What Happens When Cities Plan for Distracted Smart Phone Users?
We've become a society glued to our smartphones and instead of altering our behaviour while on the streets, some cities have instead accommodated to our poor habits by installing traffic lights on the ground.
While the light is currently only part of a pilot program in the town of Bodegraven of The Netherlands, the illuminated lines are embedded into the pavement and will glow either red or green to indicate to pedestrians when they can walk or have to stop.
In the southern German city of Augsburg, the German transportation provider Stadtwerke Augsburg has installed lights along the tram tracks in an attempt to gain attention by smart phone users and to prevent fatalities. The lights are flat on the ground and only flash red when a tram is approaching.
Located in the Dutch village of Eerbeek is a glowing crosswalk that makes it not only easier for drivers to see but also those that are attached to their cellphones.
Installed at the intersections of Pitt and Goulburn streets, and Hay and Dixon streets in Melbourne are these in-ground lights that only turn red to signal pedestrians to stop. They are switched off when the walking signal on the other side of the road signifies that it is safe to cross.
Sources: The Sydney Morning Herald, Curbed, Telegraph. Cover photo © unsplash
