Portugal leads Europe in the siting of pedestrian crossings

Pictures of a pedestrian crossing in S. Mamede de Infesta, Matosinhos, have gone viral on social media but for all the wrong reasons.

Far from exemplifying a carefully planned safety measure to aid pedestrians as they negotiate a potentially dangerous public road, the crossing is painted on a narrow back street with no pavements and runs wall to wall.

"It does not make sense because the street is too narrow. There are other roads here with far more vehicles and pedestrians which don’t have any crossings," commented a baffled Martins Oliveira, a resident with a strangely disturbing knowledge of local byways.

The Parish Council remains adamant that the crossing is a major contribution to road safety, despite attracting international ridicule and observations that the crossing on Rua da Fonte is the work of a prankster.

"The intention was to reduce speed and watch over the safety of those who live there," explains Leonardo Fernandes, the mayor of S. Mamede whose place in history is assured.

algarvedailynews welcomes the receipt of pictures of other Council follies...

twitz@algarvedailynews.com

Comments  

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0 #11 willie 2019-01-10 17:18

There is another similar crossing between two houses on the road from Nora to Carvoeiro/Lavajo.

0 #10 Vasco da Gama 2019-01-05 20:41

Well if you had used the word giggling in your reply you may well have a point, as there is much to giggle about for those who look on and be bemuse and amused at the antics of the politicians in the uk.

+1 #9 Ed 2019-01-05 13:33

Quoting Ed:

Quoting Vasco da Gama:

What a smug lot of comments, easy to snipe and giggle about our hosts. Take a look at the circus that is performing in the uk at this moment. Maybe your smugness might diminish.

I am certain that websites for expatriates in the UK have comment boxes full of rightful criticism of their UK hosts - one of the comments section's key functions

Perhaps instead of 'rightful criticism' I should have written 'sniping and giggling'...

0 #8 Vasco da Gama 2019-01-05 11:44

Ed, I think if you read my comment, I did not deny the right to comment. It was the tone and quality I was commenting on, and also to draw the comparison of the subject in the article to the more serious one that is rumbling on in the uk! VDG

+1 #7 Ed 2019-01-05 11:04

Quoting Vasco da Gama:

What a smug lot of comments, easy to snipe and giggle about our hosts. Take a look at the circus that is performing in the uk at this moment. Maybe your smugness might diminish.

I am certain that websites for expatriates in the UK have comment boxes full of rightful criticism of their UK hosts - one of the comments section's key functions

-1 #6 Vasco da Gama 2019-01-05 10:46

What a smug lot of comments, easy to snipe and giggle about our hosts. Take a look at the circus that is performing in the uk at this moment. Maybe your smugness might diminish.

+7 #5 Chip 2019-01-03 13:07

It can't be in Portugal. Here crossings are always placed within 10cm of roundabout entrances and exits.

+4 #4 Elsa 2019-01-03 09:29

Just hope he has not forgotten his shopping list. It looks like an awful long way back and any hesitation in the middle - with Portuguese drivers famous for
coming at you from all angles - could mean no shopping that day. Or ever again.

+10 #3 Grotty Yotty 2019-01-03 08:55

As a cycist and motorist, I am constantly appalled by the multifarious closely-placed crossings, some directly on corners, others obscured by parking and taxi ranks abutting the crossing, yet others obscured by street signs, rubbish bins and advertising monoliths. Worst of all is the habit of pedestrians of walking out into moving traffic, without even looking and often pushing the pram in front of them. Aaaarrrgh! It's astonishing that there are not huge numbers of both pedestrians and cyclists killed or maimed.

+3 #2 Pmcg 2019-01-02 21:38

The grass is always greener on the other side !

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