Difference #1: Cross-walks
In California pedestrians wait for a break in traffic or follow the signals at a cross walk. In London, pedestrians just venture into the street wherever ‘zebra crossings’ appear. These crossings do not have stop signs, just striped poles with flashing lights on top. Cars can zip through at full speed unless a pedestrian appears.
Once we overcame our fear of playing ‘chicken’ with cars hurdling down the street toward us, these zebra crossings were great. That first month was rough, because cars get angry if you look like you are going to cross but then wait until they stop. Most cars aim to just slow down (while narrowly missing the people).
The best advice we received upon arrival was, “Oh yeah, don’t worry about the cars. They always stop… . unless it is a foreign driver, then they don’t know to stop. So be careful.” Great advice, until we realized that more than half the drivers in London are foreign - and we could only be wrong once.
Fortunately, no motorist hit the Beatles when they crossed at the most famous zebra crossing in the world - Abbey Road (pictured here - credit for the photo to some bloke on the internet)
