Do pedestrian crossing buttons actually do anything?
Personally I think they are just psychological. A technical placebo if you will. I noticed tonight when I was shopping in “beautiful downtown Burbank” that they have updated a few of the pedestrian crossing buttons with fancy blinking buttons that beep when you push them. I still don’t think they do anything, I think the beep and blink is another psychological trick, In your mind, when you push a button, you expect something to happen, the old plunger style buttons didn’t do anything and left you wondering if anything was going to happen. This is probably my most bizarre posting just wondering if anyone has any proof that these things actually change the light quicker. Next week we’ll discuss the close door button on an elevator 
13 Responses so far
felix
October 11th, 2007
1:34 am
I agree most pedestrian crossing lights can’t do anything, since the traffic light sequences are all controlled from a central computer (I assume).
On a semi-related note, my wife is convinced there is such a thing as a weight-sensor in the road that detects when a car is sitting at a light and changes the lights faster if there is a car. She even says that you should move the car backward and forward to trigger the sensor. Needless to say I think she is crazy…
Scott
October 11th, 2007
2:32 am
Felix emergency vehicles can change the light sequences from their vehicles as they are approaching intersections. And some intersections do have cameras that change lights if there is no traffic or stop traffic in one direction and turn the left turn signal back to green. I have seen that many times. Usually only major arteries have the cameras. As for weight sensors, I wouldn’t count on it. But that would be a funny sight watching your wife move her car back and forth at an intersection.
Ian
October 11th, 2007
3:32 am
Felix,
They’re not weight sensitive – instead they’re electromagnetic… some parking exit sensors for corporate (read free) car parks use this technique – a side effect of which is some smaller motorbikes are unable to activate the sensor and can’t get out! Just google electromagnetic coil and traffic lights – you can tell your wife your both right!
As for crossing buttons they’re usage depends on traffic volume. I used to live in a fairly remote area and the effect of the button is pretty instant in the evening… but when the traffic is heavier in the day you have to wait a lot longer.
Ian
Nick K.
October 11th, 2007
4:09 am
There is a traffic light immediatly outside my house. During the normal traffic pattern (7am – 9pm), the button does nothing but beep at you (and announce the street is clear to cross), but during the night period, the cross street to the major road often gets skipped if there are no cars — the button allows for the cycle to happen normally and for you to cross.
Amit
October 11th, 2007
5:08 am
Maybe it’s like the button in the hatch in Lost..
John
October 11th, 2007
6:07 am
The button causes the “cross/do not cross” sign to turn to its pedestrian-friendly display when it is safe to cross the street with the light. It doesn’t actually (in my experience) cause the light cycle to change.
Geoff
October 11th, 2007
7:06 am
I used to have a theory that the more you pressed the button, the more signals were sent to the computer, indicating more people were waiting to cross.
It’s all bunk, really.
The controlling item are the cars, not the pedestrians. All the button does is enable the walk light, and tack on a few extra seconds so you don’t get pedestrian road pizza.
Tim E.
October 11th, 2007
2:21 pm
Scott, the elevator buttons at the office certainly do not work and pressing them unfortunately does nothing for my psyche.
Meteko
October 17th, 2007
2:21 pm
I think it works. I have once went out on the street late at night and i was the only one standing infront of the traffic light waiting for the lights to turn green. I kept waiting and waiting and the green light never came because i did not press the button. I begin realise what happen and i press the button. After a while, the green man eventually came and i cross the road.
Dave
November 28th, 2007
6:01 pm
I teach street crossings as a profession (to blind people) and pedestrian push buttons DO have a function. Most people think that they make a green light come more quickly but that’s not true. They’re actually designed to LENGTHEN the green light so as to provide ample time to cross the street. You’ll notice that some pedheads will only provide a “walking man” signal if the button is pushed, but ALL buttons prolong the green light. Don’t believe me? Bring a stopwatch and check it out next time!
Jack
January 4th, 2008
7:28 am
I am a engineer that works with traffic signal systems. Dave is correct the button changes the time that is given to the CROSS Street. If a vechicle actuates a signal using the camera or a loop in the pavement they may get a minimun of 10 seconds of green ( that is extended by more vehicles). A pedestrian could not cross in that time. So the button places a pedestrian cll into the controller for a special pedestrian cycle that is calculated by walking speed and distance. FYI the flashing don’t walk provides enough time to cross the street provided you have already left the curb.
saad
March 24th, 2009
11:28 pm
When the push button is pushed a trigger to the controller is made which calls for green man(for crossing) and after a certain time that is allready programed in the controller it would be red for vehicles and green for sometime, for you to cross…it does work otherwise it wont used and spend money for nothing ….
Scott
April 13th, 2010
1:40 pm
Nobody claims they make the light change any faster.. They simply make the green man walking light appear instead of the red hand..
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