Interviews: Sophie Renhuldt
In a bold move to revamp urban safety, pedestrians navigating the bustling Ghega and Carducci streets in Trieste were greeted with an unexpected ground-level spectacle last week. Four ominous danger signs, an impending bus, and a pedestrian caught mid-air – a vivid visual narrative aiming to grab attention.
This eye-catching horizontal signage comes complete with a straightforward English command, “look left,” evoking echoes of London’s iconic pedestrian reminders. Across the pond, it serves as a nudge for distracted non-English speakers to cast their gaze in the opposite direction compared to the rest of Europe. But here in Trieste, the motive is clear: cut down on distractions to prevent mishaps, a mission underscored by a recent incident in Largo Barriera.
Mobility Assessor Michele Babuder sheds light on the genesis of this urban intervention. “The brainchild emerged from the think tanks at the Mobility and Traffic Service of the Municipality of Trieste. I merely egged them on because the English wording packs a punch – it’s instantly noticeable, grabs attention, and is a breeze to paint on the pavement.”
Installed in strategic proximity to pedestrian crossings overlooking bus and taxi lanes on Ghega, Carducci, and Largo Barriera, these distinctive signs mark a total of seven crucial intersections. Babuder has bigger plans, aiming to introduce these attention-grabbing visuals in other city hotspots, all in the name of fortifying the safety of citizens navigating pedestrian crossings, whether they flaunt a traffic signal or not.
