Modern Pelicans

Back in 1969, Pelican Crossings were introduced into the UK. They were shown incessantly on the telly by a well known public information film starring the voice of Deryck Guyler.

I didn’t find the footage in the National Archives, but I did find a good Precis of it here. (You all come back now, you hear!)

Unfortunately, the brave new world of Pelican crossings are more high tech but low on usability. Take this one in Bradford which is probably a Hybrid Puffin…

It uses LEDs so is energy efficient, with a large-ish red circle instead of the normal WAIT words on the push button box. It has motion sensors at the top of the pole facing down and across the crossing so it can tell if you are still there. However, it doesn’t beep any more and there aren’t red/green men at the top of the pole where you are crossing to.

This one does have some sort of indicator at the top of the pole, but it is facing away from the road.

It isn’t entirely clear what it is, as it happens, and…

…as it is facing a car park it appears to serve no purpose whatsoever.

You can imagine it though, some Council jobsworth saying “The spec says 14 units and I can only count 13. I don’t care if it isn’t connected, there is meant to be an anunciator at the top of that pole.”