Here in Basel whenever I go to the German side I find people particularly strict about not crossing the street when the little man is red. To the point where someone has shouted out "Ist rot!" when I ignored the light. Is this because you can get a ticket from the police or are people just extremely rule bound? Since then I've been watching out for Polizei when I do this just in case I get fined. But I find this happens even in places where traffic is non-existent. It can be a very strange scene to see a group of Germans standing at a street crossing with no traffic in sight but they will not budge until the little man turns green. I'm sorry but I've lived in big cities all my life and never found this necessary. However, if there's a chance of getting a fine, that might change my behavior a little. Doesn't seem to happen as much on the Swiss side of the border although I have observed it here too.

OMG! They like totally keep the rules which are made to ensure their own safety... like what is wrong with them krauts?

I did hear that people avoid jaywalking here, not because of the law, but because they wouldn't be covered by insurance if there was an accident. Not sure how true this is . . .

YES! Plus, you will notice that many people get angry about the fact that you are breaking a rule they are following. It is not that you are breaking the rules, but they want to make sure that you are doing the same thing they are doing. If this parity isn't maintained they get very angry.

I don't know if it's a fineable offence, but yes, the Swiss in general do tend to wait for the little green man, perhaps less so in the French speaking part. I for one am glad they do, crossing the road with small children, in cities like Dublin, where J-walking is the national pastime, is a nerve wrecking experience.

There is a recent thread on this subject, I'll link it if I can, it contained stats about road deaths in CH

You cross the streets when the red man is on?
Outrageous!

It's because of people like you the Swiss make posters like this:

"Crosssing the street when the little man is red"

Crossing the street when the little man is stiff is even harder.

In Nyon there are pedestrian crossings about every 20 meters. Yet I find that I am constantly stopping for jaywalkers ! There is one that has the little red and green men (well maybe two), and folks step right out in front of cars on the red man signal .

I think the German part must compensate for this behavior.

I don't think we're talking about the same little man.

Safety is one thing but this phenomenon seems to border on neurosis from what I've seen.

Well I would think the point of rules is that they should be kept. Many a lyric writer would disagree I suppose..

Jaywalking is illegal in almost every country on the planet that has crossing lights. It just isn't enforced in most of them. CH, however is one of those countries where it is enforced.

Why would it be nerve wracking if you aren't one of those breaking the law?

BTW, I have only almost been run over twice when jay walking, in two different countries. I can't count the number of times that I have almost been killed while crossing legally. So from my perspective, jaywalking is safer due to the fact that I am almost 100% (99.999 anyway) likely to know that I am safe.

Nothing wrong with crossing at a red if theres no cars coming in my opinion, as long as you use judgement and common sense then what's the problem? I have a Swiss friend that will stop and wait at a red man even if there is no hint of a car for 1km in either direction, I find it most amusing.

I remember this amazing piece of moral advice I once saw in an episode of Frasier, which, if followed by all would result in an amazing society.

It came down to this: the measure of a man (or a woman) is how they obey the rules and the law when nobody is watching.


I have come to realise that it is easy to guage the social and moral fabric of a society by simpling observing their obedience to something seemingly insignificant and small like only crossing the street when allowed...especially when there are no cars around.

Certainly I have spoken with Swiss people who are very strict on this - as it is important to set a good example for young childen - who may copy the behaviour without understanding whether it is safe to do so.

I was also under the impression that it is an offence to cross the road within 50m of a pedestrian crossing.

All I now need is for drivers approaching the crossing at "my" bus stop to realise that a bus at one of the stops might just means people are about to cross - and not (as in one case) to overtake the car who is stopped at the crossing - and almost knock me down.

Are you writing about Germany or about Basel? I don't know about Basel, but in Zurich many people interpret the little red man quite liberally.

Personally I don't have a problem with it as long as there's really no vehicular traffic and as long as no kids are around.

I know a lot of Swiss people who do wait until the green man, even though they could easily, and safety cross on red if there is no traffic. They do so as it sets a good example to children - their own and other peoples'.

Why so negative? The reason for the red light is "danger"!

The other people perhaps think you are not aware of "silent" traffic, trams or cars coming around corners - and want to prevent an accident.

Or, there are perhaps children whom they are trying to teach about traffic situations.

I get extremely annoyed when I'm waiting at a red light at Kreuzplatz with my toddler, explaining that the red light means "stop", and then other people just walk over without another thought. I will then also revert to a loud "stopp, es isch rot" (or equivalent in English - depending on my mood). A little patience, please

Enough people get run over following the rules. See here in Zumikon a couple of weeks ago.

If this is actually about maintaining parity, then I will go out of my way to violate walk signals just to see what these robots have to say about it.

I lived for a while in Germany and there they will stand at a red man, even if there are blatantly obviously no cars coming.

But as soon as it goes green they start to cross, even if a car has jumped the lights and is coming. As their lifeless spirit floats away up to the car-free environment of heaven they have the knowledge that they were in the right.

I found it much better in Basel - here, people seem to actually use their eyes and, unless there are children around (in which case I also stand and wait), people cross when there are no cars.

You do need to look; I've seen people in Basel just step out in front of a car and have to jump back. Cars are often allowed to turn right across a pedestrian crossing. They're meant to check if there are pedestrians coming but if the ped light has just gone from red to green then they won't have known that.