In megacities and cities of more modest sizes, today you can increasingly find the sign "Pedestrian zone". In the article, we consider what it means, what variations it exists, and why it is becoming more popular in cities.
What does the pedestrian zone sign mean
With the advent of cars, the freedom of movement of walkers began to gradually be limited. The most spacious and even parts of the road began to stand out for vehicles. Pedestrians had to be content with what remains - small narrow sidewalks.
In small towns and villages where there are few vehicles, there have almost never been problems with places for hiking, and today there are none. But in megacities with their perpetual traffic jams, an ordinary pedestrian has to literally cling to the walls of houses near the curb.
To solve this problem, some parts of the street that were passers-by returned to people over time, forbidding any transport on this territory except:
- municipal equipment;
- cash and other official vehicles;
- Bicycles
- gyro scooters.
Such territories are called "pedestrian zones". They first appeared in Europe in the fifties of the twentieth century.
In order for drivers to know which of the streets are not intended for driving, a specialized pedestrian sign "Pedestrian zone" was introduced.
By the way, the territories that are indicated by this sign are not always expensive. Often they include one or more streets, as well as squares.
What does a pointer look like?
Although the rules of the road and the ways of their designation are similar in most countries of the world, the sign under consideration in different states looks different.
In the Russian Federation, in accordance with the current Rules of the road, the sign “Pedestrian zone” is marked with the code 5.33 and has the following design:
It is noteworthy that, before its appearance, another indicator was used to designate territories for walking: “No traffic”.
Mandatory addition
The considered 5.33 mark is never used without the other - with the number 5.34. It is called "End of the pedestrian zone" and looks like this:
Using this pair of road signs indicate the boundaries of the territory allocated for walking. The legislation of the Russian Federation prohibits the use of a plate with a code 5.33 without additions with a number 5.34.
Variations of the sign "Pedestrian zone" and "End of the pedestrian zone"
In addition to the traditional design, sometimes a red snowflake is added to 5.33 and 5.34 below. This is done in cases where the space designated by them is not accessible to pedestrians all the time, but only at certain hours or days of the week. The rest of the time it is allowed to drive vehicles.
Otherwise, the design of such pointers is identical.
European counterparts
As in the countries of the former Soviet Union and in other countries of the world, the pedestrian zone sign prohibits vehicles from entering certain territories. But the appearance of this pointer has various variations.
In Germany, a white woman with a child is drawn on the sign against a blue circle, and the inscription "zone" is located below.
In France, everything is different: against the background of an aquamarine circle, a man leads a girl.
In Ukraine, a hybrid of German and French pointers is used: a man leads a boy by the hand. In this case, only one option is used, and not two different signs to indicate the beginning and end of the pedestrian zone. To make it clear that where, everything is supplemented by two signs 3.1 "Entry is forbidden" and 3.2 "Movement is prohibited."
On the Italian pointer is drawn exactly the same white man on an aquamarine background, as in the Russian Federation. The only difference is that in case of restriction of access for pedestrians in certain periods, a red snowflake is not put. Just below the information about the hours of use of the territory.
Why every year there are more and more pedestrian zones?
The dominance of vehicles in megacities leads not only to traffic jams, but also to gas pollution. This, in turn, affects the health of urban residents, as well as the quality of their life in particular and the environment as a whole.
To improve the situation, in most European countries more and more pedestrian streets are opened, where you can ride only on bicycles and hoverboards.
Especially many of these areas are located near university campuses, as well as near architectural monuments actively visited by tourists. Often, boulevards serve this purpose - wide streets with a green zone in the middle.
In fairness, it is worth noting that the appearance of a huge number of pedestrian territories is not always due only to the care of the inhabitants of the cities. Often these areas make it convenient for tourists who are willing to spend money there. Often such streets are known not so much for their architectural monuments as for shops and restaurants with fairly high prices.
A similar trend is common in post-Soviet countries, which European problems have not yet touched so much. For example, in Moscow, the pedestrian Arbat is also known as one of the most visited places by tourists. In Kiev - this is Khreshchatyk, in Nikolaev - Soborna Street (the former Soviet).
The appearance of pedestrian streets is characteristic not only of megalopolises, but also of smaller cities. For example, in the small town of Nizhyn (population about 70 thousand), where N.V. Gogol studied at one time, the pedestrian street Gogolevskaya was named after him. Here children are free to walk.
Pedestrian Track Sign
There is still such a nuance. Sometimes the Pedestrian Zone is confused with the Pedestrian Track. And although both signs are used to designate the territory for the movement of people, they have a difference. In the second case, the same blue circle with a white man is used, but the inscription "Zone" is missing.
In addition to a small external difference, there are differences in the concepts themselves:
- The track ends when it crosses any other road. It is also small in size and does not include curbs and sidewalks, squares.
- The pedestrian zone can extend for several kilometers, despite the intersection with one or more roads. It ends only where the corresponding sign hangs. Another difference is the size. Pedestrian zones may include not one, but several streets, and even squares.
Otherwise, the same rules apply.
"Crosswalk"
Sometimes, the considered indicator 5.33 is correlated with the sign "Pedestrian crossing zone" (code 5.19.1).
In addition to a similar name, they have little in common. The fact is that the “Pedestrian Crossing” sign is used to indicate small gaps on the roadway where people can cross it. However, unlike the territory intended for walking and walking, the zone of the sign "Pedestrian Crossing" stands out for safe, and most importantly, fast crossing the carriageway. You can’t walk, stop or just walk here. Like the entire road, this area is primarily intended for cars, with the only difference being that pedestrians can pass here.
Although the space designated by the “Pedestrian Zone” sign is much safer for people than the pedestrian crossing, care must also be taken here. After all, no one canceled official transport, cyclists and just sloppy pedestrians. And they can also cause injury. Therefore, wherever you are - do not lose vigilance, take care of yourself and your family.