h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Not bad!

You say "cross quickly". I'd specifically state that you should walk, not run.

If I was writing this, I'd include a section on how not to do it:

To see how not cross a road, you only need to watch a cat. The cat's method of crossing a road is 'ears back, head down, run like hell'. The large number of flattened cats on our roads is a tragic reminder that this method is not particularly effective.

One other thing. Your method of formatting the jokes doesn't display well in some browsers. Look at today's entry on Garden State <./>test28303913</.> to see how to format these. (the section giving a dialogue between Sam and Andrew).

Thanks, Gnomon, you beat me to mentioning the quotes.

Elentari, the way you have it now
>>Examples include pelican and zebra crossings in the UK and Bedarfsampel in Germany<<

does look as if there were no zebra crossings in Germany - but maybe that's only me. I've just checked, and it is possible to look up the meaning of pelican crossing, so I'd suggest to drop the German name for it.

I will got on all of those suggestions, thanks very much everybody.

Entry: The Idiot's Guide to Crossing the Road - A28761357
Author: Elentari - U202814


While you're at it srick and extra 'to' in here:

you will be forced to choose cross whenever

Ok, I think that's everything. I've had a small rearrange to create a How Not To Cross section, as per Gnomon's excellent suggestion, and added in/taken out the other things as appropriate.

excellent

just one thing I picked up (it's only a typo)

How to Cross section
1st sentence:
All children should be taught to cross the road safely, but *they* are instructions some adults would do well to keep in mind.

should be *there*


also, I just remembered a joke
Q: why did the hegehog cross the road?
A: to see his flat mate! (geddit: flat mate)

er... oh yes, I remembered now what I forgot to mention this morning. When we were kids there were all sorts of short public information films about crossing the road. Wasn't there a squirrel one (as featured in Life on Mars) and I definitely remember the Green Cross Code - in fact, it is this method I've used with my kids. Oh and Stop, Look, Listen!

maybe you need to actually say: don't cross from behind a parked car?

anyhooo...

this is lovely. Loved the cat bit

It's looking good now.

Traffic lights here don't have a timer, but at some, the little green man starts to blink shortly before it switches to red. That's just as an aside, though, no need to include it.

I'll add those, thanks Sho!

when we're in the UK, round where comes from there is a set of pedestrian lights. We always dutifully wait for the green man while hordes of others stream accross the road whenever they like. And the local kids point and say "oh look, the Germans are back"

"Some pedestrian crossings in Korea even have a countdown timer showing how long you've got before the cars start again."

I've seen them in Denmark too, and they also exist in Turkey apparently.



Crossing with children - I am usually quite sloppy as to crossing roads, I mean if there are no cars around I will cross no matter what colour the traffic light. However, when there are children around (even with parents) I try to just wait till it's green.

And by the way, it appears that in France, some people use the expression 'cross when it's red' to mean 'cross when the cars' traffic light is red'. That means you get to hear things like 'Wait till the light is red before crossing the road' (For the record, that cost me one point in a test at school when I was little )

In Ireland in a few places we have the other sort of countdown timer - don't cross now because the lights will change in 25 seconds, 24, 23...

I'll just change it to "Some countries, including Ireland, Denmark and Korea..."

No, in Ireland the timer shows how long until the green man comes on for the pedestrians, to prevent them crossing too soon.

Oooo nice entry I relaly like it... Should there be some mention of the green cross code, and 'stop look listen' etc? I useually cross the raod here between two parked cars, in some ways I can see how it migh tbe more dangerous; but I'm taller than the car so still visable,and by walking out between teh two parked cars, and standing on the 'outside' of the gap between the two cars I'm pretty visable and of course the distance one then has to travel to get to the gap between the parked cars on the other side of the road is less and so time in the 'danger zone' of the bit of the road where cars can actually drive down is reduced no end Mind, there is a pavement near me I use a lot where I often have to walk out into the road and walk round the van, as its parked so close to the pavement, and the pavement so narrow,m that with the large wing mirror sticking out one can't use the pavement I got hit crossing the road when drunk one time... it was quite funny and so low speed I didn't even get bruised

*smacks 2legs*

you're a very naughty boy!

"Once you have found a suitable spot, look carefully in both directions and listen for approaching traffic."

In the UK we're taught to look in the direction traffic closest to us is coming from, then the other way, then back to the closest traffic again. 'Left, right and left again', but not much use for most countries!

"Do not attempt to cross a major road such as a motorway or dual carriageway. These are not designed to be crossed by pedestrians and drivers will not be expecting you." I realise you want this to be available for everyone, but just a couple of points - in the UK it's illegal to cross a motorway, and we also have lots of public footpaths which cross dual carriageways, so perhaps a tweak there? To look for a proper crossing place where possible.

"It is very important to remember that if you are abroad, cars may travel in the opposite direction to what you are used to, and other road rules may be unknown. Familiarise yourself with them if possible." Could add to look for signs etc? In London and cities where there are likely to be 'foreign' visitors there are signs saying which direction to look in when crossing roads etc.

Good entry! Can you find some links to sites such as the Green Cross Code (http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/arrivealive/greencross.htm), if they have them in other countries as well?

" 'Left, right and left again',"

Possibly that should be the other way around.

I had just started to wonder. During my firs visit to England, I very nearly ran into a car because that was what I did: I looked left.
It's a nice feature in London, where they tell you which direction to look on most crossings.