And then there was the Pride Crossing

[SamphiretheTervosaurReturneth]

I hardly ever start posts here and yet here I am, 2 in less than an hour!

Cheltenham says no to Pride crossing... cos it' too expensive, and they had a lot of negative comments about the one in Gloucester.

Tides are a-turning

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck5908wd00wo

Good to see that evidence and facts are finally being prioritised. These crossings are bloody dangerous for sight impaired people and others.

Good

Ours are looking distinctly manky after being down a few years.

Yeah. The Gloucester one looks grotty too. As it is GCC that has refused the Cheltenham one I am guessing it won't be refurbished either. Just be left to fade away!

Hopefully, it's a metaphor.

So, how will Pride people manage to cross the road without a rainbow?

I know right?

And the NB folx, having to use a black and white crossing. I mean, it's so binary.

I get off a bus stop early in order not to have to use one.

The Gloucester crossing was looking distinctly tired when I used it last Summer; it must look terrible by now!

I don't understand how they cost £1,000 per stripe.

I have done quite a lot of work with designing road markings, and they have to be used and marked out in very specific and detailed ways so that they are legal. I'd love to know how they justify these crossings that aren't to the legal standards. If someone got run over on one they would be right up shit creek.

I bet the paint is expensive because it's nonstandard, probably bespoke. There might also be a minimum purchase quantity. If it can't be mixed in small batches, the Council might have to agree to buy the entire amount even if they were only going to use a fragment of it.

Interesting that the Gloucester one didn’t include the trans baby blue/baby pink 🤮 flag which, frankly, has ruined Barrett’s Licorice Allsorts for me.

I like them, I think the colours pretty up a town.
Unfortunately, they're not safe, not standard, confusing for both drivers, pedestrians and guide dogs. I'm a little surprised they're legal tbh and an accident on them would be interesting, as to where everyone stood legally.

They are still popular here in Canada, I'd say ubiquitous.

Though if I had to pick, I'd like to get rid of the giant Black Lives Matter written in the road in the downtown of my city, you can't really tell what it says when you are driving and it really makes the road there confusing, where there are already multiple lanes, lights, and bike lanes.

Good.

I gather, from, er, discussions about a colourful crossing in my neighbourhood, that markings in variegated colours are not illegal provided they are on crossings controlled by lights.

However organisations such as the RNIB, Guide Dogs, Transport For All, Scope and the Alzheimer's Society disapprove of them on any crossing, because they pose a risk to people with visual and cognitive impairments.

Was there not a huge issue with police horses and guide dogs and 'Pride' crossings?

It's "pridewashing" surely. Makes absolutely no difference to the lives of LGBT etc. and can be harmful to other groups as well as a waste of money.

Follow the chicken?

We have one. It's on a Pelican crossing so not a hazard for sight-impaired users as it might be if on a Zebra crossing. Most people locally like it as they think it is in support of the NHS.

There's a very good letter from Transport For All regarding colourful crossings. It concentrates on London but the points are valid everywhere. It's not just visually impaired people who are affected.

The letter is here https://www.transportforall.org.uk/campaign/colourful-crossings/

They aren't great if you have a child who thinks it's a mario kart rumble strip.

No idea,maybe the same way they'll manage to continue shopping in Tesco once the 'All Are Welcome' rainbow signs are put away on Saturday.

Chersfrozenface · Today 15:14

There's a very good letter from Transport For All regarding colourful crossings.

In conclusion, they're a pointless waste of money and effort and represent potential hazards to many people, as well as guide dogs and Police horses finding them disorientating.

During a cost of living crisis.

It isn't paint. It is thermoplastic. Which is plastic, with tiny spheres of reflective glass in it. It has to meet certain criteria for reflection and for cars to brake on it and not skid.

I used to test it for a living.