Rainbow crossing Floriana

It looks to me as if someone has already vandalised a pedestrian crossing!

What a waste of money and as the design and layout of crossings is laid down in legislation its probably illegal.

Terry

as far as im aware its been sanctioned in all other areas the governments or councils have sanctioned them and on the basis of the work put in this doesnt look like an amateur job

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/natio … VQu_b-GsHV

it has been sanctioned by the Maltese government , Joseph Muscat Posted pictures on twitter of it being installed .

so it may not be to everyones taste but its a good starting point at least

robpw2 wrote:

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/50879/florianas_st_anne_street_gets_rainbowcoloured_pedestrian_crossing#.VQu_b-GsHV

it has been sanctioned by the Maltese government , Joseph Muscat Posted pictures on twitter of it being installed .

so it may not be to everyones taste but its a good starting point at least

A starting point for what?
For more of my taxes to be spent on a minority groups advertising campaign !

Look around at the state of the roads and lane markings, that's were the money should be spent.

Terry

Its not really an advertising campaign , its part of the UN free and equal campaign and its about raising awarness of issues faced by lgbti people around the world and i think for a country still very much governed by the catholic church for them to do something like this is a pretty huge step forward.

I agree that its probably not important in terms of road markings and the state of the roads but politically its a massive statement .

I'm sorry but nobody will convince me that being Gay or lesbian is anything other than a lifestyle choice.
Like religion it bothers me not what lifestyle choice  individuals make, so long as they don't expect the majority to pay for it!.

Terry

Your choice but I suppose I should ask when you chose to be straight ? I have known I was gay since I was 5 - I don't see where I made a choice

Wow, I'm glad for you that your lifestyle choice of being retired is paid by the majority and that nobody in the world feels that you'd better be in prison, psychiatric hospital or dead for not working.

It's the coolest-looking zebra crossing ever! they should all look like that! You would expect the usual wining and complaining in the Times of Malta comments, not here. Even there, nobody has used the "with my tax payer's money" argument (yet)!

mdavid wrote:

Wow, I'm glad for you that your lifestyle choice of being retired is paid by the majority and that nobody in the world feels that you'd better be in prison, psychiatric hospital or dead for not working.

I knew it wouldn't be long before some on started spouting nonsense.

FYI I worked and saved for over 40 years to afford my limited lifestyle and choose to live in Malta to enable my funds to go further.
I served my country and  paid into  a government fund that now pays out a small amount each month.
My lifestyle is my choice and I live with that decision.

I don't expect the government to change the colour of my local pedestrian crossing to support my "cause" , just because I am in a minority group.

Grow up  and realise that  some one has to pay for these silly and pointless ideas.

Terry

tearnet wrote:

mdavid wrote:

Wow, I'm glad for you that your lifestyle choice of being retired is paid by the majority and that nobody in the world feels that you'd better be in prison, psychiatric hospital or dead for not working.

I knew it wouldn't be long before some on started spouting nonsense.

FYI I worked and saved for over 40 years to afford my limited lifestyle and choose to live in Malta to enable my funds to go further.
I served my country and  paid into  a government fund that now pays out a small amount each month.
My lifestyle is my choice and I live with that decision.

I don't expect the government to change the colour of my local pedestrian crossing to support my "cause" , just because I am in a minority group.

Grow up  and realise that  some one has to pay for these silly and pointless ideas.

Terry

apart from your supposed tax money that's painted this what harm does it actually cause to you?
In three weeks time i will have been married to my partner for one year a man whom i have been with for the best part of a decade ... did me getting married affect you in any way? etc ..
for me its nice that the Maltese govt have decided to celebrate the diversity in its culture and are allowing others to celebrate it too .

you might believe its a lifestyle choice but i really dont understand why anyone would choose a life where they are bullied, hounded or killed by others because of whom they love.

robpw2 wrote:

tearnet wrote:

mdavid wrote:

Wow, I'm glad for you that your lifestyle choice of being retired is paid by the majority and that nobody in the world feels that you'd better be in prison, psychiatric hospital or dead for not working.

I knew it wouldn't be long before some on started spouting nonsense.

FYI I worked and saved for over 40 years to afford my limited lifestyle and choose to live in Malta to enable my funds to go further.
I served my country and  paid into  a government fund that now pays out a small amount each month.
My lifestyle is my choice and I live with that decision.

I don't expect the government to change the colour of my local pedestrian crossing to support my "cause" , just because I am in a minority group.

Grow up  and realise that  some one has to pay for these silly and pointless ideas.

Terry

apart from your supposed tax money that's painted this what harm does it actually cause to you?
In three weeks time i will have been married to my partner for one year a man whom i have been with for the best part of a decade ... did me getting married affect you in any way? etc ..
for me its nice that the Maltese govt have decided to celebrate the diversity in its culture and are allowing others to celebrate it too .

you might believe its a lifestyle choice but i really dont understand why anyone would choose a life where they are bullied, hounded or killed by others because of whom they love.

As I said its a lifestyle choice and it bothers me not at all and I don't think it should bother anyone else.
I'm  glad you are happy and wish you well for the future.
Pensioners get picked on because they are old and frail and an easy target for muggers and con men.
Some finish up in homes with no visitors or quality of life.
Life isn't perfect!
I just don't understand why "celebrating diversity"  has to be at my expense!

Terry

Life isn't perfect as you said, and that's exactly why I want my tax money to be used for helping people having a better life. That means I'm happy it is spent to help the old people having a better quality of life, and helping the community around me embracing diversity, and kids to go to school no matter what their parents earn and roads to be weel kept and buses to drive on them. As long as life isn't perfect (and it won't ever be) tax money needs to be spend to deal with it. That's called caring about others, and I do care.

mdavid wrote:

Life isn't perfect as you said, and that's exactly why I want my tax money to be used for helping people having a better life. That means I'm happy it is spent to help the old people having a better quality of life, and helping the community around me embracing diversity, and kids to go to school no matter what their parents earn and roads to be weel kept and buses to drive on them. As long as life isn't perfect (and it won't ever be) tax money needs to be spend to deal with it. That's called caring about others, and I do care.

And painting a zebra crossing give people a better life!!

I think you need to get a life!

tearnet wrote:

And painting a zebra crossing give people a better life!!

Well, considering how disproportionate your reaction is to such a tiny event, I guess it gave you a significantly worse life and I'm really sorry about that.

mdavid wrote:

Wow, I'm glad for you that your lifestyle choice of being retired is paid by the majority and that nobody in the world feels that you'd better be in prison, psychiatric hospital or dead for not working.

I just gave my reaction and reasons to the original post.

Your comment above was the over reaction.

Nothing more to say.

Terry

Choices, choices, choices. They're yours.
I don't give a flying F what orientation anyone is, it just doesn't and should not matter to anyone other than one's self.
I'm just sick of it being flouted all over the place.

And pensioner's are entitled to their retirement having probably done more for their country than the current workforce; military, medics, police excepted.

Yea I'm sick of it being flouted everywhere too redmik , ita used in advertising , every single tvs program and even in public all these couples who are kissing and snogging eachother or walking around arm in arm , some of them can't even sit on the bus without making sure that everyone knows they are STRAIGHT .... ITs like they are constantly ramming it down out throats , I say think of the children - poor things imagine having to explain to them what's gojng on or why they are doing that . I have no problem with people choosing to be straight but it really is like they are trying to make the rest of us straight too.

You know what redmik I'm not having a go at you because I genuinely respect that you believe that people should be free to do  what they want but I hate the automatic defense of why do they have flout it or why do they have to ram it down our throats ... For me I'd just like to be able to everything straight couples get to do without other people judgement .


And also most importantly I wish I could have made a choice ... Being beaten up and left to die when I was 18 years old wouldnt have happened , being raped because I was gay so I must enjoy it ,wouldn't have happened and I could have a lot easier life ... I don't know why I would choose to be gay in a society that treats people so badly.

robpw2 wrote:

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/50879/florianas_st_anne_street_gets_rainbowcoloured_pedestrian_crossing#.VQu_b-GsHV

it has been sanctioned by the Maltese government , Joseph Muscat Posted pictures on twitter of it being installed .

so it may not be to everyones taste but its a good starting point at least

I don't have a problem with the cause and would even go out to enjoy the day if it was a march or special event, however I have issues with this rainbow crossing:

1. One of democracy
A cornerstone of democracy is the division of power: separation of Executive and Legislative branches etc.
Malta being an EU country and the Pride movement being about democracy, freedom and personal choice within the law, makes it an even bigger issue for all of us:
Could/should the government override the laws of the land and the constitution in peace time and not in a state of emergency?
Are we living in Iraq under Saddam Hussein?
What happened to division of power in democratically represented Malta?

The government (being the executive branch) cannot make or change the laws: it could/should bring proposals to the parliament (the legislative branch) for deliberation/scrutiny by the MP's and passage in normal way.

2. One of road safety
As tearnet mentioned, the road markings such as zebra crossings are specified in the law. They have been the same for a very long time: perhaps well over a century. They're instantly recognisable by any driver from anywhere in the world.
The rainbow version can cause confusion/accidents and deaths!!
As not only it isn't obvious and universally recognisable, but also being bright and colourful, it can divert the driver's attention.

I also see sign of wear already showing on a brand new installation, so the work perhaps was indeed amateurish. Mind you, this being Malta, I have seen it several times in Bugibba: road markings e.g. double yellow lines being applied by a man with a bucket of ordinary masonry paint in one hand and a small roller in the other!


In Malta even official zebra crossings aren't completely safe and one has to be on guard when crossing them being mindful of distracted or careless drivers.

====
May I finally add that if this was a special event like a carnival or a march whereby normal traffic is restricted for a day or something, then this would probably have been okay on both legal/constitutional grounds and also road safety. As I see it however, this crossing has been implemented as a permanent street marking.

i suspect its all to do with being human.....warts and all.....

New Horizonz wrote:

robpw2 wrote:

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/50879/florianas_st_anne_street_gets_rainbowcoloured_pedestrian_crossing#.VQu_b-GsHV

it has been sanctioned by the Maltese government , Joseph Muscat Posted pictures on twitter of it being installed .

so it may not be to everyones taste but its a good starting point at least

I don't have a problem with the cause and would even go out to enjoy the day if it was a march or special event, however I have issues with this rainbow crossing:

1. One of democracy
A cornerstone of democracy is the division of power: separation of Executive and Legislative branches etc.
Malta being an EU country and the Pride movement being about democracy, freedom and personal choice within the law, makes it an even bigger issue for all of us:
Could/should the government override the laws of the land and the constitution in peace time and not in a state of emergency?
Are we living in Iraq under Saddam Hussein?
What happened to division of power in democratically represented Malta?

The government (being the executive branch) cannot make or change the laws: it could/should bring proposals to the parliament (the legislative branch) for deliberation/scrutiny by the MP's and passage in normal way.

2. One of road safety
As tearnet mentioned, the road markings such as zebra crossings are specified in the law. They have been the same for a very long time: perhaps well over a century. They're instantly recognisable by any driver from anywhere in the world.
The rainbow version can cause confusion/accidents and deaths!!
As not only it isn't obvious and universally recognisable, but also being bright and colourful, it can divert the driver's attention.

I also see sign of wear already showing on a brand new installation, so the work perhaps was indeed amateurish. Mind you, this being Malta, I have seen it several times in Bugibba: road markings e.g. double yellow lines being applied by a man with a bucket of ordinary masonry paint in one hand and a small roller in the other!


In Malta even official zebra crossings aren't completely safe and one has to be on guard when crossing them being mindful of distracted or careless drivers.

====
May I finally add that if this was a special event like a carnival or a march whereby normal traffic is restricted for a day or something, then this would probably have been okay on both legal/constitutional grounds and also road safety. As I see it however, this crossing has been implemented as a permanent street marking.

I suspect as its been done at traffic lights you won't have to worry what's on ground won't affect the drivers whatsoever you should be watching the traffic signals .

Secondly this is being done throughout the world as part of the un free and equal campaign so it's one perfectly legal and two the government sanctioned it

Is it meant to be permanant? Because apart from the one in Devon they are meant to be temporary things ... I suppose I'll have to read the parliament minuites and find out

perhaos they should add he following disclaimer

No zebra crossings have been harmed in the painting of these road markings

I think it's a fun thing to do and you will probably find the funding has come from a third-party source anyway. Investing a small amount in these sorts of projects is good for society and does no one any harm and if it has the chance of doing some small amount of good then you can't begrudge it can you?

The fact that some people think being gay is a lifestyle choice shows how much education is still needed. And that isn't an attack on anyone, I'm just highlighting that there are still many misconceptions that can be harmful (especially in the wrong hands).

There are huge differences between public signs of affection and flaunting one's orientation.
There is no need for it in any case yet I also acknowledge that there is no harm in it; in any case.
So why public signs of affection attract criticism I don't understand, that's not flaunting, that's natural behaviour; in any case.

As far as I am concerned, it's a private matter, nothing to do with anyone else.

I make no judgement on anyone's orientation, I just don't see the flaunting of it, such as things like this, necessary, in any case.
The choices I was referring to are those made to flaunt it all.

robpw2 wrote:

I suspect as its been done at traffic lights you won't have to worry what's on ground won't affect the drivers whatsoever you should be watching the traffic signals .

Secondly this is being done throughout the world as part of the un free and equal campaign so it's one perfectly legal and two the government sanctioned it

Is it meant to be permanant? Because apart from the one in Devon they are meant to be temporary things ... I suppose I'll have to read the parliament minuites and find out

Yes, it would be good to read and be better informed/educated.

The UN doesn't legislate nor intervenes in affairs of sovereign states in peace time and not in a state of emergency. Surely an ex law student should be able to work this out.

Just because something is happening in different places around the world, irrespective of the cause, doesn't make it right.
A glance at news headlines reveals acts of violence and aggression against public happened this week in Tunisia, Sweden, Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, USA, Canada, Nigeria, etc etc....
I repeat: I doesn't make it right just because it happens everywhere.

You suspect wrong because traffic lights can be out of order for many reasons such as: power failure, maintenance, blown bulb, damaged in an RTA etc. Some traffic lights operate part-time only. Reasons that permanent road markings are necessary. Some cars ignore traffic lights and go through red lights if there are no cars passing.

What is permanent? Dictionary definition: "adj. Lasting or remaining without essential change"
If a road is blocked due to an accident. maintenance, cranes operating, etc, an officer present on the ground can temporarily divert traffic overriding normal road signs, for example sending the traffic wrong way down a one-way street, stopping cars when traffic light is green etc.

Of course every permanent fixture has a life expectancy and maintenance is a fact of life for everything including road surfaces and road markings.

robpw2 wrote:

....the government sanctioned it

LOL Looks like you didn't read my last post about this part.

were not going to agree on this new horizons but the government has every right to act even if they are acting for the minority.
I am fully aware of what powers the UN in the running of sovereign states I was simply mentioning why countries were doing it and the fact rhe government have sanctioned such a crossing and othe governments at that have it means it is lawful .

If you wish to provide me with the maltese law that dictates the colour of road crossings etc then I will of course read it and make my own mind up -I assume you must have this as you seem to know all about it ...

Yes, since you're clearly emotional about this topic, you cannot see that I haven't made any comments against the cause.

I repeat:
Parliaments enact laws in democracies, not governments.
Laws of other countries are only applicable in their respective jurisdictions.

You can find all laws on the Statute Book. You can also enquire TM under Freedom of Information Act.
.
It is fine to try legislate through normal means to make rainbow crossings legal. I suspect it wouldn't pass on grounds of safety. Poor visibility at night, during heavy rain or other adverse weather conditions, but good luck to you in campaigning your MP.

New Horizonz wrote:

1. One of democracy
[...]
Are we living in Iraq under Saddam Hussein?

Are you serious man!?!?

2. One of road safety

Yes, let's prepare for the hundreds of fatal casualties that will follow when people will try to cross here ...

Hi nilonilonilo

Have you got something to say?
Would you like to discuss this topic?
or you just like to stand up and make up the numbers? I'm not sure your point is.

My point is that I think that your statements/arguments are perhaps a bit far-fetched. I think it's quite obvious that we are not living in Saddam Hussein's Iraq, and I doubt that this colourful version of a zebra crossing will have any noticeable effect on pedestrian safety. That is all.

nilonilonilo wrote:

That is all.

OK!

robpw2 wrote:

perhaos they should add he following disclaimer

No zebra crossings have been harmed in the painting of these road markings

I'm less that sure there is truth in that.
Zebra crossing are black and white for maximum contrast, thus visibility, thus safety.
Rainbows either side - fine
Rainbows on the first rectangle - fine.
The rest is a bad idea.

Edit - it also makes me think I'm on illegal drugs ... but it does look nice.
Good idea - wrong place.

thanks for your insight fred ...amazing how you have seen it without being in malta ... hows the tardis working out .

to be fair to Fred  its easy to see  - there is photo  - ive seen it to so maybe im in the same tardis.

robpw2 wrote:

thanks for your insight fred ...amazing how you have seen it without being in malta ... hows the tardis working out .

I do apologise for invading your forum and commenting on photos you posted.
I don't need a TARDIS, just the ability to see the photos you posted - you do recall posting them, don't you?

I could even get wild, and see this stupid idea being painted onto the roads.



Still, I'm sure I'm not allowed to post here, more so if I happen to disagree with you.
Should I apologise for having an opinion and, if so, please tell me what's allowed to be posted in this section, and give me a list of who is allowed to post here.
I know I'm not allowed to post comments about a British phone company, even though the other posters didn't bother checking out the minor fact the phone in question had been blocked months before the thread was posted.
I now know I'm not allowed to comment on your photos of stupid lines being painted on Triq sant' Anna  roads.

Any more?

I'll stop reading the news as well, just in case my TARDIS gets the huff on.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/natio … RAy__mUeSo

I don't see any where in my post Fred that says you shouldn't post in the thread I thanked you for
Your insight ... I did think it's amazing how you have seen it and how you can comment on maltese traffic law  the tardis comment was meant as a joke .

You might think it's a stupid idea that's your opinion and if they paint one in India you have every right to voice your opinion on that matter .

I don't see how a road in Malta will affect you in any way but please feel free to post whatever you like ... The joys of the Internet I suppose

Painting lines is a road safety issue, not a Malts specific issue.

Several versions of this have been painted in a few countries, and my opinion remains the same.
No way anyone should play with standardised road markings to make a political point.

I made no comment on Maltese traffic law - you made that up in a minor fit of terminological inexactitude.

I have no problem with the ideal of attempting to dump bigotry, but I dislike the way they've done it.
Should someone paint one in India, another country I've never been to, my opinion would remain the same.

I'm sorry I fail to figure out the India connection?
Did the rainbow crossing idea start in India?
Jakarta is in Indonesia, isn't it? so why India?
Can someone enlighten me please?