London – Britain is to get its first ‘hands-free’ pedestrian crossing – so that devout Jews do not have to break a religious law that prohibits them from using electricity or operating machinery on the Sabbath.
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The crossing is near a busy synagogue, and pressing a button to operate it is considered a breach of the strict rules that apply to Orthodox Jews.
Traffic will be held every 90 seconds from Friday evening until nightfall on Saturday, covering the Jewish Sabbath period.
The crossing will be situated on one of London’s busiest roads – the North Circular at the Henlys Corner junction. But planners insist it will not cause traffic chaos.
is this essentially similiar to the shabbos elevators that some gadolim last year said were assur after years of having been accepted by most frum yidden? Why can’t they simply wait until the light turns red on the normal cycle rather than having this special timer?
A true Medina Shel Chesed.
In toronto there’s a “ש” symbol on all traffic lights for shabbos mode.
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No really, it’s sad to read those comments. And to think that practicing religion is a freedom!!
What’s new in London; must walk light hold up traffic even if nobody pushes the bottom. Every since Livingstone the lights have been stage to give more time to people walking than driving even if the bottom is not push; yet in Golders Greens they had to fight the council to let the Jews cross.
Every 90 seconds? That’s a bit extreme
On some corners, the light will never change to green unless a car approaches, or a person presses the button. this system simply changes that to a timed system of green and red. no new technology, most lights are already like that.