Why did the product designer cross the road?

Just recently I’ve noticed a new type of pedestrian crossing around London.

It used to be easy to cross the road. You stood and watched the opposite side for a green light, or man, then crossed. Now, there is no green light. The only indication you can cross is the bleeping noise (not great if you’re deaf), or trying to see a small green crossing man attached to the nearside post. Of course, the London population being what it is, this is often obscured by others also wanting to cross.

In what way can this redesign be considered an improvement? It’s cheaper, I guess. The absence of another green light on the far side means less cost, but even if you’re standing on your own, it’s still annoying to have to look down to check for the green man.Totally ridiculous, and I’ve seen people nearly run down because they’ve stepped out too soon, as they think the traffic has stopped. Before these are commonplace, whoever is responsible for installing new crossings should ‘stop and think’.

Gary Cook, Cook Design, London E9