Placeholder Content Image

Tourists reveal the worst cities for pedestrians

<p dir="ltr">For many keen travellers, walking is the best way to explore a new city and take in everything a new destination has to offer. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, not every corner of the world is easily accessible by foot, with some cities prioritising cars and bikes over the humble pedestrian. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tourists on social media site Reddit have revealed the least pedestrian friendly cities they have encountered on their travels abroad, with one person asking in a travel forum: “In what city/country did you have the ‘worst experience’ as a pedestrian?”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cairo, Egypt</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The largest city and capital of Egypt has left some pedestrians feeling distressed, with one person describing the city as “hell on foot”. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote of the historic city, “Drivers often drive on the opposite side of the road and most don't seem to follow any rules. Plus we got hassled so much by people trying to make money off us when walking around the city. They would follow us and wouldn't leave us alone.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another traveller added, “In Cairo, I spent so much money on taxis, the lack of sidewalks, being constantly harassed to buy stuff, the heat, the trash, the smell.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Hanoi, Vietnam</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The capital city of Vietnam is home to 9 million people and 7 million motorbikes and scooters, making crossing the road a logistical nightmare for many, as lots of travellers pointed out. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote, “Hanoi is by far the worst walking experience I ever could have imagined. Any sidewalks are literally covered with motorbikes or pop-up restaurant seating that they hide when the police come by since it's not allowed. You can't go a single block without having to walk into the extremely busy streets.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“To be fair, it does add to the experience and I would like to note it's a good city and great country, but I'm convinced there is no worse walking experience in a city.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Amsterdam, The Netherlands</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">While there are many walkable streets in Amsterdam in an attempt to cut down on streets overrun with cars, the city makes up for this traffic with a surplus of bicycles.</p> <p dir="ltr">One traveller wrote, “Amsterdam was stressful to me as a pedestrian. The bikes will run you down.  We stayed a little outside of the city centre so that probably exacerbated things as our daily walk to see the sights often shared the paths with cyclists on the faster parts of their commutes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another person said, “I'm from Southeast Asia and Amsterdam made me very anxious as a pedestrian.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>The Philippines</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The entire country of The Philippines was a sore spot with many keen travellers, as lots of tourists had issues crossing the busy roads. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote, “Manila was my knee-jerk response. The Philippines is gorgeous and the people are so incredibly friendly, but trying to cross those massive roads (that have no crosswalks) is literally taking your life in your hands to play frogger.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, saying “Crossing traffic in the [Philippines] should be a sport. Could've died so many times out there.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another traveller wrote, “I once had to take a taxi just to cross the road because there was no way for pedestrians to do it.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Bali, Indonesia</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Despite being a popular tourist destination for many, many claimed the Indonesian paradise does not cater to pedestrians. </p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote, “Bali is barely walkable at all in touristy areas - no sidewalks or at 90 percent of places. And so much traffic.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, writing, “Bali gets my vote too. In Ubud, I was constantly like, ‘Where's the footpath?’ Every building and shop seems to have its own makeshift strip of narrow disjointed tile, concrete or dirt, but most of the time, it's easier to walk on the road.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Laser hack of self-driving cars can ‘delete’ pedestrians

<p>Although a city filled with entirely self-driving cars is still in the realm of science fiction, more and more cars are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Autopilot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coming with ‘self-driving’ features so</a> it’s a little alarming to learn that there are ways to use lasers to mess with the technology the cars use to detect its surroundings.</p> <p><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2210.09482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In a study uploaded to arXiv</a> by a team of researchers in the US and Japan, researchers were able to trick the ‘victim vehicle’ (their words not ours) into not seeing a pedestrian or other object in its way.</p> <p>Most self-driving cars use LIDAR to be able to ‘see’ around them by sending out a laser light and then recording the reflection from objects in the area. The time it takes for the light to reflect back gives the system information about how far away the object is.</p> <p>This new ‘hack’ or spoof works because a perfectly timed laser shined onto a LIDAR system can create a blind spot large enough to hide an object like a pedestrian.</p> <p>“We mimic the LIDAR reflections with our laser to make the sensor discount other reflections that are coming in from genuine obstacles,” <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/969698" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said University of Florida cyber security researcher professor Sara Rampazzi.</a></p> <p>“The LIDAR is still receiving genuine data from the obstacle, but the data are automatically discarded because our fake reflections are the only one perceived by the sensor.”</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p221287-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/technology/laser-hack-lidar-self-driving-cars-delete-pedestrians/#wpcf7-f6-p221287-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <p style="display: none !important;"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" aria-invalid="false" /></span></p> <p><!-- Chimpmail extension by Renzo Johnson --></form> </div> </div> <p>Although the technology is relatively simple, the attack isn’t an easy one. The team demonstrated the attack up to 10 meters away from the car, but the device must be perfectly timed, and move with the car to be able to keep the laser pointing the right way.</p> <p>The researchers have already told manufacturers about this potential exploit and have suggested ways to be able to minimise the problem. Manufacturers might be able to teach the software to look for the tell-tale signatures of the spoofed reflections added by the laser attack.</p> <p>“Revealing this liability allows us to build a more reliable system,” <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/969698" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said first author, University of Michigan computer scientist Yulong Cao.</a></p> <p>“In our paper, we demonstrate that previous defence strategies aren’t enough, and we propose modifications that should address this weakness.”</p> <p>This unfortunately isn’t the first time that researchers have found <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/news/tricking-driverless-car-sensors/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vulnerabilities with LIDAR sensors on self-driving cars</a>, but as more of these problems are uncovered and fixed, the technology will hopefully end up safer in the long run.</p> <p>The research is to be presented next year at the <a href="https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 USENIX Security Symposium</a>.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=221287&amp;title=Laser+hack+of+self-driving+cars+can+%E2%80%98delete%E2%80%99+pedestrians" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/laser-hack-lidar-self-driving-cars-delete-pedestrians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Jacinta Bowler.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

Placeholder Content Image

Is this the future of pedestrian crossings?

<p>Pedestrian crossings in Melbourne have attracted global attention on TikTok, as Aussies are stunned by the new technology. </p> <p>A TikTok user in Victoria has shared footage of lights embedded into the footpath at crossings that change from red to green to reflect whether you can cross the road or not. </p> <p>The tech has been installed to help "phone zombies" from not getting in an accident in street traffic from staring down at a mobile device.</p> <p>The TikTok user Veronica shared footage of the lights she came across saying, "<span>Bro, look how sick Melbourne is."</span></p> <p><span>"The light across the road is red, so the floor flashes red, and when it's green so you can walk - guess what? The floor flashes green!"</span></p> <p><span>The 12 second clip has racked up thousands of likes, with hundreds of comments being shocked by the relatively new technology.</span></p> <p><span>One person said, "I've been living in Melbourne my entire life and have seen none of these."</span></p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"I literally live in the city and didn't know this, what?" another commented. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">A third user pointed out the lights were installed to protect people who were distracted by their mobile phones when crossing the road.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"It's because people are looking at their phones while walking and are not alert while crossing."</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Despite the technology being seemingly rare, the in-ground lights, also known as Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI), have been installed around the globe since 2017.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Places in Sydney and Melbourne have been adapting to the new tech, following in the likes of South Korea to increase safety around being aware on the road. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Garbage truck driver to remain behind bars after killing pedestrian in hit-and-run

<p>A 21-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a reversing garbage truck before his body was allegedly moved aside and left at the alleyway.</p> <p>George Yuhan Lin was seen on CCTV footage looking at his phone while walking along Central Street in Sydney’s CBD around 1.30am on Wednesday when a garbage truck hit him from behind.</p> <p>Police allege the driver, 51-year-old Tuiniua Fine, was seen putting on gloves and moving Lin’s body out from under the vehicle before driving off and continuing his garbage run.</p> <p>Fine was arrested at Kings Cross <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/nsw/man-killed-in-alleged-hit-and-run-in-sydney-cbd-identified-as-accused-faces-court-c-695984" target="_blank">later that morning</a>, with police seizing the truck.</p> <p>The Lakemba man faced Central Local Court on Thursday after being charged with several offences including manslaughter, failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death, dangerous driving causing death, and improperly interfering with a corpse or human remains.</p> <p>“We managed to get some CCTV which actually shows us quite clearly what happened,” said NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy.</p> <p>“And when those allegations become clear, the public we think will be quite appalled at the behaviour we’re going to allege.”</p> <p>Fine did not apply for bail and will <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/garbage-truck-driver-to-remain-behind-bars-over-sydney-hit-and-run-20200213-p540hz.html">remain behind bars</a> until the case is back in court in April.</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Shocking fines for pedestrians who break the law

<p>For the most part, pedestrians have the right of way over cars in Australia, but there are rules that they must obey to avoid being slogged with steep fines. Do you know all of these rules?</p> <p><strong>No pedestrian access signs</strong></p> <p>Pedestrians must not walk past areas with signs specifying pedestrian’s must not cross, according to NSW.  These signs are usually spotted on freeways.</p> <p>If you do get caught walking on part of a road where it’s stated you shouldn’t be, you can be hit with a $76 fine in NSW.</p> <p>Breaking the rule in Victoria is much steeper, as you’ll be hit with $289. For Tasmania, it’s $126, $50 in Western Australia, $51 in South Australia and $53 in Queensland.</p> <p><strong>Jaywalking at a crossing</strong></p> <p>“Jaywalking” is where a person crosses an intersection without complying with the road rules.</p> <p>“If the pedestrian lights show a red pedestrian light... the pedestrian must not start to cross until the pedestrian lights change to green,” the NSW legislation says.</p> <p>Sometimes pedestrians cross the road when the lights start flashing red, which is known as jaywalking.</p> <p>If you’re caught jaywalking, you’re hit with a $53 fine in Queensland, $50 in Western Australia, $42 in Tasmania, $83 in Victoria, $51 in South Australia and $76 in NSW.</p> <p><strong>Walking across level crossings</strong></p> <p>Pedestrians can also get done by ignoring warnings and walking through level crossings. Level crossings are where the crossings go down to protect cars and pedestrians from being hit by oncoming trains.</p> <p>It is illegal to walk across train tracks unless a pedestrian crosses at the designated spot where it is safe to do so.</p> <p>According to the South Australian Government, dangerous pedestrian behaviour includes not looking both ways before crossing the tracks, taking shortcuts between train tracks and platforms, running in front of an approaching train and forcing open an active pedestrian barrier.</p> <p>“These behaviours are resulting mainly from impatience, inattention, complacency, distractions and lack of awareness as to the rules, dangers and penalties surrounding rail crossing use,” the South Australian government says on its website.</p> <p>If you get caught, it comes with a $83 fine in Victoria, $126 fine in Tasmania, $76 fine in NSW and $100 in Western Australia.</p> <p>Fines for South Australians are $51, and Queenslanders get hit with a $53 fine.</p> <p>It has also been announced by the NSW Government that pedestrians will be fined for crossing illegally at light rail crossings.</p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Man furious over “ridiculous” fine for parking in this seemingly innocent place

<div> <div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>A woman has taken to Facebook to vent after her brother copped a seemingly “ridiculous” parking fine for stopping at his cousin’s driveway to do a school drop-off. </p> <p>The woman told <em>news.com.au</em> her brother had parked his car in the driveway of a family member in the Perth suburb of Byford for five to ten minutes. </p> <p>The woman lashed out, saying the fine he copped last week was unfair. </p> <p>She said since the driveways in the Byford area are “too small”, her brother had tried to keep his car off the footpath but it was almost impossible for the big vehicle. </p> <p>While the ute struggled to fit in the driveway, the woman added pedestrians were still able to pass the vehicle. </p> <p>She said the parking ranger could have knocked on the door and he would have happily obliged to move the vehicle, but within mere minutes he was given a $60 fine. </p> <p>The woman shared a photo of the ute on social media, with the rear of the vehicle somewhat encroaching on to the footpath.</p> <p>The aggravated sister recalled the fine as “a bit ridiculous”, as her brother had left enough room for pedestrians to get past. </p> <p>“This really grinds my gears. Driveways in Byford are too small for four wheel drives,” she wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.</p> <p>“He tried his best to be out of the way, all street parking was taken. You can still get around the car.</p> <p>“If they don’t want people parking on footpaths they should allow for more street parking.</p> <p>“Byford is full of big cars, maybe they should start accommodating them!</p> <p>“I understand why you can’t park on footpaths, but there was plenty of room to get even a wheelchair around the car.”</p> <p>She said the family have complained to their local council, who have committed to bring up the issue at the next council meeting. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Look at your mobile phone while crossing the road? You could be slapped with a $200 fine

<p>There have been renewed calls for the government to introduce a $200 fine for pedestrians distracted by their phones while crossing the road.</p> <p>The Pedestrian Council of Australia is pushing for a national legislation to deter people from using their devices or noise-cancelling headphones while crossing a street.</p> <p>Under the proposal, pedestrians would be hit with the fine even if they were crossing on a pedestrian green light.</p> <p>The organisation’s chairman Harold Scruby said the penalty – which was to be called “cross road while distracted” – would help minimise the risk of accidents.</p> <p>“A lot of people say if they [pedestrians] are going to be stupid, it’s their problem but the fact is the cost of road trauma per annum is about $30 billion and much of that is pedestrian trauma,” said Scruby.</p> <p>“At the moment there’s no stopping people wearing noise-cancelling headphones and stepping out on a pedestrian crossing or a green light without looking, listening, stopping, thinking … They’re not aware of the imminent danger surrounding them.”</p> <p>Scruby added, “We’ve spent 8-10 years advertising, now it’s time for enforcement.”</p> <p>According to the NRMA’s latest <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mynrma.com.au/-/media/documents/advocacy/look-up-keeping-pedestrians-safe.pdf" target="_blank"><em>Look Up</em></a> report, over one in three pedestrians in Sydney are behaving like “smombies” or “smartphone zombies” by crossing the road while looking at their phones or wearing earphones.</p> <p>Pedestrian trauma accounts for 17 per cent of all deaths on NSW roads. Almost half – or 48 per cent – of the pedestrians killed on the road were aged 60 or more.</p> <p>“Statistics already show that the elderly, very young and those who have been drinking are already at risk when crossing the road, so adding 'smombies' to the list only further enhances the need to crack down on this behaviour,” said NRMA Road Safety Expert Dimitra Vlahomitros.</p> <p>This is not the first time the pedestrian council has called for a regulatory measure to improve pedestrians’ behaviour. Last year, Scruby told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-pedestrian-mobile-phones-fines-safety-measures/e26d068b-699d-418e-ac51-8f5a9cdd5aa2" target="_blank"><em>9News</em></a> the proposed $200 fine would be an appropriate penalty to encourage vigilance.</p> <p>“The fine for not wearing a bicycle helmet in NSW is $450,” he said. “When you put it in perspective $200 is pretty cheap.”</p> <p>In November, Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads Minister, Mark Bailey, said the State Government was not looking at introducing new fines for distracted pedestrians.</p> <p>Distracted walking laws have been applied in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.citylab.com/life/2019/05/texting-safety-tips-distracted-walking-laws-nyc-vision-zero/589606/" target="_blank">several cities in the US</a>, including Honolulu in Hawaii, Montclair in California, and Rexburg in Idaho.</p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Heads up! City bans pedestrians from texting while crossing the street

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new state law in New York would slap stiff fines on pedestrians who text and email on their phones while crossing the street.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There will be a green light and people will still be texting in the middle of the street,” cabbie Carlos Rodriguez complained to </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Post</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> while waiting near New York’s Penn Station.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I stop so I don’t hit the person, then I get a $US110 ($AUD160) ticket for stopping at a green light. I’m sick of it!” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new law is looking to impose fines of $US25 ($AUD36) to $US50 ($AUD 73) on first-time offenders, while death-wish texters who stride right back into the pedestrian crossing and repeat the offence within 18 months would be hit with fines as high as $US250 ($A364).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, backlash is already in the works as pedestrians believe that texting in traffic is their right.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What a dumb proposal,” scoffed Chris Werner, 36, who barely looked up from his phone as he crossed West 32nd Street.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m still going to text while crossing.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alejandro Cerda, 29, agreed as he texted his way across Seventh Avenue at 27th Street.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Can we vote these politicians out of office since they’re brain dead?” said the Lower East Side resident.</span></p>

Technology

Placeholder Content Image

The question on everyone’s mind: Does the pedestrian button do anything?

<p>Picture this: You’re standing at a pedestrian crossing waiting for the red man to turn green. One-minute turns to five and next thing you know you’ve been standing there waiting for an eternity. To speed things up, you decide to press the pedestrian button a number of times but still no luck. Sound familiar? Because according to the latest reports, you may have been getting conned for the past 24 years.</p> <p>The nation is divided on the topic of whether pressing the pedestrian button has any effect on the traffic lights, but the answer is, it’s dependant on which state you reside in.</p> <p>The bad news is mainly for Sydney-siders, because if you’ve been pressing the pedestrian button hoping for the man to turn green between 7 am and 7 pm on Monday to Thursday and from 7 am to 9 pm on Friday – you’ve been conned.</p> <p>According to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/have-you-been-wasting-your-time-by-pushing-the-pedestrian-button/news-story/b87735fb87ad862c7e6fee6206510edc" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>, signals throughout Sydney have been set to “automated pedestrian phases”, which means those buttons have been useless since 1994.</p> <p>Though it does change over the weekend, as on Saturday the automated times are set to run from 8:30 am to 9pm, and Sunday is the when you should really push the button as that’s the day you’ll notice a difference.</p> <p>Every Sunday the automated times are disabled and the effort you put into pressing that button will actually have a direct impact on halting traffic.</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/have-you-been-wasting-your-time-by-pushing-the-pedestrian-button/news-story/b87735fb87ad862c7e6fee6206510edc" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em>, a spokeswoman from Transport for NSW said these automated phases are set in areas where there is a “high level of pedestrian activity, at specific times of the day".</p> <p>“These phases are constantly reviewed against demand profiles of road users and other changes that may affect the network,” she said.</p> <p>“Shorter wait times have kept pedestrians moving and could potentially reduce the risk of jaywalking and pedestrian crashes.”</p> <p>The system also takes into account large events happening around the city, which bring in an influx of pedestrians.</p> <p>Studies show that if pedestrians around the country are made to wait more than a minute to cross the road, there is a high chance they’ll attempt to cross illegally.</p> <p>Due to this, waiting times in the city have been reduced since January, going from two minutes to 90 seconds – which is the most anyone should be waiting before crossing the road.</p> <p>Though for Sydney residents, the results are vastly different. With studies showing that Sydney-siders are willing to wait for 30 seconds before jaywalking.</p> <p>According to Transport for NSW, the automated phases are in place for Sydney CBD, North Sydney and Parramatta. And for all other areas in the state, it is claimed that pushing the button does make a difference.</p> <p>What do you think about the wait times at pedestrian crossings at traffic lights? Let us know in the comments down below.</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Why this Aussie council is changing its pedestrian crossing symbols to female

<p>A Melbourne council is changing the gender of its pedestrian crossing symbols, replacing he traditional male crossing silhouettes with female figures.</p> <p><a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Herald Sun reports</strong></em></span></a> Brimbank Council in Melbourne’s west has replaced the traditional signs with female walk and don’t walk figures to, “improve gender quality”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">A Vic council wants to introduce female only pedestrian crossing symbols.<br /><br />They hope removing the male figures will help to ‘improve gender equality’.<br /><br />Does ANYONE like this idea? <a href="https://t.co/LVjDsJHMyn">pic.twitter.com/LVjDsJHMyn</a></p> — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/999760508885467136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Mayor Margaret Giudice said the change could have a larger impact than people think.</p> <p>“We know that improving gender equity leads to very positive outcomes for organisations and for our community … research shows societies with greater gender equity have lower rates of violence towards women and children,” she said.</p> <p>“This council is committed to a community where men and women, and boys and girls, are treated equally.”</p> <p>Perth Ave and Ballarat Rd will be the first crossing to receive the new lights.</p> <p>What are your thoughts?</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

This city has banned pedestrians from texting

<p>A city in the US has become the first place in world to ban pedestrians from texting while crossing the road, with the law coming into effect tomorrow.</p> <p>Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii, will issue pedestrians $US35 for, “viewing electronic devices while crossing streets in the city and surrounding county”.</p> <p>Other areas in the US have tried to enforce similar bans, but the Honolulu law is reportedly the first time this regulation has been enforceable by a fine.</p> <p>“This is really milestone legislation that sets the bar high for safety,” Brandon Elefante, the City Council member who proposed the bill, told <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/business/honolulu-walking-and-texting-fine.html?smid=tw-nytimes&amp;smtyp=cur" target="_blank">the New York Times</a></strong></em></span>.</p> <p>Police in some Australian states can issue pedestrians fines if they are deemed to be walking “without consideration to other roads users”, but there is currently no legislation relating to the use of mobile phones and electronic devices.</p> <p>Pedestrians crossing the road without paying attention is becoming a growing problem, according to a report by the World Health Organisation, which found pedestrians who text and walk are almost four times as likely to “engage in at least one dangerous action”. Distracted people also take 18 per cent more time to cross a road.</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Should we install a similar law in Australia?</p> <p><em><strong>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Save money with Over60 Travel Insurance. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank">To arrange a quote, click here.</a></span> Or for more information, call 1800 622 966.</strong></em></p>

Travel Insurance

Placeholder Content Image

Several killed after van mows down pedestrians in London

<p>A number of people have reportedly been killed after a van collided with pedestrians and worshippers outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, North London.</p> <p>A witness claims around 10 people were mowed down by the van on Seven Sisters Road. Emergency services are onsite.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Anyone an idea what exactly happened? <a href="https://twitter.com/metpoliceuk">@metpoliceuk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/finsburypark?src=hash">#finsburypark</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sevensisters?src=hash">#sevensisters</a> <a href="https://t.co/d4VoQtcJZr">pic.twitter.com/d4VoQtcJZr</a></p> — Thomas Van Hulle (@Thomasvanhulle) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thomasvanhulle/status/876589634515554305">June 18, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>A statement from the Metropolitan Police confirmed they were called to the scene of the incident just after midnight local time.</p> <p>“There are a number of casualties being worked on at the scene,” authorities said. “There has been one person arrested.”</p> <p>The incident is the latest in an unfortunately long list of tragedies for London and the UK as a whole. In March, <a href="/news/news/2017/03/uk-terror-attack-brings-london-to-its-knees/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Westminster Bridge</strong></span></a> became the scene of a lone wolf terror attack, while <a href="/news/news/2017/05/manchester-rocked-by-suspected-terror-attack/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Manchester</span></strong></a> and <a href="/travel/international/2017/06/uk-pm-theresa-may-responds-to-london-attacks/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">London</span></strong></a> were both targeted last month and the latter was just rocked by a <a href="/finance/insurance/2017/06/london-tower-inferno-what-we-know/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>terrifying inferno</strong></span></a>.</p> <p>A major section of the road has been cordoned off.</p> <p>More to come.</p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

10 pedestrian bridges that will take your breath away

<p>Pedestrian bridges are often the highlight of a visit to a new city, allowing you to experience the area from an incredible perspective and take memorable phots.</p> <p>From Venice’s Bridge of Sighs to Newcastle’s Gateshead Millennium Bridge, here are 10 incredible pedestrian bridges you will never forget walking over. </p> <p>A walk over any of these bridges is one to remember. </p> <p>To see the bridges, scroll through the gallery above.</p> <ol> <li>Saint Benezet Bridge – Avignon, France</li> <li>Mur Island – Graz, Austria</li> <li>Bridge of Sighs – Venice, Italy</li> <li>Capilano Suspension Bridge – Vancouver, Canada</li> <li>Gateshead Millennium Bridge – Newcastle, UK</li> <li>Stone Bridge – Regensburg, Germany</li> <li>Chapel Bridge – Lucerne, Switzerland</li> <li>Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge – Ballycastle, Northern Ireland</li> <li>Si Oh She Bridge – Isfahan, Iran</li> <li>Charles Bridge – Prague, Czech Republic</li> </ol> <p>Have you visited any of the incredible bridges we featuring in the gallery above? If so, how did you find the experience?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/06/14-of-the-most-hilarious-english-translation-errors/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">14 of the most hilarious English translation errors</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/06/17-year-olds-invention-will-stop-spread-of-germs-on-planes/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">17-year-old’s invention will stop spread of germs on planes</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/06/13-landmarks-where-selfies-are-banned/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>13 landmarks where selfies are banned</strong></em></span></a></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Hollywood superstar tricks pedestrians into thinking they’re spies

<p>In the old days the only thing you needed to do to generate hype for a Hollywood blockbuster was to book a trailer in the upcoming features. But today’s movie studios are increasingly becoming more creative with the way their market their films.</p> <p>And as we see in the video above, the results can be hilarious.</p> <p>In the video clip, to promote upcoming movie, Jason Bourne, Hollywood star Matt Damon cleverly tricks a series of unsuspecting pedestrians into thinking they’re spies.</p> <p>The prank is simple, yet elegant. A stranger is handed a mobile phone by a random passer-by and called by Damon, who then asks them to perform a variety of tasks.</p> <p>They’re asked to do everything from complimenting someone’s children, to buying a hotdog and collect an envelope from a mystery man standing on a nearby bridge.</p> <p>Those who were pranked were eventually guided back to a room in a carpark, where Damon emerged and surprised them with tickets to the film’s premiere.</p> <p>What a funny video. What’s your favourite movie with Matt Damon in it, and do you think you’ll be going to see Jason Bourne?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Omaze</em></p> <p>Related links:</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/06/shocking-actor-transformations-for-movie-roles/" target="_blank"><strong>10 shocking transformations by actors for movie roles</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/05/most-expensive-films-ever-made/"><strong>The 15 most expensive films ever made</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/05/8-classic-films-getting-remakes/" target="_blank"><strong>8 classic films getting remakes</strong></a></em></span></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

The busiest pedestrian crossing in the world

<p>Very rarely are pedestrian crossings must-visit tourist locations in and of themselves, but you don’t have to be at Shibuya Crossing long to see why it’s become an essential part of any Tokyo trip.</p> <p>Shoppers, students, couples, commuters and tourists all converge at this busy junction and when the light turns red they take off in every direction. Yet strangely, there’s a degree of courtesy in the chaos. People are very mindful of their space, and are almost at pains to avoid collisions. </p> <p>Still, if the experience seems a little too chaotic for your sensibilities, you may prefer to get a coffee at the Starbucks overlooking the square. It actually provides the perfect vantage point from which to observe Shibuya Crossing and affords you a moment of respite from the chaos below.</p> <p>If you can brave the crowds the best time to experience the crossing is at a Friday or Saturday night. The lights, and trendy costumes from the locals make it an experience you have to try at least once.</p> <p><strong>How to get there?</strong></p> <p>Shibuya Station is pretty easy to get to from wherever you are in Tokyo. It’s serviced by a number of JR routes as well as Japan’s two subway providers, Toei and Tokyo Metro. If you’re coming from Tokyo Station your best bet is to take the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line to Shinjuku Station, then change onto the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin line for a few stops until you end up in Shibuya. Follow the prompts to the Hachiko exit to find the statue and the amazing Shibuya Station crossing.</p> <p><strong>Hachiko</strong></p> <p><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/12080/japan2_500x333.jpg" alt="Japan2 (1)"/></p> <p>The crossing isn’t the only reason to venture to Shibuya however. Shibuya Station features a statue of Tokyo’s most famous dog, Hachiko. This loyal Akita dog came to the station every day to meet his master, a professor, returning home from work. When his master passed away, Hachiko kept coming to the station every day until his own death 10 years later. This story has become a legend in Japan and a small bronze statue was erected in Hachiko’s memory in front of Shibuya Station.</p> <p><strong>What else is there to do in Shibuya?</strong></p> <p><strong><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/12081/jap3_500x333.jpg" alt="Jap3"/></strong></p> <p>Quite a lot, actually! Shibuya is buzzing with life and energy at all times of the day and you can easily find a bar or restaurant to take your fancy in no time at all. Shibuya is also one of the best places for shopping in Japan, so take advantage of the opportunity to embark upon a little bit of retail therapy at one of the many department stores in the region. Make sure you save some Yen for a spree!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/11/japanese-etiquette-guide/">What you should know before visiting Japan</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/entertainment/technology/2015/02/starting-a-travel-blog/"></a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2015/12/16-countries-to-visit-in-2016/"><strong>16 best countries for travel in 2016</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/entertainment/technology/2015/02/starting-a-travel-blog/"></a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2015/12/11-weirdest-museums-in-the-world/"><strong>11 weirdest museums in the world</strong></a></em></span></p>

International Travel

Our Partners