Following yesterday’s tip on looking both ways before crossing the street…
What always throws me for a loop in Europe—and specifically London and Paris—is that on wider streets there are often two crosswalks within one. Huh? That’s right, and you’ll really need to pay attention while using one of them.
Basically, the crosswalks are broken up by lanes of traffic. When you get the green walk signal, you’re okay to walk across the first lane of traffic to the island in the middle of the road. When you get to the island, you stop again to wait for another crosswalk light to cross fully over to other side of the street. The worst part is that, at least in my experience, the two lights are not always synced, which means if you’re not used to having to look for a second walk signal or not fully paying attention (looking at your phone, listening to music, talking, etc.), you could easily get plowed.
Related: 5 Tips for Handling London Like a Pro
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Wish I’d read the article on the 2 in 1 crosswalks in Europe a month ago. I was almost hit by a truck in Galicia (Spain) while walking 280 km from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain on the Camino Portugues. I think it was in Vigo and I had heart palpitations for a good 20 minutes afterwards.