Can anyone tell me what denotes a legally correct and proper pedestrian crossing ? What is the criteria for the design, operation and placement of pedestrian crossings? We all see pedestrian crossings everywhere we go, whether it be on the main and local roads, outside schools, half-way between intersections, crossing roads outside supermarkets and thousands of other places. The question arises as to which ones are legal Now, before you say they are all legal, if you see a pedestrian crossing, you have to stop, but, is it a legal crossing? Most pedestrian crossings you see, have white painted lines across the road. a dark yellow sign with "walking legs" painted in black and a pair of flashing amber lights facing in both directions. In my travels, I have noticed with more frequency, white lines painted on the pavement, inside a shopping complex parking lot. Now, these "crossings" have not got any flashing lights, just the painted lines on the road , these walking legs signs appear to differ from the Vicroads pedestrian crossing signs, because of the brighter yellow sign and some with no signs at all. These "crossings " appear to have been put in by the management of the shopping complex. Are they legal pedestrian crossings as defined by Vicroads? If they are legal, then why the different colour of yellow and why no flashing lights If they are not legal, then who would be to blame if a pedestrian is hit or a shopper crashes his or her shopping trolley into a car, as is the case with a lot of women with prams, who push the prams out onto the road in front of cars, just so they can get across the road, relying on the motorists fear of hitting a defenceless pram. Also, if they are not legal, how can they be put there in the first place? If they are legal, does this mean that anyone can paint white lines across the road outside their house to slow the traffic down so they can get across for a visit to the blonde neighbour.
