In June I wrote about the late Alan Haberman, aka ‘Mr Bar Code’. Haberman did not invent the bar code but it was largely down to his conviction and persistence that its use became, ultimately, ubiquitous, in the process considerably facilitating commerce and changing the way our societies do things. In July another anonymous revolutionary passed away; George Charlesworth, aka ‘Dr Zebra’. Like Haberman, Charlesworth did not invent anything but he rendered something ubiquitous and, without a doubt, by doing so saved very many lives. The ‘thing’ in question was the pedestrian crossing. Charlesworth didn’t invent it, but it was he who headed the team who hit on the black-and-white markings and who pushed through the pilot schemes that led to the markings being adopted universally throughout the world. I have only come across one obituary, in The Times, but you’d need a subscription to read it. Largely anonymous Charlesworth may have been, but he surely died with the reassuring and satisfying knowledge that he had done far more good than many a man.