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Does Pushing The Button At A Crossing Actually Do Anything?
Forbes ^ | 10/27/2017 | Laurie Winkless

Posted on 10/07/2025 2:51:40 PM PDT by Omnivore-Dan

If you’ve ever wondered what power you really wield as a pedestrian in a busy city, read on…

City life involves a lot of waiting – in queues in the supermarket, on platforms for trains and buses, at red lights in your car or bike, or in lobbies for elevators. But as I see it, time never moves as soul-crushingly slowly as it does when you’re waiting to cross a busy road.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: secretcode; trafficpushbutton
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To: Omnivore-Dan

It’s interesting, but not really worth the brain cycles to think of it, IMO.

You press the button. You look for an indicator. If you see flashing lights, you can walk out. If not you wait. If you wait too long, you look for a break in the traffic and go.

It is one of those things in life. Like interacting with an elevator. It has its own rules. Did someone already push the button? What does the star mean? Is the elevator going away from or towards me?


21 posted on 10/07/2025 3:19:28 PM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est.)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

Usually there will always bee a do not walk signal even if it is safe to cross. The button will activate the green walk symbol and the flashing red hand. Also some of them actually do work but only at certain times of the day, usually when one direction is kept open until a car approaches the intersection in the cross lane.


22 posted on 10/07/2025 3:20:48 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: Omnivore-Dan

Jaywalking works. Although it’s not legal everywhere.


23 posted on 10/07/2025 3:22:01 PM PDT by meyer (CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

They work in my neck,of the woods. Especially late at night when there is no traffic. The lights will all default to red. Push the crossing button starts the sequence to bring up the green light for crossing.

Also, they activate chirps for the blind. They don’t chirp if they aren’t pushed.


24 posted on 10/07/2025 3:23:00 PM PDT by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower.)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

They work in my neck,of the woods. Especially late at night when there is no traffic. The lights will all default to red. Push the crossing button starts the sequence to bring up the green light for crossing.

Also, they activate chirps for the blind. They don’t chirp if they aren’t pushed.


25 posted on 10/07/2025 3:23:04 PM PDT by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower.)
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To: Retain Mike

I remember Red Skelton saying he was at the “corner of Walk and Don’t Walk”.


26 posted on 10/07/2025 3:24:05 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (It's hard not to celebrate the fall of bad people. - Bongino)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

Yes they work. The older ones could be operated by a worker to make the light change faster. It was a sequence of pushes I believe that triggered it. I can’t remember the exact pattern but I’ll bet there is a freeper out there who could provide it.. ;)


27 posted on 10/07/2025 3:24:49 PM PDT by China Clipper ( Animals? I love animals. See? There's one there, right next to the potatoes!)
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To: Omnivore-Dan
Those San Francisco crosswalk buttons? 80 percent of them don't do anything to change the signal
28 posted on 10/07/2025 3:28:26 PM PDT by Mozzafiato
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To: Mozzafiato

I note the article says the Boston ones do nothing at all.


29 posted on 10/07/2025 3:37:37 PM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown)
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To: Alberta's Child; All

Yes, they work.

The problem is that very few pedestrians know HOW they’re supposed to work. They think it’s some kind of on-demand service that’s supposed to give you a “Walk” signal as soon as you press the button.

All the button does is modify the regular signal timing in a normal cycle to give slightly more green/walk time to the intersection approach where the pedestrian is trying to cross.


Well said. It has appeared to me they work as you describe. Also, if the button is not pushed the light may remain green for the major traffic for two ordinary cycles instead of one.


30 posted on 10/07/2025 3:42:43 PM PDT by marktwain
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To: Omnivore-Dan

They work in my town.


31 posted on 10/07/2025 3:44:27 PM PDT by sauropod
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To: MayflowerMadam

Great name!


32 posted on 10/07/2025 3:44:48 PM PDT by sauropod
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To: Omnivore-Dan

The ones I use quite often, and there are several, work flawlessly.


33 posted on 10/07/2025 3:52:42 PM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (Nullius in verba)
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To: marktwain

I detest crosswalks, but...not the concept itself. It is how people use them.

I drive through a small town, and it has a lot of crosswalks with militant pedestrians.

I wouldn’t be so upset if one of them were run over, but I would feel great sympathy for a driver they arrogantly stepped in front of.

(That is the militant pedestrians-I display great patience and courtesy for people who are considerate of the traffic.


34 posted on 10/07/2025 3:54:26 PM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est.)
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To: MayflowerMadam

LOL. He was so precious.


35 posted on 10/07/2025 3:54:29 PM PDT by Retain Mike ( Sat Cong)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

They’re worked for me the few times I’ve used them, but it’s not instantaneous.

I’m so old, I remember traffic signal men in their little booths at intersections on base. Oh the power they wielded!


36 posted on 10/07/2025 3:54:44 PM PDT by skr (1 Peter 1:15 - But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation)
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To: Omnivore-Dan

Here in my town, when you press the button, you also get a mechanical voice that says “Wait!”. This can be used as a backup singer and percussion instrument for your favorite song about waiting, while you’re...waiting.


37 posted on 10/07/2025 3:54:54 PM PDT by Eccl 10:2 (Prov 3:5 --- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding")
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To: Omnivore-Dan
No, they do not. They just give you a sense of thinking that your crossing time will be sped up.

All light crossings are computer programmed based on traffic volume and those light changing buttons do absolutely nothing.

38 posted on 10/07/2025 3:55:56 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: Omnivore-Dan

They don’t give priority to changing the signal, but they do increase the time the light will be green to allow pedestrians to cross without having to run.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-iNr5K5bn0&t=12


39 posted on 10/07/2025 3:56:43 PM PDT by Go_Raiders (An nescis, mi fili, quantilla prudentia mundus regatur? - Axel Oxenstierna)
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To: Alberta's Child

What people don’t realize is that crossing at an intersection is more dangerous than crossing without a light in the middle of the block.

Unfortunately, in some states, if you cross mid-block you can’t sue for damages if you get hit. At the cross walk, where you are much more likely to be hit, your insurance and their insurance will cover the cost of your damages if they are at fault.


40 posted on 10/07/2025 3:58:15 PM PDT by ladyjane
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