Did the zebra cross the road?
The Hindu
Find out how the white stripes on our roads came to be called ‘zebra crossings’.
Do you know what a zebra crossing is? No, not the magnificent striped animal that we’re all familiar with. A zebra crossing refers to the white lines on our roads, especially at traffic signals. These are, perhaps, the most people-friendly parts of our cities because traffic has to stop to allow pedestrians to cross the road safely. Unfortunately, we don’t always follow this rule. Where did the idea come from? Initially, these stark white stripes on black tarred roads were not called “zebra crossings”. In the 1930s, this was an experiment in England to allow pedestrians to cross roads because London’s traffic was quite messy and there was no systematic way or space for people to get across. One day, a British politician visiting a trial crossing spontaneously called them ‘Zebra Crossing’ and the name stuck! Zebra crossings are today well recognised globally and have also inspired other crossings.More Related News