Traffic problems present here on Highway in Big Sur are seen world-wide

In northwestern Spain, villagers blocked zebra crossings [term used for the unusually painted crosswalks] to protest too many tourists – but ended up causing a huge traffic jam.

Spain has seen many overtourism protests this year, but one small village has been making its grievances known in a very unusual way. 

In the Galician village of O Hío in northwest Spain, locals took it upon themselves to protest against the volume of tourists by blocking zebra crossings. 

Walking up and down them for a total of 37 minutes, they caused total traffic gridlock – worsening the exact problem they hoped to highlight.

Nevertheless, residents stand by their decision.

Why are Spanish locals blocking zebra crossings?

Locals from the small coastal village say, while they’re not against tourism per se, they want authorities to find a mutually beneficial solution so that residents and visitors can co-exist happily. 

“Traffic problems are already common, but this year they have tripled at least,” resident Mercedes Villar told local newspaper La Voz de Galicia. “It’s an avalanche of cars that not only pollutes but also affects everyone’s lives because they park wherever they want. We have the right to live too.”

They say their driveways are being blocked, traffic accidents are increasingly common and that parking-controlling yellow lines are being ignored.

“The protest was meant to raise awareness and sound the alarm,” another villager told La Voz. “We want people to be civil and understanding and, if they see that there is no parking space, to leave, as we all have to do in any city.”

Sound familiar? See yesterday’s post for videos and comments by locals. For the rest of this article, see: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/09/02/paradise-ruined-why-spanish-locals-fed-up-with-overtourism-are-blocking-zebra-crossings