I joyfully relocated to Mallorca over twenty years ago, and have been visiting the island for a lot longer, yet, even with all those years securely tucked beneath my belt, I still find myself asking: “Who is the dedicated team, or individual responsible in the road traffic/safety department for signing off on where to site Mallorca’s ubiquitous zebra crossings?”
Globally, zebra crossings represent a safe opportunity for pedestrians to cross a road, yet here in Mallorca they seem to be placed in the most dangerous situations possible, without any consideration to the driving community or the safety of the said pedestrian.
Driving courtesy here in Mallorca is somewhat ‘cavalier’, therefore, when navigating a roundabout with someone riding your tail, the last thing you need is a zebra crossing at your point of exit, which might, and often does, necessitate a sudden and abrupt stop. It’s an obvious accident just waiting to happen!
Another favourite for an appointed, yet dangerously sited zebra crossing is at the turn off on a busy corner or junction. Neither situation is a great place to site a ‘safe’ crossing! It’s almost as if someone has said: “So where are the most dangerous places we can put our pedestrian crossings? Where will cars seriously need to manoeuvre a busy situation, and not expect a sudden stop after leaving a flow of fast-moving, main-line traffic? How about putting one directly after you make an exit turn off a main road? That seems dangerous!” So, who are these perilous people, who jeopardize simple, every-day logic by making these ridiculous yet important decisions based on maintaining public safety? And HOW did they ever get the job, which involves more than a modicum of thoughtful ‘risk control’ in the first place?
Cars also park right up to the crossings, with some even parking totally across the ‘zebra’, which seems highly illegal, yet passes un-checked, and remains a common and acceptable practice! With cars parked in this manner, on top of zebras, it becomes extremely dangerous for the majority of drivers, as you don’t get a single glimpse of any pedestrian until they step out on to the crossing itself. And sometimes, because certain individuals believe cars should stop immediately for pedestrians, and because their heads are more than often buried in their phones, ‘gung ho’ pedestrians strive forward without checking the traffic flow, and step directly into your pathway without thought or concern.
Of course, if there’s ever an accident, then it’s always going to be the driver’s fault, even though the pedestrian might not be bothered to look before they leap! The Green Cross Code doesn’t seem to exist here in Mallorca. And that iconic, black and white stripe painted randomly across the road, doesn’t guarantee safety. To me, the arbitrary positioning of most zebra crossings across the island simply don’t make sense. They’re simply dangerous!
