MooseHat's Vancouver Moose-ings Part 10
By rightantler on September 16, 2005 - 8:11am
The Cuckoo and the Chirp
Originally uploaded by Right Antler.
I was fascinated to note that many street crossings have audible assistance. Depending on which way you go you get a cuckoo sound or a chirp. Very helpful for the blind or vision impaired residents. I wonder however if this a national/international standard? I can't remember this in the UK where they have many crossings away from crossroads and a simple beep would do ....
[Approaching Cambie Bridge]
In February, I wrote briefly about audible pedestrian traffic signals in Vancouver as compared to Portland, Oregon. I found that while visiting Portland, I often spaced out expecting to be notified as to when I could cross the street as I am in Vancouver and its suburbs. Turns out not only the visually-impared have a use for them.
That was right around the time a visitor from the UK noted, as compared to the streets of London, how cars would stop for us when we crossed the street. It's the law in British Columbia and I'm sure elsewhere in Canada that drivers, at all intersections (not just the ones with cross-walks) must stop for pedestrians if it's safe to do so.
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