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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A515783

This is my first attempt at submitting for peer review. I wrote this back in January and was just ready to submit it and .....


J

I admit I found this entry a bit confusing, starting with the title. Are these pedestrian crossings commonly called "pelican crossings" in the UK, or is this a term invented by the author? What is the connection with pelicans?

It would be worth pointing out in the title that the entry is specifically focused on pedestrian crossings in the UK, as the entry is not applicable to crossings in the US or Canada or Mexico (the 3 countries I've crossed traffic in....).

Also, the last sentence is a bit too first person.


Mikey

Pelican crossings do seem to be a bit of a british idea, don't they. andthe name is right.

Yes, I can only speak for British crossings. The ones I have described really are called Pelican crossings. I don't know why! I'm sure there are/were ones called Puffin Crossings - I'm not sure of the subtle differences although some crossings use radar detectors to check that they're free of pedestrians before letting the traffic loose.

There are certainly ones called "Toucan" crossings. These are designed to allow both pedestrians and bicycles safe passage at the point where a bicycle route needs to cross a busy road. As I believe that these are being funded by central government as part of a London bicycle network, as opposed from local tax, this might explain why the one 50 metres from my house, A "humped toucan crossing" no less, has a good 5 metres of cycle path on either side of it.

Oh, and I think it's a pun on "Two-can" as in people and cyclists.

Pelican Crossings were called that in Ireland as well, when they were introduced first. Only those of us with long memories remember the name now.

By the rules, no pedestrian is supposed to step onto the crossing once the green man has started to flash. So the dangerous situation is caused by somebody disobeying the rules.

This entry will have to be rewritten if it is to get into the guide. The guide does not allow statements with I or me in them, except in exceptional circumstances. You are not supposed to express your personal opinions. You can report on opinions if many people feel them. You can also state it as fact if you have ever seen somebody jumping onto the crossing like this:

"This can lead to the dangerous situation where ..."

Thanks for your help and suggestions. I'll edit when I get a moment

J

So why on Earth are they called 'Pelican' crossings? SOMEONE must know! This entry should contain either an answer to this question or, lacking that, an admission that it IS mysterious. Otherwise, the reader is left with the uncomfortable feeling that he/she SHOULD understand the name, because the writer feels it is obvious enough to be not worth mentioning.

I might get on a search engine and try to find out for myself now... if I come up with anything, I'll let you know.

GTB

I vaguely remember that there may be Puffin Crossings as well. I did an advanced driving course many years ago and all of these were explained to me at the time. I think they are all dubious acronyms!

J

I've put a link on one of my pages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A520705

to a UK government site that explains the legalities behind pelican, puffin, and zebra crossings.


Mikey

"Pelican" - a cutesy pseudo-acronym for PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled, with the 'o' changed to an 'a' because of the bird. I got that from a Google Search which pointed me to some web-based dictionary.

GTB

Puffin Crossings are in almost all respects the same as pelicans, only without the flashing amber stage. The pedestrian crossing light is also at eye level, rather than at traffic light level. why this is I'm not sure.

Toucan crossings are called that because of the fact that two can cross (not a joke).

Good news, this entry has been recommended for the edited guide. congratulations. This thread will shortly move out of the peer review, and your entry will be on its way to one of the subeditors. You'll be contacted by email once it is ready to enter the edited guide but please be patient as there is a bit of a queue.

Editorial Note: This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review forum because this entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

If they have not been along already, the Scout who recommended your entry will post here soon, to let you know what happens next. Meanwhile you can find out what will happen to your entry here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/SubEditors-Process

Congratulations!

May I try to shed some light on the debate.

A "pedestrian crossing" is one where, once the red man reappears after the pedestrian has crossed, the traffic signal goes red+amber then green, i.e. no flashing amber.

A "pelican crossing" is the most common one, i.e. down the high street, which has the flashing amber and flashing green man. Incidentally it is only *normally* a pelican crossing that uses a bleeping sound when a green man is shown.

A "puffin crossing" is similar in operation to the "pedestrian crossing", except the red and green men are situated on the traffic light post facing the pedestrian above the "WAIT panel", as opposed to being on the opposite side of the road. PUFFIN stands for Pedestrian-User-Friendly-INterface. The reason is that the there is a microwave detector that alters the green man period depending on the pedestrian crossing speed.

Finally, a "toucan crossing" is similar to a "pedestrian crossing" again, except that it is shared by pedestrians and cyclists, or indeed pedestrians and horses. The green man is accompanied by a green cycle symbol.

As has already been pointed out, the entry is a little confusing unless it includes an explanation of why pelican crossings are so called. To further explain the apparent British obsession with animal names in this field of endeavour it might be worth adding a note on the introduction of zebra crossings in 1951.

Additionally, pelican crossings were introduced in 1969, and toucan crossings are solely designed with pedestrians and cyclists in mind - if you want to throw horses into the mix they become pegasus crossings.