As a pedestrian, it makes no sense to me that I need to push a button to cross at traffic lights. Can anyone tell me? I think it looks good on paper, but not in real life. Several times I go to push the button and it’s broken. No light, no beep—what does the law want me to do? One time I just started crossing and this guy drives really fast past me and tells me I shouldn’t be in the crosswalk, the light is red. I’m going to carry a large black marker and write “F’D Up” on the switch to make it easy for the city to identify. I should get a monetary reward for reporting it to the city. —Walking, to save the planet…
This article appears in Jun 30 – Jul 6, 2016.
Almost all the traffic lights in the city, the walk sign appears automatically. Yes, even the ones with buttons. It’s probably an issue with the sign its self.
The law wants you to wait for the cars to acknowledge your presence and for them to come to a complete stop. Then you may cross. Why do you not know this?
If the buttons worked it would make sense and it would be a good system, but this is Nova Scotia so when something breaks we can’t afford to fix it.
I hear your frustration with the broken lights. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been yelled at for crossing when the light is broken. Those lights are supposed to give cars an extra heads up that someone is crossing, if they are broken the crosswalk is just an unlit crosswalk, simple as that and drivers need to remember the rules of the road which clearly state you must stop when someone is crossing a crosswalk, regardless if the extra overhead light is flashing.
“the rules of the road which clearly state you must stop when someone is crossing a crosswalk, regardless if the extra overhead light is flashing.”
Wrong. If there is an overhead light, the pedestrian must activate it, or they can be charged with jaywalking.
Monetary reward for defacing public property with a black marker? Why not act like a sensible adult and report this broken button to the proper authorities?
In other words, call 311, you schmuck.
Shut up and press the fucking button!
I personally believe that the stupid lights are another excuse for drivers to be lazy and not pay attention to what’s happening around them. If we didn’t have so many lights blinking everywhere, drivers might actually have to pay attention to the streets and the sidewalks and , you know, drive with caution.
Drive with caution? Where? Here in Halifax and Dartmouth? When have you seen this type of driving?
I like the pedestrians that press the button as if they’re using Morris Code.