Interesting idea that follows the desire lines of pedestrians. This Ergo Crosswalk is the brainchild of Korean designer Jae Min Lim. His idea was shortlisted at the Seoul Design Competition.
He suggests designing the stripes to follow the actual routes that people walk. Jae Min Lim on his design:
“When people cross roads, they tend to take the fastest shortcut. they sometimes do it intentionally, but mostly it is an unconscious act. this kind of action violates the traffic regulations and sometimes threatens the safety of the pedestrians. The ‘ergo crosswalk’ is a design that makes people follow the law, as well as consider their habits or unconscious actions. it will encourage pedestrians to follow the lines of the cross walk and protect them from any potential danger. If regulations cannot force people to follow the law, wouldn’t it be more reasonable to change the law and fulfill the main purpose of keeping the safety and convenience of the pedestrian...”
The stop lines for cars are pushed back to allow for a safe buffer zone. In addition, the design idea includes using not paint for the stripes but rather led lights that flash red or green. That last bit is a bit extreme. I doubt our cities need more flashy eye pollution, but that doesn't make the idea any less cool.
Here's more on Desire Lines relating to Copenhagen cyclists.
Via: Innovcity.fr & HowWeDrive.com