Clever illusions emphasize importance of pedestrian lanes

To make it safer for customers to cross the streets surrounding their establishment, a Makati City mall painted attention-grabbing pedestrian lanes that were optical illusions.

One of these made the pedestrian crossing look like it was floating in midair, while another looked like a giant piano keyboard.

The mall's management told GMA News TV program "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho" on Tuesday that the illusions made the pedestrian lanes more visible to motorists, prompting them to slow down near the lanes.

According to the Transportation Department, motorists did not pay enough attention to designated pedestrian crossings, despite traffic rules stating that pedestrians had the right of way on these crossings.

"Both vehicles and pedestrians don't really regard pedestrian lanes as... minsan din kasi wala ring traffic light at wala ring enforcer," explained DOTr official Diane Fajardo. "Kailangan nilang mag-slow down kapag malapit na sila sa pedestrian lane and... yung mga taong tumatawid, sila 'yung priority."

Advocacy groups like Safekids Philippines have long wanted to address the alarming disregard for  pedestrian crossing, especially because of the danger it posed to children.

"Unfortunately, sa culture is we do not think of the safety of others as a common ground so that we are more tayo, sa sarili. Driving, walking, in fact, you'll notice that when there's a pedestrian to crossing, bibilisan," Safekids Philippines Executive Director Jesus Dela Fuente lamented. — Margaret Claire Layug/DVM, GMA News