The aim:
To provoke a reaction from Swiss natives: it can be any kind of reaction, although each is scored differently:
Confusion: 1 point per person confused (lose one point if that person is you);
Outrage: again one point per person, this time you don't lose a point if that person is you, because you probably are Swiss and need all the help available;
Puzzlement: 2 points, if you manage to puzzle a Swiss person it's because you've managed to target one of the intelligent ones (fact: there are more lakes in Finland than Swiss university graduates);
Panic: 3 points for fucking with someone's mind;
Panic and confusion: 5 points, based on the observation that I've seen this once during my ten months here;
Any other reaction: points to be awarded based on the reaction. The blog writer's decision is final.
The playing area:
Any light controlled pedestrian crossing. Zebra crossings are out-of-bounds for this game, as are motorways, railway lines and deep water.
Equipment:
A pedestrian crossing at which the light is red for pedestrians;
An absence of vehicles approaching the crossing;
At least one Swiss person waiting to cross the road;
A mobile phone with a camera or, for those still living in 2008, a camera (optional).
How to play:
Pay special attention to point #2 in “Equipment” above. It is not the intention of the game that participants are injured or killed as a result of playing. Unless you've ever written “ur cmnts r so gay” on any website, in which case please note that point #2 under “Equipment” should read “A large and heavy vehicle speeding toward the crossing”;
Having made sure that you can safely cross the road, do so;
Watch and record, by any means possible, the reaction of those across the road from you.
How to win:
This is a liberal tree-hugging hippy game. The first person to reach 100 points, verified by a panel of independent non-judgemental persons of colour, will be invited to a group hug and a cup of camomile tea.
And don't forget that this simple game can provide hours of good clean fun for very little money.
A cautionary note:
This activity is not without its dangers. There is a possibility, albeit very slight, that a policeman or policewoman will catch you in this act of civil disobedience. Although crossing-the-road-on-red is not a criminal offence in Switzerland you will be subjected to a lecture in Swiss-German about the perils of your action and how it could lead to a complete breakdown of polite society, possibly even anarchy. If I had to choose between an invasive body search by DEA officers and a five minute lecture in Swiss-German it would be a difficult one to call. Think “Vogon Poetry”.