Friday, December 7, 2007

Life as a pedestrian in Copenhagen

To myself, I’ve been questioning how safe it is to be a pedestrian here in Denmark since I arrived.

Of course, I’m already at a severe disadvantage because I automatically tend to look the wrong way when I cross the road, which isn’t a perfect start.

Then there are the bike tracks on almost every road. They’re a fantastic idea and a great incentive to cycle everywhere but they do get some getting used to when you’re a pedestrian. I’ve already been abused once after looking the wrong way when I crossed the road…

But I have to say Copenhagen is not a city where pedestrians are every driver’s first concern. Drivers don’t stop if you’re just about to step onto a crossing. You have to be at least a metre out before they’ll consider slowing down. I’ve even had a couple of cars speed up to get through before I crossed!

I thought it was just me, until this morning when I had a conversation with a work mate.

“How’s your morning?”

“Better now, but it didn’t start off too well. I had a collision with a car.”

“Really? How awful. Was there much damage to your car?”

“Not my car. I was walking.”

“Crikey, what happened?”

“I was crossing at a crossing and a car came through and hit me. Next thing I was up on the bonnet and my head and hands hit the windscreen.”

“Good grief! Are you okay?”

“Oh yes,” he said, matter-of-factly. “It’s happened before. My legs are a bit sore.”

“I’m sure. But I can’t understand… Aren’t drivers meant to stop for pedestrians?”

“Oh yes.”

“But they don’t…”

“No. They don’t want too.”

- “Obviously.” I thought as my work mate limped off with his coffee.

So, there you have it – straight from a Dane’s mouth and the pragmatic way it’s obviously take for granted that drivers should stop for pedestrians but…they don’t want to! ☺

4 comments:

yD said...

I thought only Britain drove on the 'wrong' side, which is out of sync, then Denmark or Australia. Wrong side being on the left (I think).

NotQuiteDanish said...

Australia. We're the same as Britain. Although *I* prefer to think it's us who are *right* even if we're on the left! :)

Plus I've developed a habit now of walking around to the driver's side of the car, even though it's never my car and I'm never driving! :)

yD said...

Jamaica, too, I remembered last night. Don't know about the Bahamas.
I do that with cars, too, when I'm in the UK.

Sabine said...

You should probably get yourself some of those reflectors children have on their clothes - there are some very visible varieties available in shops dealing with security outfit.

Or maybe - get yourself a bike and start cycling ruthlessly.