Sir, - Why do we have so many pedestrian lights instead of zebra crossings?
As everybody knows to use a pedestrian crossing the pedestrian must press the button and then wait for the lights to complete a long sequence before it is safe to cross.
What usually happens of course is the pedestrian crosses the road long before the lights change to green, then motorists find themselves stationery at a set of traffic lights for absolutely no reason at all.
If, however, we returned to the use of zebra crossings the pedestrian could cross the road safely and much more quickly, and the motorist wouldn't have to stop needlessly.
Zebra crossings are an excellent and logical system with great benefits for motorists and pedestrians alike, also I would imagine because of their simplicity a lot cheaper to install and operate.
Maybe I am being cynical, but I can't help wondering if there isn't some people in authority who have their own hidden agenda as to why we have the more expensive and inefficient pedestrian lights. - Yours, etc.,
Aidan Coyle, The Gallops, Leopardstown, Dublin 18.