How often have you had to wait for a pedestrian light pushed by thoughtless walkers who push the button and then, when they see a break in the traffic, rush across, leaving four lanes of cars stopped for no reason?
More important, how can we educate them, or better yet, bombard them with GUILT AND SHAME
Exactly what is the offense the pedesterian commiting?
Yeah, if they’d “properly” waited for the walk sign, you’d be sitting at the light just as long.
I don’t have a problem jaywalking as long as I’m not causing someone to stop for me.
I DO have a problem with motorists either unaware of my right-of-way in a crosswalk or who attemt to bully by the logic of “I outweigh you 20:1; I’ll do as I please.”
Thoughtlessness. If he or she really needs the traffic in all lanes to stop (not just the lane they are crossing) then by all means, push the button. But if they plan to go before the light changes, they are merely inconveniencing drivers.
No, I have to wait longer as the pedestrian crossing light comes on only if the button is pushed. Otherwise, there is no time between one lane getting a red light and the other lane a green.
So, your reasoned opinion is: “I demand you break a trivial law (jaywalking) so that I might wait 10 sec. less at the light!”
In that situation, I’m going to a) cross as soon as it’s safe for me to do so (not really worried about a citizen’s arrest for jaywalikng) b) press the walk sign so, that if no opportunity for scooflawry presents itself, I’m NOT stuck waiting another whole light cycle.
Use those 10 seconds productively: you might be able to 411 a number of anger-management resources in your vicinity.
My point was: you’re not bothered by a conscientous law-abider, pressing the button and never yaywalking, even though you’re stuck just as long under that scenario. As soon as ped presses button, you’re out 10 sec’s: how is it relevant what ped does after that?
I’m bothered by the selfishness and lack of awareness of the effect on others, not the time. Sometimes I see them push the button without looking at the traffic, and then as soon as they look up and see it’s clear, they walk across.
If I see a person look at the traffic and, finding it necessary to use the light, I am not offended.
Life’s full of little inconveniences, even those that are magnified in our minds for some reason. Get over it. Life is inefficient and if this is the worst thing that happens to you, you are leading a charmed life.
You mean you have to wait at a light for it to change but nobody is crossing? What a horrible hardship!
I think the answer is to adjust your demenor so it doesn’t bother you. Perhaps an anger management class?
I have just one thing to add:
I was waiting at a crosswalk one day and a tourist was waiting next to me. As the walk like comes on there was a “Beep boop, beep boop.”
“What the heck was that” he asks? I reply, “Oh, that’s so blind people will know when to go.” You mean they let blind people drive in America?"
While were at it: A rabbi a priest, and an atheist are waiting at a crosswalk…
…but that would be two things and the light just changed. Gotta go.
I would say that is an almost daily occurance here. If you’re going to walk against the light and traffic, don’t push the dang button! It does have one positive effect though. Most of the time, this occurs on intersections of divided roads with 3 lanes each side. The crosswalk timing is long enough for the jerks who entered the jammed intersection, with no hope of making it through by the time the other side changes to green, to get out of the way. In fact, most of the time, the cross traffic cannot proceed until their light turns yellow. With the crosswalk signal, there is enough time for the cross traffic to move out of the way and then we can go when our light turns green.
Somebody’s had a few too many cups of coffee…if I’m at a busy corner, I push the button, to make sure I will get a walk light. If a large gap opens up, sorry, I’m walking. You wouldn’t?
That’s not how it plays out here. They walk up, push the button without even surveying the situation and then walk out regardless. When I approach the same intersection on foot, I look at the traffic for a few seconds. If it’s packed, I push the button. Otherwise, I look for an opening and go. I’ve seen people push the button when there’s no traffic except those waiting for the light to change. And then they dash across anyway!
Coffee? Nah, just an observation. Why make 30 cars idle for 30-45 seconds when you don’t have to? Oh yeah, I forgot. Gas is down to $1.85 again so no worries… 
TT, I was responding to the OP, not you, if it’s clear, I don’t push the button…