is now used in many other countries. I would be most interested in the research referred to.”]
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Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 12
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190Pedestrian Crossings Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 12
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