Is this what we've come to? Melbourne embed lights in the pavement for phone zombies who never look up at pedestrian crossings
- Video footage has emerged of in-ground crossing lights which could save lives
- Footage showed the square tiles in action at major intersections in Melbourne
- Sydney installed lights as part of a trial in 2017 but studies revealed no benefits
Lights have been embedded into public footpaths to stop phone zombies from killing themselves at pedestrian crossings.
Video footage shows footpaths in Melbourne turning red and green to help commuters as they cross the road while texting on their mobiles.
The Reddit video, posted yesterday, showed the bright square tiles in action at major intersections on the corners of Swanson Street and Little Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD.
The crossings still have above-ground traffic signals, but they're synced with the bright LED ground lights to tell phone-zombies when it's safe to cross the road.
A video posted yesterday (pictured) showed the bright square tiles in action at major intersections on the corners of Swanson Street and Little Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD
Reddit users pointed out the lights have been out of action for years, and were recently repaired and upgraded to make them more effective.
'The first install were not bright enough at the best of times, and at least one just wasn't working within a week or two of installation,' one Reddit user commented.
'It's now ridiculously bright, but at least it's noticeable, but I still doubt it will stop people just blindly walking across whether red or green.'
While the initiative is not new, Reddit users pointed out the lights have been out of action for years, and were recently repaired and upgraded to make them more effective. 'The first install were not bright enough at the best of times, and at least 1 just wasn't working within a week or 2 of installation,' one Reddit user commented. 'It's now ridiculously bright, but at least it's noticeable, but I still doubt it will stop people just blindly walking across whether red or green'
While the majority of people think the lights were installed to help those gazing down at gadgets, other users provided more creative possibilities, including one suggestion they were implemented to aid the 'unending drabness of the ground'.
'I think they look cool ... Much better than just unending drabness on the ground.'
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'I thought it was to assist with the visually impaired?' one user asked.
'Is there a difference?' replied another.
While the majority of users appear to believe the lights are for gadget-gazers, other users have provided more creative possibilities. 'I think they look cool ... Much better than just unending drabness on the ground.' 'I thought it was to assist with the visually impaired?' one user asked. 'Is there a difference?' replied another
Sydney installed in-ground lights as part of a trial in 2017 at a cost of $250,000, but studies failed to reveal benefits.
While the lights did reduce the numbers of people crossing on a red light, it was not a higher rate of people looking at their phones, compared to people who were paying attention.
The initiative was implemented despite existing laws stating pedestrians can be fined $81 for crossing within 20 metres of a pedestrian crossing, failing to obey traffic lights and failing to give way.
Road safety experts say looking down at your phone while walking is a form of inattentive blindness.
According to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, and Regional Development, 176 pedestrians have died in Australia within the last year.
Sydney installed in-ground lights (pictured) as part of a trial in 2017 at a cost of $250,000, but studies failed to reveal benefits
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