There are many ways in which we see the European Union as a homogenous entity. For most members, the single currency makes them a part of this European unity, businesses trade with ease across European boundaries, and European citizens are free to travel, work and, should they wish to, reside permanently in any other member country. This is the glory of the European project, and the reason why so many people across the world would go to extreme lengths to obtain a European passport. It is also the reason that states on the periphery of the European community are battling for EU accession; vowing to change their own cultures, standards and ways of doing things to align themselves with the high standards of the European community. Despite the pressing instability of the EU as a powerful economic entity; despite the international concern – and let’s face it, sheer panic – over the future of Europe, countries and individuals currently not in the club, want in. But to what extent do our aspiring European brothers and sisters need to adapt? Which differences are present that draw the line between those who are in, and those who are out? And what can be done to close the gap?
Of those countries strategically battling for access to the European community, Turkey is pursuing its fair share of strategic changes, one of which echoes at the heart of basic human need – the need for safety and security. Of this, pedestrian safety seems to rank pretty high on the agenda. With an ever increasing number of cars on the roads in Turkey, the need to protect pedestrians and to minimise injuries and fatalities is important enough. The need to demonstrate clear and direct policy making and implementation on the issue as stipulated in the Vienna Convention 1969 is a pressing European-accession priority. The responsibility for pedestrian safety lies in the decision making structures of local and national government. In the case of the South Western Turkish province of Antalya, die Berater® are on hand, along with partners from Sweden and Spain to assist the Antalya Directorate of Security in the development of a culture of pedestrian priority on some of the regions busiest roads.
But what are the problems?
It was clear from our own research that drivers in Antalya are well aware of the function and purpose of pedestrian crosswalks, and proclaim proudly that they acknowledge and respect these devices of pedestrian priority. This didn’t explain why over 90% of pedestrians surveyed in Antalya felt unsafe crossing the road. There is clearly a cultural difference and misunderstanding between these road users.
With huge influxes of domestic and international tourists every year, Antalya has a good reason to improve the safety and security of simple pedestrian activities. Within the framework of the European Commission Leonardo di Vinci Transfer of Innovation programme, die Berater® will be developing and delivering targeted vocational training modules for driving instructors, school teachers and traffic police, helping drivers to learn and understand pedestrian culture, whilst helping school children and other pedestrians to better understand the culture of drivers by, thus making a solid contribution to the harmonisation of driver-pedestrian relations in Antalya, helping to save lives, and promoting the development strategies that Turkey - and other EU candidate countries – need to pursue to secure their future within the European community.
Putting European Cities to Shame
However, how much better are the rest of Europe? A recent study visit to Stockholm showed us in unequivocal terms that, even on the busiest roads and multi-lane round-a-bouts, a pedestrian who steps out on to a non-illuminated (zebra) crossing will be granted the courtesy of being able to cross safely by everyone from cyclists to lorry drivers. We found that the priorities of drivers in Sweden were very clearly ranked and aligned, whereas those in Antalya were mixed and unpredictable (and those in Austria and Spain somewhere in the middle). This put the cities of Vienna and Barcelona rather to shame, since pedestrians report not feeling entirely safe all the time when crossing busy streets, and drivers report that pedestrian crossings are not always visible or obvious. As an occasional driver in Vienna, not always familiar with the placement of crosswalks, I would largely agree.
More than a cross-cultural faux-pas
But what does this mean for European mobility? Well, just because the Swedes might be confident and comfortable crossing the road in Stockholm, doesn’t mean that the Turkish, or even the Spanish or Austrian driver is going to meet the standards of predictability that the Swedish pedestrian might expect. How can we profess to belong to a harmonious European community when drivers and pedestrians across the continent and beyond expect different things from each other? If we want to promote European mobility – integration in academic, vocational and commercial fields – we need to look beyond simple economic and trade homogeneity, and look towards our expectations of our fellow European citizens in all areas. Cross-cultural faux pas might present us with some humorous, or at worst, awkward moments, and inter-cultural education might give us the heads-up on how many times to kiss somebody on the cheek when meeting for the first time, but pedestrian priority is, all clichés aside, an issue of life or death. This goes beyond policy (the Vienna Convention is well implemented), and it goes beyond simply educating people (we all know the rules). Improvements in pedestrian safety are not just an issue for candidate countries, but should be priorities for promoting and achieving safety and security in European mobility. To do this, we should learn from the innovations of our Turkish counterparts. We need to change attitudes, to align priorities, and promote a feeling of mutual respect and predictability in pedestrian priority across the European Community. For more information on how the APPSA project is setting new standards in pedestrian priority, take a look at http://www.appsa.eu/.
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