Pelican Crossings - Traffic signal controlled crossings found in the UK
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
This is one of the most common types of traffic light controlled pedestrian crossings used in the UK and Ireland and works in the following way. Road traffic is controlled by the usual coloured lights. Foot crossing is controlled by red man/green man signal lights which forbid or permit crossing of the road.
The process is started by a pedestrian pushing a button on one of the lighting posts to indicate their intention to cross the road. After a period of time the traffic signal goes from green to amber to red and stops the traffic. At this point the green man signal is lit, indicating to waiting pedestrians that it is safe to cross. Once this sign has been illuminated for a certain period of time, doubtless calculated using some complex formula concerning the width of the road, average speed of the standard pedestrian, etc, the green man sign flashes to inform anyone currently crossing the road that their time in nearly up. Those who have not already started to cross should now wait as only a few seconds remain before road traffic will be shown the green light and permitted to proceed.
However, as an added twist, once the green man signal starts to flash the amber traffic light also flashes. This indicates to road users that they may proceed over the crossing if it is free of pedestrians, without waiting for the green light.
This permits the following dangerous situation to occur. A vehicle approaches the crossing and prepares to stop because the lights are red, although at this point the crossing may be clear. The amber traffic light starts to flash and the driver accelerates to pass the empty crossing. At this point a pedestrian, seeing that the green man signal is flashing, and knowing that this is set to give even the most infirm pedestrian time to finish crossing the road, leaps onto the crossing and is hit by the vehicle.
The blame for the accident in this case would fall on the pedestrian, who should not have started to cross once the "green man" light had started to flash. However, it is interesting to note that newer types of British automated crossing such as the "Toucan", a joint pedestrian and bicycle crossing, have omitted the flashing amber phase altogether and show the green traffic light only when the "red man" is lit. Similarily it seems to be the case in many other European countries that the signals controlling the pedestrian crossing switch directly from "go" to "stop" without creating an intermediate phase which can seem to create such as false sense of security.
The process is started by a pedestrian pushing a button on one of the lighting posts to indicate their intention to cross the road. After a period of time the traffic signal goes from green to amber to red and stops the traffic. At this point the green man signal is lit, indicating to waiting pedestrians that it is safe to cross. Once this sign has been illuminated for a certain period of time, doubtless calculated using some complex formula concerning the width of the road, average speed of the standard pedestrian, etc, the green man sign flashes to inform anyone currently crossing the road that their time in nearly up. Those who have not already started to cross should now wait as only a few seconds remain before road traffic will be shown the green light and permitted to proceed.
However, as an added twist, once the green man signal starts to flash the amber traffic light also flashes. This indicates to road users that they may proceed over the crossing if it is free of pedestrians, without waiting for the green light.
This permits the following dangerous situation to occur. A vehicle approaches the crossing and prepares to stop because the lights are red, although at this point the crossing may be clear. The amber traffic light starts to flash and the driver accelerates to pass the empty crossing. At this point a pedestrian, seeing that the green man signal is flashing, and knowing that this is set to give even the most infirm pedestrian time to finish crossing the road, leaps onto the crossing and is hit by the vehicle.
The blame for the accident in this case would fall on the pedestrian, who should not have started to cross once the "green man" light had started to flash. However, it is interesting to note that newer types of British automated crossing such as the "Toucan", a joint pedestrian and bicycle crossing, have omitted the flashing amber phase altogether and show the green traffic light only when the "red man" is lit. Similarily it seems to be the case in many other European countries that the signals controlling the pedestrian crossing switch directly from "go" to "stop" without creating an intermediate phase which can seem to create such as false sense of security.
