Officials in the rural Australian town of Winton have repainted several pedestrian crosswalks after local kangaroos repeatedly used them incorrectly, often hopping diagonally or stopping mid-crossing to observe traffic with what witnesses described as “unearned confidence.”
The issue emerged shortly after the town refreshed its road markings as part of a safety initiative aimed at improving visibility for tourists. While human pedestrians adjusted quickly, kangaroos appeared to interpret the white stripes as “suggestions rather than instructions,” congregating near crossings without committing to them.
Town council reviewed traffic footage showing multiple kangaroos pausing at the curb, hopping halfway across, then turning back to graze, occasionally causing motorists to brake abruptly. One driver reported making eye contact with a kangaroo that “seemed disappointed in me personally.”
In response, workers repainted the crosswalks using slightly wider stripes and added reflective edging, hoping to make them more “visually persuasive.” Wildlife officers cautioned that kangaroos do not recognize road symbols but acknowledged that “confidence is often mistaken for comprehension.”
The second repainting has had mixed results. While kangaroos now pause more deliberately at crossings, several have begun waiting for cars to stop before crossing in pairs, suggesting what one official termed “unhelpful learning.”
Eustace Blather observed the scene for nearly an hour without witnessing a single correct crossing, though he noted the kangaroos appeared “deeply satisfied with their performance.”
