Pedestrian Liberation Front

I didn’t know this. Apparently there is a detector on some pedestrian crossings which will cancel your request for a green man light if you cross on red because there is a gap in the traffic. I discovered this when I complained about a crossing that sometimes switched off the “Wait” light after the button was pressed, without a green man. This is part of the reply from Transport for London:

Once a button is pressed, an additional detector located at the top of the signal pole confirms the presence of a pedestrian before the demand for the crossing is registered. If pedestrians subsequently cross or move away before the signals change, the crossing request is cancelled and the signals remain green to traffic. This is to ensure that the crossing doesn’t change when there are no pedestrians waiting to cross.

It turned out that there was a fault on this crossing, which has now been fixed.

Sadly, TfL has ignored my other complaint, which was that, in any case, the delay for pedestrian lights was so long as to be dangerous, because pedestrians would cross on red. The PLF will fight on.

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• Junius

  ‘Sadly, TfL has ignored my other complaint, which was that, in any case, the delay for pedestrian lights was so long as to be dangerous, because pedestrians would cross on red.’

  You do not say exactly how long you have to wait for the lights to change. Surely it is best to wait, perhaps compose your next blog in your head while you do so, rather than risk crossing on a red man and getting run over? Your many fans would be desolate were you to fall under a bus.

  I do sometimes wonder about Indy bloggers’ sense of priorities. Your esteemed colleague Andy McSmith is presently regaling us with the prospect of illegal morris dancing (if you see him please put him straight – no capital M in morris dancing, legal or otherwise), and the revival of the ancient title of High Steward of Hull. While in the wider world all is ferment with a heated debate in the Commons over gay marriage, and Nigel Farage’s momentous decision not to run as UKIP candidate in the Eastleigh by-election.

• feath

  I wonder if the angle is able to pick up the low-laying person in a scooter or wheelchair?