Ensuring road safety is an important task of the competent authorities. Given how many people lose their health and even life as a result of non-compliance with the relevant rules, officials decided to make certain changes to the law. Moreover, they have already managed to put them into practice. We are talking about diagonal pedestrian crossings. So what are they? What are their features?
New type of markup
The last calendar year was remembered by drivers and pedestrians, among other things, by the introduction of certain amendments to the law. In particular, now let's talk about one of them - the introduction of a new type of marking (namely, a diagonal pedestrian crossing was introduced). What does this mean for pedestrians? Now they can cross the roadway only along the perimeter of the intersection, but also through its center. Do new pedestrian crossings mean new rules for drivers? About it further.
What is a diagonal transition
The regulated pedestrian crossing suggests that people will cross the road simultaneously with vehicles moving along the carriageway. In practice, this means that when cars turn, they create a conditional danger for those who cross the road. In other words, there is a risk of a traffic accident, and the person at the pedestrian crossing is not insured against an accident.
After investigating the causes of such tragic situations, experts came to the conclusion that the introduction of a completely separate pedestrian phase could many times reduce the number of such risks. In addition, the diagonal transition suggests that people cross the roadway obliquely. The distance of their movement and, consequently, the transition time increases. What do these innovations mean for pedestrians? Safety and incredible convenience when crossing the roadway.
Studies of specialists that have been conducted over a long period of time show that diagonal pedestrian crossing is the safest alternative for improving traffic in areas where traffic and pedestrian flows are especially intense.
Experiment?
The introduction of such transitions was not a spontaneous decision. It has been carefully designed. Before introducing them officially, a diagonal pedestrian crossing was introduced at ten crossroads of the city of Moscow in an experimental manner. So, in the selected areas the corresponding diagonal marking was applied. Crossroads were varied. Nevertheless, they were all united by some common requirements. For example, the following:
- sufficient visibility;
- at least four lanes in both directions of movement;
- the presence of artificial lighting;
- the presence of specialized pedestrian sections at traffic lights;
- location in a sleeping area (transport should be less than pedestrians).
Before the experiment was implemented, people, as a rule, violated the rules of the road in selected places by crossing the road. The best outcome in this case could be just a fine of 500 rubles, the worst - loss of health or life.
After this experiment was recognized as being successfully implemented, it was decided to apply diagonal marking in various areas of the city. In total, it was planned to make about three hundred transitions of this kind in the capital. What will bring this innovation to drivers and passengers? How has the action of the pedestrian crossing changed? What do experts think about this? Details are further in the article.
Legislation Reflection
What exactly is said about the considered innovations in the current legislation? Firstly, a pedestrian crossing the carriageway is possible only at specialized passages (we are also talking about overpasses and underpasses). If there are none, the only possibility is to move through the intersection only along the line of curbs or sidewalks.
In some cases, the law allows the intersection of the road between two opposite corners of the intersection (obliquely, diagonally). However, only if there is a marking indicating a diagonal pedestrian crossing.
A new paragraph has been introduced in the relevant paragraph of the legislation, which indicates the conditions under which a diagonal pedestrian crossing becomes possible. These are the following points:
- allowed exclusively at regulated intersections ;
- allowed only with appropriate marking.
Attention! Not everywhere pedestrians can cross the road diagonally. This applies to places where there is a “Pedestrian Crossing” road sign and to regulated intersections. An exception is made only for those areas where the corresponding markings were applied. Crossing the roadway diagonally at intersections without marking can lead to an emergency. There are also certain rules for its application. For example, it is important to consider the size of the pedestrian zebra. When everyone (drivers, pedestrians, and utilities) fulfills their duties, traffic on the roads becomes safe.
Security
The diagonal pedestrian crossings considered in this article can effectively increase the level of road traffic safety in those cases when both the pedestrian and the turning vehicle cross the roadway.
It is important to understand that with the use of innovations, the rules of passage for a pedestrian crossing also change. In addition, the level of intersection service for this section is significantly reduced for both pedestrians and drivers. Its high level is characteristic only for an ordinary system using a standard two-phase traffic light. The only exceptions are sites with incredibly high pedestrian flows. For such intersections, diagonal crossings are the best solution for optimizing the movement of vehicles.
Pedestrian opinion
How did those who first of all have to take advantage of the new pedestrian crossings directly reacted? Mostly, people expressed neither admiration nor indignation about this. To many, this new type of markup seems convenient. After all, now there is no need to go to the right side of the road around the perimeter. This saves time to a certain extent. Others believe that this new product will not fundamentally change anything. On the whole, pedestrians reacted rather passively to the possibility of crossing diagonally at certain intersections. Perhaps, over time, having tested the innovation in practice, they will be able to formulate their reasoned opinion.
Drivers Opinion
Motorists frankly not happy with the innovation. A separate pedestrian phase, in their opinion, can significantly disrupt the flow of vehicles. After all, now for a certain time, cars in all directions will stand. According to motorists, this will once again provoke the formation of traffic jams, which in Moscow are already enough. Drivers, for the most part, do not understand exactly what problems officials are trying to solve by introducing such changes, and they don’t feel particularly happy about this.
Expert Opinion
Many experts apprehended these innovations with fear and even encouraged officials to take practical measures to annul the described decision. What, according to experts, is the problem?
Experts believe that, in this case, it would be unreasonable to copy foreign experience in the Russian Federation, since the culture of road traffic is fundamentally different. If in the West there is an enforced limit of 50 kilometers per hour, then in Russia cities drive at speeds of 80 kilometers per hour. At the crosswalks today, forty out of a hundred people crossing the road are knocked down, so they must be considered high-risk areas.
Among other things, special markings are usually erased in three months. It is rarely updated with the same regularity. The driver may simply not notice the special markings and, not expecting a pedestrian, not slow down while driving.
Moreover, if the pedestrian does not have time to cross the roadway, he, according to the law, will be forced to stop at the center of the intersection. As soon as the movement begins, it will become vulnerable to turning cars, will be forced to shift and will fall into the area in which any moving machine can hit it.
In general, experts identified up to a dozen problems that make the use of diagonal pedestrian crossings impossible at Russian intersections.
Security island
In addition to the described, a few more innovations will change the usual life of drivers and pedestrians. Among them, including the islet of security. What it is? And why was it created?
If a pedestrian enters the road, he does not have the right to stop on it or to linger unnecessarily, unless it is necessary to ensure safety on the roadway. Persons who did not manage to cross the pedestrian crossing (the zebra did not end, but the traffic signal has changed) should remain on the islet of safety or directly on the line that separates traffic flows in opposite directions. You can continue driving only when it is absolutely safe.
Lane for cyclists
Now there is a special lane on the roadway. It is intended exclusively for those who travel by bicycle or moped. Such a lane is specially separated from the rest of the road (as a rule, with special horizontal markings and a special sign, which is hung directly above the lane). Sometimes now they use the new sign "Band for cyclists." It is no longer hung over the carriageway, but is installed on the side, like the pedestrian crossing road sign.
Rationality of innovation?
How correctly did the competent authorities make the decision? Today it’s hard to say. And although appropriate studies and experiments were carried out before the changes were introduced, only time can help to understand how effective such a solution was. Practice, the behavior of pedestrians and drivers, statistics of violations and traffic accidents in the observed areas - all this will become the obvious answer to the question asked at the beginning of the paragraph.
How to respond
The only thing that would be wise to do now is to follow the current rules. There is little point in criticizing innovations and proving their fallacy or inefficiency. It would be far more sensible to carefully understand them and do everything that would contribute to safety on the roadway: to observe the rules of the passage for this type of crosswalk. It is important to remember that safety is paramount. No time saved is worth the lost human life.
Conclusion
So, a diagonal pedestrian crossing is such a crossing that allows pedestrians to cross the roadway not only along the perimeter of the intersection, but also obliquely (from one corner to the opposite). This can only be done with appropriate markings, and also only at regulated intersections . To date, more than three hundred such transitions are functioning.
The public reacted to the innovation in different ways. So, pedestrians did not express anything specific, noting only that it would probably increase the convenience of crossing the roadway for them. Drivers and experts were seriously worried. Car enthusiasts worry that due to this innovation, the number of traffic jams will increase significantly. But experts argue that diagonal pedestrian crossings not only do not provide greater security when crossing the roadway, but completely reduce its level.
Who is right, time will tell. In the meantime, it would be right for all of us to adhere to the norms and requirements of current legislation, worrying about our safety and the safety of others.