Evening. Walking home from the metro in the dark I wait for a handful of pedestrians to gather to cross the street. The traffic light at this busy intersection is off. Our clump of bodies forges into the street and the oncoming cars slow down, just enough to let us pass and then keep going. This negotiation happens in action: we don’t spend time coming to an agreement through words or glances. Sure it’s risky, but not scary. We used to depend on the traffic lights to direct our movements through this shared space; now it’s a matter of personal timing, watching your surroundings, and trust. Shining a flashlight makes you more visible to the drivers, so does wearing reflectors.
a Kind of Refugee / 30.11.2022
a Kind of Refugee / 30.11.2022
a Kind of Refugee / 30.11.2022
Evening. Walking home from the metro in the dark I wait for a handful of pedestrians to gather to cross the street. The traffic light at this busy intersection is off. Our clump of bodies forges into the street and the oncoming cars slow down, just enough to let us pass and then keep going. This negotiation happens in action: we don’t spend time coming to an agreement through words or glances. Sure it’s risky, but not scary. We used to depend on the traffic lights to direct our movements through this shared space; now it’s a matter of personal timing, watching your surroundings, and trust. Shining a flashlight makes you more visible to the drivers, so does wearing reflectors.