[Crypto]

Been meaning to ask this for some time. Why are the latest crossings silent and without even a green man light opposite? The one at junction of Buckingham Park and Green Jacket is one.

You press the button and have to wait ages. Attention drifts off and before you know it the lights have changed and then back to the traffic again.

How do visually impaired people get on?

[Fangio]

Crypto, on 30 June 2012 - 10:28 AM, said:

Been meaning to ask this for some time. Why are the latest crossings silent and without even a green man light opposite? The one at junction of Buckingham Park and Green Jacket is one.

You press the button and have to wait ages. Attention drifts off and before you know it the lights have changed and then back to the traffic again.

How do visually impaired people get on?

The lights are rigged in favour of motorised trafffic even when it is pouring or blowing a gale; despite the technology readily available to change this.
As to the lack of noise I'm not sure but following the recent release of figures showing an increase in pedestrian, particularly children, and cycling, casualties I am surprised at that.
Our over reliance on a few, highly expensive and increasingly complicated, crossings is doing us no favours at all. I have frankly given up on the daft animal names given to them.
As to your questions re visually impared people I should imagine that the answer is not very well at all; you need the nimbleness of a sprinter to get across at the best of times.
The UK government places very low priority on the safety of the most vulnerable on the roads and that is beginning to become obvious in the statistics (more to be released, by the EU, later this year).

[miseryguts]

Next time you're at the crossing, push the button then hold a finger on the cone underneath - when its time to cross it'll vibrate or turn to tell you its time to cross

not the best advertised design feature granted but I guess those that need to know find out somehow

[Fangio]

What is this country like when even the pedestrian crossings are on a 'need to know basis'

[oldbean]

I suppose we can at least be thankfull that we "don't need to know"!

[Doug Attrell]

All you wanted to know about Puffin crossings. http://en.wikipedia....Puffin_crossing

[Old Gregg]

I really cannot believe that anyone sensible was consulted and said that the change was good!
I got a lift out of Stanmer Park last Sunday to just before the A27 and stood at some very complex set of crossings , trying to work out the best way to go and so, as I was taking in my surroundings, like a 'nana missed the silent green man (possibly more than once)! Luckily didn't miss the bus.

Don't forget the toucan crossing!
Allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross together..
Absolute genius allowing cyclists to cycle from East Street towards the footbridge - where they should in theory dismount before reaching the pavement - mad!
I had some mum catching up with her child overtake me on the crossing on my right hand side and come across me, causing me to choose between getting run over by her or, stand in the middle of road and hope that the motorists would let me live!

[Crypto]

Doug Attrell, on 03 July 2012 - 20:35 PM, said:

All you wanted to know about Puffin crossings. http://en.wikipedia....Puffin_crossing

Good find Doug, explains the logic even though I don't agree with it!

[Crypto]

Had a chat with a visually impaired friend and he's answered the question about "why silent"

The crossing at Buckinham Park and also the one from the Firestation to Wadurs are both on dual carriage ways. A visually impaired pedestrian could well be standing in the central reservation and hear the beeps from the wrong side as each carriage way is controlled separately.

Obvious once pointed out

[PaulOckenden]

Ah, yes. Makes a lot of sense now!

P.

[Fangio]

The latest road casualty figures show an increase, and most worringly, among children, cyclists, and pedestrian.
I'd venture to suggest that our reliance on a few highly expensive and technical crossings is part and parcel of the problem.

[PeterW]

Fangio, on 20 July 2012 - 09:31 AM, said:

The latest road casualty figures show an increase, and most worringly, among children, cyclists, and pedestrian.
I'd venture to suggest that our reliance on a few highly expensive and technical crossings is part and parcel of the problem.

Obviously, it is wrong that so many pedestrians are killed or injured on the roads, but without trying to be funny, why were they on the road ? I presume that the figures include people on crossings as well as those who just didn't look when they crossed the road. As a car driver, I can see that lowering the speed limit in certains areas to 20mph will greatly reduce these figures, even though a 20mph limit is really annoying for drivers.

[PaulOckenden]

Fangio, on 20 July 2012 - 09:31 AM, said:

The latest road casualty figures show an increase, and most worringly, among children, cyclists, and pedestrian.
I'd venture to suggest that our reliance on a few highly expensive and technical crossings is part and parcel of the problem.

I'd wager that the iPod(*) was largely to blame when it comes to most younger and even some older road deaths.

Lost count of the number of earphone wearing tw@ts I've nearly run over!.

P.

(*) Other brands of MP3 player are available.

[Doug Attrell]

PaulOckenden, on 20 July 2012 - 19:08 PM, said:

I'd wager that the iPod(*) was largely to blame when it comes to most younger and even some older road deaths.

Lost count of the number of earphone wearing tw@ts I've nearly run over!.

P.

(*) Other brands of MP3 player are available.

Going by the amount of near collisions I have with idiots absorbed in texting or chatting to their friends while walking in town I suspect that mobile phones are equally to blame, if not more so.

[Fangio]

[quote name='PeterW' date='20 July 2012 - 19:34 PM' timestamp='1342805648' post='50119']
Obviously, it is wrong that so many pedestrians are killed or injured on the roads, but without trying to be funny, why were they on the road ? I presume that the figures include people on crossings as well as those who just didn't look when they crossed the road. As a car driver, I can see that lowering the speed limit in certains areas to 20mph will greatly reduce these figures, even though a 20mph limit is really annoying for drivers.
[/quote


The answer to your question is simple; we have less pedestrian crossings. Or, less places where pedestrians can see they may cross safely and likewise wheeled users may expect to find pedestrians crossing.
This gives us an off crossing casualty rate of more than 20 percent of total road casualties; which places us on a par with eastern EU contries with much higher overall figures.