On
Tenerife (a
Spanish colony, so technically part of
Europe, even if it is just off the African coast) you are seriously
taking your life in your hands when crossing the road.
Zebra crossings exist but are totally meaningless. You have to spot a gap between moving cars and go for it, then wait repeat the procedure for the next lane, which is quite unnerving when the drivers are blazing past very close to you, with a blatant disregard for the speed limits. If this weren't dangerous enough, the problem is exacerbated at night when the volume of traffic is no less (in fact it is probably more) than during the daytime, as foreign tourists, stumbling around in their alcohol fuddled state, revert to their relative national road crossing style, I went to the nearest zebra crossing after a particularly heavy night and, expecting the taxis to stop, boldly stepped out into the middle of the road. Fortunately the taxi did stop .........with its bumper touching my leg.