Incredible

[GHD]

This is what a major intersection with no traffic lights looks like.

How they are able to avoid accidents is quite remarkable.

In this time lapse video we see the intersection at Meskel Square, the nerve centre of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

While the square is a primary site for the city's large festivals and celebrations, it is also a chaotic crossroad for thousands and thousands of vehicles daily.

This is organized confusion at its finest. Pedestrians, walk with care!

LOOK AT THE PEDESTRIANS!

www.youtube.com/embed/UEIn8GJIg0E?rel=0

[airboatr]

Not bad.. Wait till they all have cell phones..

[Dev One]

I wonder what its like at midnight!!!
Being speeded up it puts a horrible accent on it, in reality everyone is probably driving quite slow by UK standards!
Don't think I would want to risk my car or neck walking there though.
Keith

[Paul K]

Didn't the Dutch do an experiment in two towns some years ago, where they removed all road markings, road signs and traffic lights in order to see what the result was on traffic flow ? From what I remember reading, accidents decreased because nobody could automatically assume they had the right of way, and so they used their eyes and brains instead.

[Airspeed]

Wow!
Looks like a live version of "Frogger"!

[ChrisHunt]

I was impressed by the one car that actually stopped for a pedestrian on what passes for a crossing.

Paul, you're right about the Dutch experiment; whilst that was on smaller crossings I see no reason why the principle shouldn't apply here. Quite a few years back I saw something similar at a notorious crossing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but that had lights with consequently much higher speeds and if anything looked more dangerous.