Beware of changes to rights of way

Locals travelling through the centre of Baar over the past few days will have noticed that "Zone 30" in big letters and figures has been indicated on the road surface on Rathausstrasse to the north of the centre and on Dorfstrasse as far as Sternenweg to the south in order to improve road safety in this area.
 
In the past a number of motorists have been caught driving at excessive speeds in this area though more at night than in the daytime. Indeed it was only recently that a car driven by a young man, also over the drink-drive limit, ended up on its roof on Dorfstrasse after he struck a bollard.
 
Drivers and pedestrians should also be aware that rights of way have changed in the area. This means that traffic  turning right onto Dorfstrasse, even from such narrow roads as Kirchgasse, now has priority over traffic already on the much frequented Dorfstrasse. While this may seem rather odd, this is what happens when a 30-kph zone is imposed. The idea behind it is that emerging traffic is supposed to slow down the speed of vehicles already on Dorfstrasse.
 
Pedestrians, too, must take serious note of this change in priority. The new regulation means that four zebra crossings will now go. Some may have noticed that the one by Credit Suisse and another at the junction of Altgasse have already been removed.
 
Regulations state that zebra crossings are not required in 30-kph zones apart from those outside schools. Fortunately, the council managed to persuade the canton to keep the ones by Rathausgasse and Marktgasse and by Dorfstrasse, Inwilerstrasse and Leihgasse.
 
Now pedestrians will be able to cross Dorfstrasse as they wish without having to use a crossing. However, they must still take care. Unlike when they cross the road on the zebra crossing, in these zones they do not have priority over vehicular traffic.