<html> <body> Thanks for the clarification Paul - I'm in an office next to a landscape and road ecologist who studies effects of roads and sprawl on wildlife populations and I just assumed it was safe crossings for birds and wildlife that were being talked about! By the way, the construction of crossings for wildlife are now being routinely built above or below highways in North America and Europe. (You can find some articles on this in a recent issue of Ecology and Society, co-edited by my colleague Jochen Jaeger: <a href="http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/issues/view.php?sf=41" eudora="autourl"> http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/issues/view.php?sf=41</a>). It's sad to think that the well-being of some human populations is given so little thought by other human populations in many parts of the world. Best wishes, Craig ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Craig Townsend, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Geography, Planning and Environment Concordia University Tel<x-tab>     </x-tab>  514-848-2424 ext. 5191 E-mail<x-tab>  </x-tab>  townsend@alcor.concordia.ca Fax<x-tab>     </x-tab>  514-848-2032 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West, H 1255-27 Montreal, Quebec Canada H3G 1M8 gpe.concordia.ca <a href="http://www.concordia.ca/" eudora="autourl">www.concordia.ca</a> At 08:44 AM 13/07/2010, Paul Barter wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">A few words on terminology. This is a useful debate on pedestrian facilities (and when or whether they help). But 'pelican crossing' and 'puffin crossing' are not familiar terms in most places outside Britain. [I for one didn't understand them until looking them up just now.] So here are some wikipedia definitions (which may be wrong?): "In the United Kingdom and parts of the Commonwealth<<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth</a>>, animal names are often used to distinguish several types of such crossings:    - Zebra crossing <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_crossing" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_crossing</a>>: wide    longitudinal stripes on road, often with belisha beacons<<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belisha_beacon" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belisha_beacon</a>>;    pedestrians may cross at any time; drivers must give way to pedestrians who    demonstrate intent to cross.    - Pelican crossing <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican_crossing" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelican_crossing</a>>: traffic    lights <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_light" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_light</a>> for pedestrians and    vehicles; button-operated.    - Puffin crossing <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_crossing" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffin_crossing</a>>:    pedestrian lights on near side of road; button-operated with curb-side    detector.    - Toucan crossing <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toucan_crossing" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toucan_crossing</a>>: for    bicycles <<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle" eudora="autourl"> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle</a>> as well as pedestrians." As an Australian (in Singapore) I would use 'pedestrian activated traffic lights' (or in casual conversation just 'pedestrian lights') for both pelican and puffin crossings. The animal terms are obviously shorter. But only useful if we all understand them. 'Zebra' seems common everywhere but not the others. All the best Paul -------------------------------------------------------- To search the archives of sustran-discuss visit <a href="http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss" eudora="autourl"> http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=014715651517519735401:ijjtzwbu_ss</a> -------------------------------------------------------- If you get sustran-discuss via YAHOOGROUPS, please go to <a href="http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss" eudora="autourl"> http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss</a> to join the real sustran-discuss and get full membership rights. ================================================================ SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South'). </blockquote></body> </html>