Is not often we think about or consciously notice lines used to direct foot traffic in public spaces. Here are three examples from my recent travels.
This triangle was painted at a T intersection of the exit ramps in London Pimlico tube station. I think it is intended to direct people to keep to the sides. Add well as to indicate the branching of the accessway.
In busy Karlsplatz U-bahn station in Vienna, colourful overhead lights matching the colour of the train lines direct passengers to the right platforms.
Colourful lines painted on the floor of Victoria station London does the same thing. These lines say “follow me to your destination.”
We are all familiar with the “wait-here” line at airport check-in and passport control counters. They echo the “stop-here” lines on our roads, and the “stay behind the yellow line” line in train stations. The position of the lines across our path of motion signals the pause/wait-here message.
These solitary yellow lines at Dubai airport are for electric vehicles and not foot traffic. They still say “follow me.”
An interesting contrast is the decorative cross-traffic lines set into the pavement along sections of Singapore’s Orchard Road shopping precinct.
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These are similar to this very obvious cross traffic “stop here” line in front of this plane on a Dubai airport runway.
These lines on Orchard Road read as “stop” or “pause” lines. I think they subtly and unconsciously interfere with foot traffic flow, which is unfortunate for such a heavily crowded area.
