Why is it called a ‘zebra crossing’?

One response to “Why is it called a ‘zebra crossing’?”

1. Greg Laden | April 12, 2008 at 4:04 pm |

   … I remember my first trip to London, seeing signs everywhere … first at the airport, then in the tube, then on the streets … saying “There is nothing more dangerous than a wet Zebra”
   I had no idea what this is about. So I asked a few people “Excuse me, what does it mean to say ‘there is nothing more dangerous than a wet zeeebra…..” and no one had a clue.
   Finally I asked this question while pointing to one of the signs … the sign was a billboard and there was a zebra running and it said “there is nothing more dangerous than a wet zebra…” …..
   .. And the person I was asking said “Zeeebra? Oh, you mean Zeh Bra… ” Then he explained what a zeh-bra was to me.
   Apparently, the white paint hey were using back in those days was slippery when wet. Ooops.
   Which, if I may, reminds me of my friend Melanie’s front hallway. She (though otherwise a brilliant person and an outstanding home improvement person) paved the front hall with a tile not meant to be on floors. Going to Mel’s house under even slightly moist conditions involved a moment where you had to skate across this floor and fall down one in five times….
   OK, back to the blogging thing….