Photo by billadler.

Cars are frightening things, elephantine pieces of metal on wheels which barrel along at speeds which can obliterate flesh and bones, totally dependent on operators who are easily distracted and are prone to simple human error. That said: has anyone ever felt really comfortable crossing a street, filled with automobiles speeding by, with nothing but a reflective flag and a faith that the shadowy figures behind the windshield will actually stop? Yeah, me neither.

That said, in a city where pedestrian safety is normally a constant struggle, why do some intersections place the sole burden of pedestrian safety on the outmoded idea that today’s drivers will always yield to those bearing flags while crossing?