To the pedestrians in my area....

[Kogarashi]

Dear Local Pedestrians,

Maybe you don't realize just how the pedestrian lights work here. See you push the button to let it know you're waiting, and then at a set point in the cycle, all the traffic lights turn red and all four crosswalk lights go to "Walk." That means you can cross in any direction without having to worry about some driver running you over (theoretically).

Now, did you not notice the part where all traffic is stopped until the pedestrian signal ends?

So, for the love of all that is holy, if you're going to hit the crosswalk button, then please wait for the flipping crosswalk signal! If you're going to jaywalk then just go, don't hit the button! I'm tired of having to wait through a set of 4-way reds while the crosswalk signal is on for nobody, because you hit the button and then just decided to jaywalk anyway!

No love,
Me.

[eltf177]

I see this way too often where I work: Push the button, then go anyway (most of the time right in front of oncoming traffic!)! And soon traffic is sitting waiting at a red light for nothing!

I really wish our cops would start taking this seriously and start writing tickets.

Hey, I can dream can't I?

[Kogarashi]

Yeah. I figure it wouldn't be so bad if the pedestrian signals worked here like they do out in Utah. In Utah, they're set to coincide with the traffic lights (at least when I was still in undergrad), so if Main Road has a green, so do the crosswalks that parallel it. If Side Road has the green, then so do the crosswalks that go with it.

Here, though, they decided it was a better idea to stop all traffic to let all the crosswalks go at once (I presume so pedestrians can cut a diagonal across the intersection rather than be inconvenienced by having to wait for a second crossing signal). Unfortunately, not everyone is patient enough to wait for the crosswalk signals to light up, so they hit the button, then cross against the light when there's a gap before the crosswalks' turn has come in the light rotation. Which means that later, all the lights go red and the crosswalks get to go, only there's no longer anyone waiting to cross. Ugh.

[Shalom]

Here, though, they decided it was a better idea to stop all traffic to let all the crosswalks go at once (I presume so pedestrians can cut a diagonal across the intersection rather than be inconvenienced by having to wait for a second crossing signal).

In Brooklyn, this was known as a Barnes Dance. (There was once a NYC traffic commissioner named Barnes, who implemented this procedure. I just checked pikiwedia and there's even an article on him that mentions it.)

I should point out, though, that when I was growing up in Brooklyn, the traffic light buttons didn't do anything at all. I even saw once a pole where a vandal had knocked one of them off, and there weren't even any wires connected to the damn thing.

(OK, the ones in Kennedy Airport did something: they lighted up a little sign that said "Please Wait". Didn't make the lights change any faster as far as anyone could tell.)

[Kogarashi]

I should point out, though, that when I was growing up in Brooklyn, the traffic light buttons didn't do anything at all. I even saw once a pole where a vandal had knocked one of them off, and there weren't even any wires connected to the damn thing.

Interesting. Little tricks to make you think they're doing something.

I do know that ours do something, though. If the button isn't hit at all, then the pedestrian signal never comes on. I've sat through enough light cycles to see the proof of that.

[Pagan]

I see this way too often where I work: Push the button, then go anyway (most of the time right in front of oncoming traffic!)! And soon traffic is sitting waiting at a red light for nothing!

I've seen that here. I get the feeling that they think that since they've pushed the button, that means it immediately safe for them to go.

Yeah. I figure it wouldn't be so bad if the pedestrian signals worked here like they do out in Utah. In Utah, they're set to coincide with the traffic lights (at least when I was still in undergrad), so if Main Road has a green, so do the crosswalks that parallel it. If Side Road has the green, then so do the crosswalks that go with it.

That's exactly how they're set up here. Of course, that's how I helped cause a wreck one day. I was walking back from the bookstore, crossing on my walk signal. Person making a right turn actually waited for me to finish crossing (Surprised the hell out of me. The norm is trying to beat me or run me over.). The guy behind them, though, wasn't paying attention.

And, as I was looking straight at them when it happened, I was a good little Samaritan and waited for the police to give a statement.

[Kogarashi]

That's exactly how they're set up here. Of course, that's how I helped cause a wreck one day. I was walking back from the bookstore, crossing on my walk signal. Person making a right turn actually waited for me to finish crossing (Surprised the hell out of me. The norm is trying to beat me or run me over.). The guy behind them, though, wasn't paying attention.

And, as I was looking straight at them when it happened, I was a good little Samaritan and waited for the police to give a statement.

Good on you for waiting. It never fails to bug me when someone is hit by another car and doesn't have a back-up witness.

[Pagan]

Good on you for waiting. It never fails to bug me when someone is hit by another car and doesn't have a back-up witness.

I did mainly because of what happened to my mom. She got sideswiped and shoved into the back of a truck. The asshole that sideswiped her took off. The cops were really wanting to cite her for rear-ending the truck except that she had witnesses that stuck around.

[telecom_goddess]

Wow there is one intersection by me that I wish had all 4 pedestrian walk lights go at once....I've never even seen a signal like that. I would love to be able to walk diagonally across this thing sometimes.....damn.

no fair

[Kogarashi]

Wow there is one intersection by me that I wish had all 4 pedestrian walk lights go at once....I've never even seen a signal like that. I would love to be able to walk diagonally across this thing sometimes.....damn.

no fair

Figures that these intersections are never where you want them, and always where you don't, right?

[ADoyle90815]

Usually in my area, pedestrians are too lazy to walk the few feet to the crosswalk to press the button, as they would rather cross right where they are.