Pedestrian crossing

This article covers pedestrian crossings in Germany. The general part can be found in the article Pedestrian Crossing . For Austria see Schutzweg (Austria) and for Switzerland see pedestrian crossing

Pedestrian crossing with "zebra crossing" and traffic signs 350-10

Pedestrian crossing with "zebra crossing" in Mexico City .

In Germany, the pedestrian crossing is called a pedestrian crossing , this is a crossing system on streets for pedestrians and wheelchair users . A pedestrian crossing is marked next to the notice with the corresponding signage by wide lines on the roadway , which also serve as traffic signs.

In official language, the markings were originally called thick lines . Prudent drivers who slowed down there, received from a newspaper so-called Dealer Points, the " Z calibrate e ines b articularly r ücksichtsvollen A utofahrers" . In popular parlance, the transitions from the abbreviation of this honor and after the similarly white patterned zebras became zebra crossings .

In contrast to the pedestrian overpass or underpass, the pedestrian crossing is always at ground level.

Since in most cases there is a difference in level (step) between the sidewalk and the road, the curb edge at pedestrian crossings is usually lowered or beveled to make it easier to cross with strollers , wheelchairs or handcarts .

Protected paths and pedestrian crossings

history

Figure 30b of the 1938 amendment to the StVO (German Reich)

Figure 4a : Pedestrian crossing, warning signs from the Road Traffic Regulations from 1953 (FRG)

Pedestrian crossing with flashing light in the FRG (1956–1964)

The zebra crossing in picture 30c , which has been valid since 1964 and which has been required by law as sign 293 since 1971 (FRG)

Pedestrian protection path with traffic lights in the GDR (1964–1977)

Before 1938, only local legal regulations for protective routes, such as pedestrian crossings were sometimes also called in Germany for decades, were used in the German Reich . According to the Berlin road code of 1929, protective paths could be set up, which were thought to lead “pedestrian crossings over the roadway marked by lines or in some other way on the roadway”. The regulation also looked round, red-bordered regulatory signs before, in the white center next to the direction arrows the label was "for pedestrians" to see.

As early as November 1938, considerations for a safer pedestrian crossing in Germany were specified for the first time nationwide in the road traffic regulations that were reissued in the same year . The amendment contained - without going into more detail in the legal text - with Fig. 30a and Fig. 30b, two characters that could form a unit as lane markings and traffic signs. The marking provided for a stop line drawn across the entire width of the street at the junctions of side streets in main streets, which was before the actual, otherwise unmarked pedestrian crossing. In addition, the newly introduced stop sign - which continued to exist as a stop sign in the Federal Republic of Germany until 1971 - was placed on the right edge of the lane next to the stop line. Two ten-meter-long dashed lines running parallel to the road were intended to slow down the motorist approaching the line.

London did not receive its first pedestrian road markings with dotted lines until 1948, where the colors yellow and blue were initially used in alternating sequence. On September 19, 1949, the Convention on Road Traffic, the Protocol on Road Signs and the Final Act of the United Nations Conference on Road and Motor Vehicle Traffic were signed in Geneva . The zebra crossing in its present form was mentioned for the first time. The first historically secured installation of twelve zebra crossings took place on July 8, 1952 in Munich . On August 24, 1953, the legislature introduced pedestrian crossings nationwide. With the first post-war amendment to the Road Traffic Act of 1938, which came into force for the Federal Republic of Germany on September 1, 1953, the pedestrian crossing (version A) and the zebra crossing (version B), which are dashed at both edges, were introduced as warning signs in paragraphs 26 and Figure 4b. In addition, in Fig. 4a, a traffic sign was used as a warning sign that was placed in front of the crossings.

In the German Democratic Republic there was no fundamental change in road traffic regulations until 1956. With the new StVO, which came into force on October 4, 1956, and which also applied to the East Berlin Soviet sector from November 23, 1956, a warning sign was introduced in the West, as in 1953, which marked a crossing for pedestrians. These transitions were often marked with two parallel white, round markings or with plaster nails.

With the next comprehensive StVO amendment for the Federal Republic of Germany, which came into force on May 1, 1956, an expanded concept of the pedestrian crossing was introduced: In addition to the two pedestrian crossings that are still valid as warning signs, the zebra crossings are now both mandatory and prohibited signs Flashing light carried by a red-and-white holding mast on both sides of the road has been incorporated into the road traffic regulations (Figure 30c). As soon as the flashing lights started to shine, the driver had to give the pedestrian priority and stop in front of the zebra crossing until the lights went out. This system, which is only used to a limited extent in some cities, was abolished on June 1, 1964 and deleted from the StVO, as the additional costs for the acquisition, construction and maintenance of the electric flashing lights were mostly avoided in the cities and municipalities. Instead, since 1964, pedestrians on the zebra crossing have generally been given priority over automobile traffic.

The development was similar in the GDR. Although the zebra crossing itself was not included as an independent sign in the road traffic regulations, it was used in large cities in particular. But even there, secured pedestrian protection routes , as the crossings were still called in the GDR, were mostly the exception until the turn of the century due to the manageable volume of traffic. As early as 1964, the second new version of a StVO was presented in the GDR and in Fig. 59 a black and yellow striped traffic light for pedestrian protection routes corresponding to the West German flashing light was introduced, which, however, was used to a far lesser extent than the flashing light. This led to the fact that the traffic light was abolished with the entry into force of a new road traffic regulations on January 1st, 1978.

In anticipation of the newly introduced StVO of the Federal Republic of Germany on March 1, 1971, a number of revised and new traffic signs were introduced on January 31, 1966; Among them was the international blue sign with the white triangle in its center, in which the symbol for the pedestrian crossing, as it was also contained in the warning sign, was reproduced.

The Beatles crossed the world's most famous zebra stripe on August 8, 1969 in the Abbey Road in London and had the picture printed on the cover of their album of the same name.

Todays situation

Directional sign 350-10 "Pedestrian Crossing" (Germany)

Danger sign 101-11 "Pedestrian crossing" (Germany)

Today, zebra crossings also serve as an indication of the no-stopping on the pedestrian crossing as well as up to five meters in front of it ( § 41 "Regulations" Paragraph (1) StVO in conjunction with Annex 2 StVO). The upright directional sign 350 serves as an indication of the pedestrian crossing. In driveways that require waiting, this sign is usually not necessary. The danger sign 101 can also be placed at special danger spots . The standard 350 is 70 × 70 cm in size, either hangs on a pole next to the crossing or above the crossing in the form of a lantern.

Road traffic regulations

Road traffic regulations regulate the priority of pedestrians on pedestrian crossings . Vehicle drivers who:

• not allow a privileged person to cross the lane even though he / she wants to use the pedestrian crossing in a recognizable way, or
• do not approach the pedestrian crossing at moderate speed, or
• overtaking at a pedestrian crossing,

can be punished with a fine of 80 euros and one point in the register of fitness to drive . Contrary to popular opinion, there is no fundamental obligation for pedestrians to use pedestrian crossings, but see Section 25 of the StVO. Trams do not have to stop at pedestrian crossings.

"(1) On pedestrian crossings have vehicles with the exception of rail vehicles to walk foregoing and Travelers , to enable of wheelchairs or wheelchairs who want to use the crossing recognizable crossing the roadway. Then they are only allowed to approach at moderate speed; if necessary, they have to wait.
(2) If the traffic slows down , vehicles may not drive on the crossing if they would have to wait for it.
(3) It is not allowed to overtake at crossings.
(4) If the marking leads over a cycle path or another part of the road , these regulations apply accordingly. "

- § 26 StVO

"(3) Anyone who goes on foot has to cross lanes quickly, taking into account vehicle traffic, using the shortest route across the direction of travel, and if the traffic situation requires it, only at intersections or junctions, at traffic lights within markings or on pedestrian crossings ( Sign 293). If the lane is crossed at intersections or junctions, pedestrian crossings or markings on traffic lights must always be used. "

- § 25 StVO

Roundabouts

In some cases, pedestrian crossings are also used in the entrances and exits to inner-city roundabouts . At the exits, however, these are only an illustration of the always existing priority of the pedestrian over the turning vehicle. Pedestrians only have an additional right there compared to vehicles turning into the roundabout.

The same applies to normal intersections when turning into a cross street over which a pedestrian crossing is marked, or when entering from it.

Cyclist

Cross the roadway

Note for drivers that crossing cyclists have priority (impermissible signage; correct would be sign 205 "give way" )

Pedestrian crossing in the roundabout with priority for cyclists

Cycle path ford with new (foreground) and old type of marking (background)

Cyclists often use pedestrian crossings to cross lanes in the wrong belief that vehicles on the lane must always allow them to cross. When using pedestrian crossings, however, cyclists do not have a special position under traffic law (in contrast to the legally implemented cyclist crossings in individual countries ), since the special consideration for crossing the pedestrian crossing according to § 26 StVO is only intended for pedestrians, drivers of patient elevators and wheelchair users (see above) . It is often deduced from this that cyclists always have to get off at pedestrian crossings . This is also wrong.

Cyclists are allowed to use a pedestrian crossing, however, if they can get there legally by driving (i.e. not using pure sidewalks, for example). So there is no "zebra crossing ban". Whether cyclists have right of way or priority when driving "across the lanes" depends on the situation: Turn at this point or turn around according to § 9 or come from pedestrian areas or the like or from "other parts of the street" according to § 10 StVO, then they normally have no right of way or priority. If you drive parallel to one of the lanes on a cycle path and cross a cross street via a pedestrian crossing, you have priority over turns in this situation alone and, if you follow a priority street, you may give way to vehicles on the cross street. This is often the case at inner-city roundabouts (see picture).

If you want to drive “across the stripes”, you should “think away” the zebra crossing. If you are still allowed to drive there, you do not have to get off the car, and if you have to wait there, you can do so with zebra crossings. The other way around, you don't have to wait with a zebra crossing if you wouldn't have it without either.

Pedestrians in the sense of § 26 StVO are considered to be cyclists who have dismounted and, according to the judgment of the Berlin Court of Appeal , people who use a bicycle “rolling”: To do this, the driver first gets off so that he stands to the side of the bike. If he is z. B. to the left of the bike, he places his right foot on the left pedal so that he can push himself off with his left foot - like on a scooter.

In the course of shared sidewalks and cycle paths, pedestrian crossings may not be arranged in accordance with the guidelines for the construction and equipment of pedestrian crossings (R-FGÜ 2001). However, the guidelines are not binding and have no effect on questions of access, right of way or priority.

Cross at roundabouts

Combined crossing system for bicycles and pedestrians at a roundabout ( Bad Krozingen , August 2018)

In the case of cycle paths running parallel to the roundabout around a roundabout, cyclists crossing also generally have priority or right of way over entering or leaving vehicles, but not because of the pedestrian crossing, but because the cycle path is a separate lane of the entire traffic route, which is continuous in the main direction. The rule also applies if the crossing is separated from the general, circular lane by traffic islands or green strips. The bike lane itself should not have a zebra mark despite the right of way. To clarify the right of way, the signs and should be placed in front of the ford. An additional symbol can also be attached. Signs with additional signs are also possible from the direction of the roundabout at the exit .

Especially out of town you can often find roundabouts without pedestrian crossings, there the bike path is often further separated and given a small "give right of way" priority or right of way over turning or turning. Occasionally you will find this signage for cyclists combined with pedestrian crossings.

Along the roadway

Regardless of this, cyclists "in the direction of the lanes" on the lane according to § 26 StVO as drivers of a longitudinally moving vehicle, like drivers of all other such (non-rail-bound) vehicles, are of course obliged to wait for the pedestrian crossing users listed in § 26 StVO.

If the cyclist drives on a bicycle traffic facility parallel to the road, he is only required to wait according to § 26 Abs. 4 StVO if the pedestrian crossing is also marked on it. According to the current marking guidelines, this should be the case everywhere. Especially if the bike path is directly adjacent to the road, there is otherwise no waiting opportunity for pedestrians. This is often not implemented, especially in the case of cycle paths that are further away from the road, so that there is no obligation for the cyclist to wait. General or other obligations, such as foresighted driving and the requirement to be considerate to protect the health and life of others, apply unaffected.

Administrative regulation and state decrees

The administrative regulation (VwV-StVO) to § 26 StVO and the guidelines for the construction and equipping of pedestrian crossings (R-FGÜ 2001) of the BMVBW provide detailed information on the construction of zebra crossings . Individual country decrees are also decisive.

The R-FGÜ 2001 guideline defines the limits of use for zebra crossings. At least 50 crossing pedestrians are required in the peak hour and at the same time at least 200 vehicles on the road. Other crossing aids (e.g. center island or pedestrian traffic lights) are recommended if the requirements differ.

Costs and number of new systems

In Berlin, 14 pedestrian crossings were created in 2010 and 42 in 2011. The costs were between € 12,700 and € 76,600 and an average of € 30,330 per trip.

safety

Research results of the Accident Research of Insurers (UDV) show that properly planned and equipped zebra crossings in Germany can offer a level of safety that is comparable to that of pedestrian traffic lights, regardless of the vehicle load. Particularly important are good visibility through conspicuous signs and markings, good visual connections to the zebra crossing and the waiting area (in particular by effectively keeping vehicles parked on the edge of the road clear) and compliance with the permitted speed (maximum 50 km / h). If even one of these three criteria is not complied with, this can have a negative impact on safety. Further essential design features of a safe zebra crossing are the lighting and a barrier-free design. Central islands also increase the safety of zebra crossings and should be used wherever possible.

Dealing with the crosswalk

The aim of increasing the safety of pedestrians when crossing the street, which the zebra crossing aims to achieve, is often reversed when irregular behavior takes place.

Accident analyzes and systematic observations register partly similar partly different rule violations in adults and children:

Many pedestrians have a kind of island understanding of the zebra crossing with the opinion that this protected street area belongs to them in any case. Adults sometimes avoid the detour via the pedestrian crossing and cross the street diagonally or even when the traffic light is red. Children use sidewalks or even zebra crossings to play.

Today, laws and administrative regulations are increasingly based on the perception of pedestrians and road users. This includes the fact that a zebra crossing does not make sense wherever it could be set up according to the legal situation. For example, the city of Nuremberg points out that the legal right to priority for pedestrians often leads to the fact that they no longer pay the necessary attention to road traffic. This only apparently increases security. Conversely, too many “zebra crossings” at short intervals are tempting. B. is common in Poland - to the fact that lane users ignore waiting pedestrians. Central islands are proposed as an alternative, since the pedestrian then only has to concentrate on one direction of travel and the attention of all road users is required equally.

In order to counteract misconduct, a learning method was developed within the framework of the Karlsruhe didactic model " Traffic Education from the Child ", which reaches all ages in a playful way without pointing finger mentality. The Karlsruher Verkehrskasper , played by young people and their teachers, holds up a mirror of their behavior and thinking to the children and their parents and discusses with them about a meaningful coexistence at the zebra crossing. Self-developed pieces allow current events and experiences to be brought into conversation through the characters of the teaching theater and to process them with one another.

Related and derivative concepts

Stripes across the road

In 2008, in an art project by the architect Michael Iking in the Hamburg district of Bramfeld, zebra crossings were marked across the street in order to slow down motorized traffic using the optical barrier effect. A Zurich architecture professor is also campaigning for the corresponding fundamental redesign of the crossing aids:

“Dahinden's idea is simple, logical and doesn't cost much. For the professor, who has lectured on interior design for 22 years at the Vienna University of Technology, one thing is clear: "Today's yellow vertical stripes motivate drivers to move and not to brake." Exactly the opposite is true for pedestrians. "Today's vertical marking is particularly irritating to children - they have a tendency to hop from stripes to stripes."
"In traffic a lot is about psychology," explains Dahinden. Today's yellow horizontal stripes are a "collection of small inhibitions" for pedestrians. For drivers, however, they would have the character of a stimulus. A first, wide horizontal stripe would be a «signal to stop».
According to Dahindens, this first horizontal strip in the direction of travel should be at least twice as wide as the others, around 1.2 meters. Reason: Children in particular tended to walk exactly on the strip. The width would have to be enough for a child with their father or mother to walk hand in hand on the yellow stripe. "

- Ruedi Baumann, Justus Dahinden : Tages-Anzeiger (CH), December 17, 2011

This would also make it easier to implement the demand made by the Cycling Committee of the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) in May 2006 for separate bicycle lane crossing aids to be created parallel to pedestrian crossings.

Zebra crossing in 3D

In several cities, including Düsseldorf and Essen, there are initiatives for 3-D zebra stripes applied with a special painting technique. A 3-D zebra crossing in Schmalkalden was removed again as it violated the traffic regulations.

Trivia

In Germany, the newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt claims to be the originator of the term. In 1954, the newspaper claims to have accompanied an action by the city of Hamburg in which the most considerate drivers were to be honored: the “Zebra” campaign. “Zebra” is said to have stood as an abbreviation for “a sign of a particularly considerate driver”.

literature

• Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs NRW (Ed.): Everything where it belongs . Conference documentation. Düsseldorf 1996
• Maria Limbourg: Children in Road Traffic , Münster 1994
• Dieter Nestle: Don't let yourself be run over . In: karlsruher pedagogical contributions 28 (1992) pp. 70–78.
• Siegbert Warwitz: Seducers at the crosswalk . In: Ders .: Traffic education from the child. Perceive-play-think-act . 6th edition 2009. pp. 257-272. Schneider Hohengehren. Baltmannsweiler 2009. ISBN 978-3-8340-0563-2

Web links

Wiktionary: zebra crossing  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Commons : Pedestrian crossing in Germany  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Publication of the Renaissance of the Zebra Crossings ( Memento of December 22, 2005 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 648 KiB)
• StVO-VwV to § 26 and R-FGÜ 2001
• Crossings with pedestrian crossings (zebra crossings)
• Where does the term zebra crossing come from in the Hamburger Abendblatt from September 1st, 2008

Individual evidence

1. ↑ How the zebra came onto the streets, in: Hamburger Abendblatt from July 18, 2012
2. ↑ Where does the term “zebra crossing” come from ?, in: fahrschule.ch of January 21, 2019
3. ↑ The Berlin Road Code (1929), p. 8.
4. ↑ Berlin Road Code of January 15, 1929, Annex IX, page 73.
5. ↑ ^{a b} Holger Kreitling: How the zebra crossing came into traffic . In: Welt Online . July 13, 2012 ( welt.de [accessed July 30, 2016]).
6. ↑ Bundesgesetzblatt , year 1953, No. 56, date of issue: Bonn, September 3, 1953, p. 1166.
7. ^ Federal Law Gazette, year 1953, No. 56, date of issue: Bonn, September 3, 1953, p. 1163.
8. ↑ Law Gazette of the German Democratic Republic , Part I, No. 103, Berlin, November 20, 1956, pp. 1239–1251.
9. ^ Siegfried Mampel : The Soviet Sector of Berlin. An analysis of its external and internal status . Metzner, Frankfurt a. M. 1963, p. 315.
10. ^ Bundesgesetzblatt , Part I, year 1956, No. 19, date of issue: Bonn, April 30, 1956, p. 217.
11. ^ Johannes Floegel, Fritz Hartung: Road traffic law. Road traffic regulations, road traffic approval regulations. Road Traffic Act, provisions of the StGB, the StPO and the JGG for the protection of train path traffic with an appendix of additional regulations . (=  Beck's short comments ) 8th edition, CH Beck, Munich 1966. S. 114.
12. ↑ § 52 Entry into force and transitional provisions . In: Ordinance on behavior in road traffic (Road Traffic Ordinance - StVO). 26 May 1977 . In: Law Gazette of the German Democratic Republic , Part 1, No. 20, pp. 257 ff.
13. ^ Road Traffic Regulations - StVO - from November 16, 1970 . In: Bundesgesetzblatt , Part I, date of issue: Bonn, November 16, 1970, p. 1565.
14. ^ Road traffic law (= Beck's short comments 5) Beck, Munich 1966, p. 149.
15. ↑ § 1 BKatV in conjunction with Annex serial no. 113; Section 40 FeV in conjunction with Annex 13 serial no. 3.2.16
16. ^ Judgment of June 3, 2004, Az. 12 U 68/03 .
17. ^ So at the Allgäuer Ring in Neu-Ulm
18. ^ Christian Gaebler: Costs for zebra crossings. (PDF, 157 kB) A small question from Member of Parliament Jürn Jakob Schultze-Berndt (CDU) of November 22, 2012. In: parlament-berlin.de. Berlin House of Representatives, 17th electoral term, December 19, 2012, accessed on January 8, 2013 . 
19. ↑ Accident research compact: Investigations into the safety of zebra crossings. (PDF; 1.2 MB) Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft e. V. Accident Research of Insurers, 2014, accessed on July 30, 2016 . 
20. ↑ Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs NRW (ed.): Everything where it belongs . Düsseldorf 1997
21. ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz : Traffic education from the child . 6th edition. Schneider, Hohengehren 2009, ISBN 978-3-8340-0563-2 , Dangerous Mindsets, p. 4-20 .
22. ^ Maria Limbourg: Children in Road Traffic , Münster 1994
23. ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz: Traffic education from the child . 6th edition. Schneider, Hohengehren 2009, ISBN 978-3-8340-0563-2 , Dangerous games at zebra crossing, p. 262-264 .
24. ^ City of Nuremberg / Online office: Safe on foot - Nuremberg traffic planning. In: www.nuernberg.de. Retrieved July 30, 2016 . 
25. ^ Siegbert A. Warwitz: Traffic education from the child . 6th edition. Schneider, Hohengehren 2009, ISBN 978-3-8340-0563-2 , Seducer at the zebra crossing, p. 257-272 .
26. ↑ michaeliking.eu: new center BRAmfeld ( Memento from February 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) (May 4, 2012)
27. ↑ Tages-Anzeiger , December 17, 2011, Ruedi Baumann: tagesanzeiger.ch: Cross-positioned zebra crossings should prevent accidents (May 4, 2012 / February 28, 2014)
28. ↑ adfc.de, May 2006: Make privileged cyclist fords possible next to pedestrian crossings (zebra crossings)! ( Memento of the original from December 18, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (May 4, 2012; PDF; 877 kB) 
29. ↑ Michael Mücke: Essen should test the three-dimensional zebra crossing. In: waz.de. January 3, 2018, accessed January 7, 2010 . 
30. ↑ 3D zebra crossing in Schmalkalden is whitewashed
31. ↑ Where the term zebra crossing comes from. In: Hamburger Abendblatt. September 1, 2008, accessed May 29, 2019 . 

Please note the information on legal issues!