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Username:: traveltales
Name:: Laura
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Travel > Danish Offset Coming to a Street near You

Danish Offset Coming to a Street near You

The city of Las Vegas is trying to do something about teaching drivers to have more respect for pedestrians in crosswalks, teach the pedestrians how to safely use the crosswalks, and discourage jay walkers.

The streets here are very wide and straight, encouraging speeders to hot foot it up the boulevards with no regard for pedestrian traffic. The wide streets also make it difficult for pedestrians to cross in a timely manner. And another issue is reminding them to look both ways before setting foot onto the street.

A new crosswalk configuration called the Danish Offset is being tested here in Las Vegas. I so went looking for a picture to share with you.

Le voila:

You can see where the pedestrians will have a good-sized area of refuge in the middle of several lanes of traffic.

I love the name, Danish Crossover, and maybe someday I'll be crossing some street and realize Hey! I'm in a Danish Crossover! Woo hoo!

posted on Jan 1, 2011 10:06 PM ()

Comments:

Everything's hunky-dory here unless you jay-walk - the Metro police have no sympathy for folks outside the crosswalk who get creamed by the drunk drivers.

comment by traveltales on Jan 6, 2011 5:32 PM ()

I was waiting for a joke of some sort, but this is the real deal! Cool.

comment by solitaire on Jan 3, 2011 7:14 AM ()

I thought it was going to be a joke, too, but found this huge study online about efforts in Las Vegas and San Francisco to reduce car-pedestrian accidents, like painting arrows on the street telling the peds to look both ways before crossing and statistical proof of whether that made a difference.

reply by traveltales on Jan 6, 2011 5:35 PM ()

Love the name.

comment by elderjane on Jan 2, 2011 1:36 PM ()

Sounds a little bit like a pastry with maybe some nice icing.

reply by traveltales on Jan 6, 2011 5:36 PM ()

That's really interesting. I like the concept.

comment by redimpala on Jan 2, 2011 10:00 AM ()

It must be fun to be a traffic design engineer.

reply by traveltales on Jan 6, 2011 5:36 PM ()

When I moved to Ohio from California I nearly got hit by a car while crossing at a corner with no traffic stop or light. In CA the pedestrian always has right-of-way. Not here.

comment by jondude on Jan 2, 2011 4:49 AM ()

I think they do here in Las Vegas, too (have the right of way) but not so you'd notice, with all the crazy drivers.

reply by traveltales on Jan 6, 2011 5:37 PM ()

This is the same sort of crossing system, we have here in the UK. Either side of the 'Zebra Crossing' (as we call them) there is a 'Belleesha Beacon' which is an orange 'continuous' flashing light, that warns drivers to 'slow down' because the are 'approaching' a crossing.
In the photo you have on here, I noticed that there is a truck which looks as though it is 'parked' on the crossing - 'here', the police would give you a 'ticket' and possibly 'points' on your driving licence, as it is an offence, to block a 'crossing'.
They are a very, handy way to cross a main road and they do reduce the ammount of speeding drivers! People will appreciate these, I think

comment by febreze on Jan 2, 2011 3:53 AM ()

The truck isn't parked, it's in the right-hand travel lane - our streets are hugely wide compared to the UK.

reply by traveltales on Jan 6, 2011 5:31 PM ()

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