Readers give pedestrian crossing plan the green light

Saturday, Aug 08, 2009

Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: Having to make that split-second decision of whether to wait or quickly cross the intersection just as the green man turns red is a frequent dilemma for pedestrians in Abu Dhabi.

So the new initiative in the capital of installing countdown timers before the colour changes from green is making its pedestrians feel safer about crossing roads.

Since Fatima Siyab Al Deen, a grade 10 student, does not have a driver's licence, walking to her destination is her common practice.

She said: "This system is helpful because there are many times when I do not know when to cross fearing that it might turn red at any second."

Siyab Al Deen, an Indian national, worries about her younger sister crossing the road, as she tends to do so without judging if it is the right time.

However, with the new countdown timers, Siyab Al Deen said: "My sister would be able to see how much time she has left and make a decision of whether to cross or not."

Felix Melecio Sabiniano, a Filipino national, rides his bicycle to Abu Dhabi Corniche on a regular basis.

However, getting there is a timely exercise for him.

He said: "Whenever I approach a traffic intersection and the light is green I just wait for the next turn. I do not want to be in the middle of the road when the light suddenly turns red."

With the new countdown system, Sabiniano feels it would provide a realistic timeframe for pedestrians to cross safely and prevent jaywalking-related accidents.

According to Sabiniano, installing countdown timers for pedestrians along with the already installed warning system in the form of blinking lights for motorists would ease traffic flow.

Sabiniano, an aircraft maintenance technician, said: "If the two are synchronised, pedestrians and motorists will know when it is their turn and how much time they have left to cross and make a decision ahead of time."

Naim Noor Al Deen, a mechanical engineer, is one of the many Abu Dhabi motorists who have experienced smooth traffic flow since the implementation of the new signal system.

He said: "There are so many drivers, including me, who speed whenever the light is green. But with the system of blinking green lights, I slow down ahead of time."

Noor Al Deen believes that having such a "time management system" decreases the number of accidents.

By Mohammad Jihad, Community Web Editor