My first visit outside India was in Toronto, Canada. I went there for my work. After arrival in Canada I joined the work immediately. My colleague picked me from the airport and later he picked me to go to the work. It was very nice hospitality and gesture by my work colleague friends. The entire first week I get a ride to work and back home.
I am in this new time zone which is 11 hours behind from Indian time. It was a complete new experience of life. Getting over the jet lag wasn’t easy. I used to be tired and sleepy after work so didn’t go out anywhere. Afterwork I come home and fall a sleep immediately. Entire first week was go to work and come home to sleep, waking up at like 3 or 4AM and then go back to sleep again.
In next few days i started to settle down. I remember the first weekend. Saturday morning I went out. It was nice sunny and bright. I like to walk. I decided to go for the walk and explore this new place. I always prefer to explore a new place by walk. I followed one street and kept walking straight. After crossing a bit of suburban part, I see the glimpse of city and shops from a distance. Well suddenly an intersection of two streets came. It was a busy road. Cars were coming fast. I don’t know how to cross the road. I see the traffic light but it was red for my side. I thought light would turn green in few minutes so I can cross the road. Light was continuously red next 4 or 5 minutes and so.
I don’t even know what is the rule here to cross the road when there is traffic light. I know It does not make sense right now how come I don’t know how to cross the road. You will understand me very soon that what I am trying to say. So I can’t break the rule to cross the road when red traffic light is on and I can’t put myself in danger by crossing this busy road while vehicles were continuously driving in speed. I am stuck here don’t know how to cross the road. I don’t see any other pedestrian. I was all by myself.
I am just observing and trying to figure out how to cross the road. I did notice two white lines starting from my side to the other end. I notice a pole which has a big button and a beep sound in it. I come from country side of India. I had never seen any such thing in my life. I was wondering what it is for? is it a button ask for help? or to press so I can cross the road. So many confusions in my mind. I don’t know what to do. After few minutes I was like okay I am going to press this button, I will see what happen next.
I was little scared to press the button. But I did. Nothing happened immediately but soon light from the traffic side turned yellow and then red and same time my side a sound started and light turned green. The pole at other end has a LED light board and it started lightening like pedestrian is walking. I was still not sure should I cross the road or not. But when I noticed that all the cars from traffic side have stopped.. I started walking between the white lines which was pedestrian crossing.
Such a relief..finally I could cross the road. While crossing the road I was like wow.. this is "high tech" and pedestrian friendly. Yes I am a village boy. I have lived in few small cities in India but I had never seen this “Pedestrian Crossing Button”. It was my first sight of and first press of Pedestrian Crossing Button.
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