Zebra Crossing is not animal path

Jan 13, 2026 Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists

…Dem boys seh

Kaieteur News – We had neglected painting zebra crossing on our roadways that when these crossing were reintroduced a few years ago, many motorists did not know their uses. One time a pedestrian was walking along the road. He wanted to cross over, so he used the side which has a zebra sign and a caution ZEBRA CROSSING boldly written on the roadway even though he saw a vehicle, hoping as usual the vehicle would stop because of the zebra sign. But the car didn’t stop and kept coming closer to him. Terrified, the man jumped immediately out of the way and screamed, “Are you crazy?! Didn’t you see the Zebra sign?!”

The driver brought out his head from the window and said, “Are you a Zebra?!”

Even the elderly seemed to have forgotten the uses of a zebra crossing, Dem boys was in town yesterday and saw an old lady trying to cross the road. Every time she stepped off the kerb a car nearly knocked her down. I shouted at her, “There’s a zebra crossing down there.”

She shouted back, “I hope he’s having more luck than I am.”

In Guyana, some pedestrians does behave like the driver supposed to have crystal ball. They walking nice-nice on the side of the road, minding their own business, and then suddenly make a sharp right turn straight into the crossing. When you slam brakes and horn, dem look at you like you tief dem lunch money. If you don’t stop fast enough, the cussing start flowing.

Dem boys seh is like some people believe the zebra stripes have supernatural powers. Once foot touch white paint, vehicle must vanish. Physics must pause. Brake distance must shorten. Common sense must take holiday. But lemme remind dem gently — zebra crossing give priority, not an absolute right of way. A pedestrian supposed to look left and right, make sure vehicle got time to stop. You can’t just fling yourself in front of a car and expect sympathy, especially when the driver already too close to stop safely. And drivers ain’t angels neither. Driver duty clear: once pedestrian already on the crossing, you must stop. No arguing, no revving engine, no pretending you ain’t see dem. Approaching a zebra crossing mean slow down and be ready, not speed up and hope for best.

The big legal point — and dem boys underline this in bold — is timing. Before stepping on the crossing: pedestrian must check and indicate intention. Once on the crossing: driver must give way.

If a pedestrian suddenly dash out and collision happen, the law don’t automatically blame the driver. Pedestrian can share fault, or even get the whole blame, depending on how careless they behave.

Talk half, Leff half.

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