As traffic law states, the pedestrian has the right of way. That said, even if a pedestrian is crossing a crosswalk when the crosswalk light is red, vehicles approaching the pedestrian must come to a complete stop until the pedestrian has made it to the other side.
In one viral video, taken in Copenhagen, Denmark, cars stopped for several pedestrians, but not just any pedestrians, a whole family of swans! The footage of them crossing the street is putting smiles on many faces.
At the beginning of the clip, the cameraman is trailing right behind the swan family, which consists of two parents and six baby swans or cygnets; they’re inching closer to the road so they can cross.
Many would assume that the birds would just dart across, or even avoid it altogether seeing that traffic is a bit heavy, but instead, the group is cautious. Mother and Father swan are careful to look both ways before crossing in an effort to protect both themselves and their little ones, and it is the most adorable sight to see! Fortunately, humans also begin to walk across the crosswalk shortly after the swan family as traffic lights turn red, so nearby cars would be stopping anyway.
But, the birds still know that there is potential danger upon them as they continue to look back and forth to ensure cars will stop. How precious is that?!
Cars are already stopped, giving the geese the impression that it is safe to cross, so they do just that. My heart is full as the adult swans duck their necks, walking off the edge of the curb onto the asphalt, and as their sweet young take a leap to the street one by one with their little legs.
All eight swans successfully make it to the other side with all feathers and beaks intact (whew). But, meeting them on the other side was a group of people watching in awe, with many of them taking pictures and video footage to document the scene. The original cameraman follows the swans to their final destination: a lake!
Honestly, watching this video gave me a pinch of anxiety, especially when it came to the safety of the young swans. I’m just glad the entire family made it across the road!
Be sure to watch the cute video of the swan family crossing the road below!
