Vienna, Austria may be one of the world's most livable cities, but the green men at its pedestrian crossings really leave something to be desired. Photo via spanout.
A few days ago, we published a post about the differences between pelicans, puffins, toucans, hawks, and other animal-themed pedestrian crossings.
While we were researching the different crosswalk signals, we couldn’t help but notice how cute some of the little red and green men are — and how women are still struggling to break through the glass ceiling in this industry.
So, in celebration of another Friday, here they are — the world’s cutest and quirkiest pelican people:
Pretty cute: the green man in Zgorzelec, Poland. Photo via elmada.
Ok, this one's more confusing than cute. Don't walk -- or wear a fez? Where's this? Maybe in Turkey, where the fez was banned in 1925. Photo via Usonian.
Utrecht, in the Netherlands, features Sophie, the pony-tailed female walk signal. Proponents of female walk signals say people pay more attention to the curvier figures.
For those who like men in uniforms: Fredericia, Denmark's pedestrian crossing features a uniformed foot soldier, with rifle in tote. He slings it over his shoulder to walk. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
When Hans Christian Andersen turns green, pedestrians in his hometown of Odense, Denmark know they can walk. Photo via katebikeanddenmark.blogspot.com.
AND THE WINNER IS… THE LITTLE TRAFFIC LIGHT MEN AND WOMEN
For the winners -- it's a tie! Ampelmännchen (German: little traffic light man) in east Berlin, in the former GDR, and their female counterparts (below). Image via Isphotos.
.jpg "ampelweibchen")
East German women on signals in the former GDR. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Some days, the little traffic light man needs an umbrella. Photo via Wikipedia.
Did we leave out some pelican people? Please, add links to your favorites in the comments section below!
