One of my pet hates is having to stop at pedestrian-controlled crossings where said pedestrian has pressed the button 'automatically', and crossed whilst the lights are still on green. In due course, the lights turn red, and cars are then obliged to stop at the now-deserted crossing.
Whilst being sorely tempted, I have so far resisted driving through the red lights when it is clearly obvious that no-one is there to use the crossing. Have others also resisted?!
|
This is actually the fault of the crossing. Most of the ones I've used have a sensor to detect traffic. The pedestrian pushes the button and waits while cars stream past. When a gap appears, the sensor starts to turn the lights red, at which point said pedestrian scuttles across on the amber light.
You arrive 10 seconds later, lights are on red, and the pedestrian is already on his (or her) merry way. I hate the things, because in busy traffic they keep you, as the pedestrian, standing around for ages before they eventually drop back onto the normal timed cycle.
|
|
I hate them too, and I hate the pedestrians who push them automatically as they pass without even meaning to cross the road. Despicable schoolchild behaviour to be seen in many adults including intellectuals who ought to know better.
|
Take the same drivers who stop at these ghost crossing events and put them on bikes, and none will stop, pedestrians or no, it seems.
Unless nobody who bikes also drives, they are changing their mindset between vehicles.
|
Take the same drivers who stop at these ghost crossing events and put them on bikes and none will stop pedestrians or no it seems. Unless nobody who bikes also drives they are changing their mindset between vehicles.
I think the different mindset is based on the personal difficulty of regaining the lost momentum, I can kind of sympathise. It's a hell of a lot easier to just press the loud pedal down a bit. My chosen solution is to avoid riding one in the first place, theirs is to scare the bejesus out of everyone. Live and let live!
|
|
|
Take the same drivers who stop at these ghost crossing events and put them on bikes and none will stop pedestrians or no it seems.
I would stop, just as I would at any red light. I was brought up to respect the law and the rules. People ignoring red lights is a sign of the times.
--
L\'escargot.
|
|
|
Unless nobody who bikes also drives they are changing their mindset between vehicles.
Yup. In the car I have a mindset in command of 1500kg of metal all but 2metres wide and moving at 20+mph. Bike mindset involves 70kg under a metre wide and moving a little over walking pace.
|
Bike mindset involves 70kg under a metre wideand moving a little over walking pace.
My bike generally goes at 15-20 mph. And faster whenever possible.
|
|
|
|
|
Despicable schoolchild behaviour to be seen in many adults including intellectuals who ought to know better.
Yes I know, I cant help it tho - its so funny to see the drivers fume - Specially cabies.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
|
Despicable schoolchild behaviour to be seen in many adults including intellectuals who ought to know better.
Am intrigued
How do you know they are intellectuals - carrrying a copy of Proust perhaps?
|
How do you know they are intellectuals - carrrying a copy of Proust perhaps?
Well CGN, someone here seems to think the cap fits (see above) although I am afraid it's a baseball cap in this case rather than an academic thing with a tassel. But I am actually thinking of someone I know, a good friend and frequent drinking companion actually although a cyclist and greenish ideologue. Genuine academic though. Ought to be ashamed of himself as I say quite angrily when he does it (seldom these days in front of me).
And I am sure there are others. OK in their different ways no doubt but absolute carp in this one.
|
Well CGN someone here seems to think the cap fits (see above) although I am afraid it's a baseball cap in this case rather than an academic thing with a tassel.
Outrageous slur sir. Choose your weapons and i will thank you for the name of your second sir
TVM Bsc Hons.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
Choose your weapons and i will thank you for the name of your second sir
We could have one of those Italian duels at 75 yards with a half or quarter charge in the pistols. Will that satisfy honour?
Take it easy TVM, I'm sure you are entitled to yr flat hat and catskin collar but there was something about the mention of winding up cabbies that made me think you might prefer the baseball cap...
|
|
|
|
|
Bugs me as well! but it is still an offence to drive through a red light at a pedestrian crossing.
We only have one set of lights in this town, no-body "needs" to push the button, and most locals dont, as they continue to cross in the same place that the Herds have used for millenia, which is opposite the post office 50yds up the street. The irony is that this crossing was installed at great expense to stop this, but virtually no-one (except) "grockles" (local dialect for visitors) use it.
One feels a right wally sittin there on an empty road waiting for the light to change with every pointing at you wondering if you've broken down!
|
continue to cross in the same place that the Herds have used for millenia which is opposite the post office. The irony is that this crossing was installed at great expense to stop this but virtually no-one (except) "grockles" (local dialect for visitors) use it.
:o) great stuff billy
|
|
|
|
Far more frustrating for me are the crossings that have an absurdly long time between man going red and lights going green. The ones outside our offices leave some 30 seconds between stopping the pedestrians and letting the drivers go. So you're left standing there feeling silly, trying not to make eye-contact with the motorists, with a "shall I, shan't I make a dash for it" dilema. Of course the second you step onto the crossing, the lights change and you have to backtrack while somehow still trying to look casual and cool. Worse when there's a bus at the lights, you can feel all those eyes burning into you.
In England I won't press the button, I don't like the idea of the drivers watching me walk. I'd rather dodge through the moving traffic. I'm thinking particularly of the Fulham Palace Road, so many crossings and so little point, it's always at a standstill.
|
|
Is that not a KL instruction.
|
|
|
Absolutely. Londoners just angle through the traffic, and the traffic recognises them too.
But you do see many non-Londoners and people the worse for wear making an utter dog's dinner of crossing the easiest and most harmless roads, making maximum inefficient use of all pedestrian aids.
It's a minefield. Don't forget, that pedestrian who steps into your path may explode. :o{
|
|
|
I never press the button on principle. The best place to cross is about 2 cars' lengths upstream of the lights. That way you can still benefit from some other conformist pressing the button, but also anticipate the lights because you can see the one intended only for the motorists.
Also if you are late crossing, the second driver will still be faffing around putting it into gear whilst the first is already trying to mow down the late-crossers on the actual crossing.
|
No no Maximum windup is to be obtained by pressing the button, then when lights are red, traffic stopped, cross the road BEHIND the first car at the lights, You enrage two drivers that way.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
|
|
|
|
there are worse things in life to get annoyed about. Often pedestrians just press the button, then realise 5 seconds later that it's safe to jaywalk (illegal in certain countries), and go. I've seen motorists go through crossings, there are often cameras on them though, very stupid thing to do.
I don't think it's unreasonable to press the button and then go 5 seconds later when the road turns out to be clear, though stopping the traffic while passing by is rather childish.
|
Go on, just drive through them.
It's worth it to see the expressions on other drivers' faces. So I'm told.
|
|
|
there are worse things in life to get annoyed about.
Oh, I agree, flunky - perhaps 'hate' was too strong a word :-)
There is a risk, however, that the aggregation of many individual 'minor irritations' can induce road rage type behaviour in more unstable individuals...!
|
Which reminds me - in Headingley in Leeds other drivers (usually minicab drivers) are more than happy to run a red light at a pedestrian crossing, and will sound the horn at you if:
a) you're a pedestrian and aren't walking as quick as they'd like
b) you're a pedestrian and you've stepped into the road on the green man, but they're flooring it to make it through the amber, which turned red some time ago
c) you're a driver in front of them and they can see the crossing is clear.
At the risk of being branded a racist, the mincab drivers are, IMHO, the main problem with traffic in Leeds. However, it's condoned by the police since I've seen a police car follow other drivers through the red light before now.
|
"At the risk of being branded a racist, the mincab drivers are, IMHO, the main problem with traffic in Leeds."
Are minicab drivers a race?
|
"At the risk of being branded a racist the mincab drivers are IMHO the main problem with traffic in Leeds." Are minicab drivers a race?
Thats the collective term. A race of mini cab drivers,
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
A race of mini cab drivers
But they don't seem to go faster than the traffic the way we used to when I was a minicab driver. Calling them a 'race' these days is pure flattery.
|
|
...meanwhile the lights are still red at the empty crossing.......
|
|
... With colour-blind or insufficiently acculturated visitors from climes without the red-green danger-safety colour coding convention hesitate until the light turns red against them, before pressing the button again many times ('It isn't working Daryush! We're still on this side of the road! Infidel technology, pah!').
|
|
|
|
|
I used to stop, and sometimes still do, but I go through about 5 red lights per day these days, as my inside knowledge tells me that the council has programmed them to make the pedestrians wait so long that they cross on the red man they can do this safely as there are no cars in sight as they are held at other lights for no reason. The proximity sensors are no longer used. The crossings are used to stop the slug off traffic which has just got up to speed from previous lights. The people in Traffic Office call it a 'crimson cascade' and are very proud of this attack on the motorist.
|
|
I agree with the OP is right about this, but I do it as a pedestrian though :-(
|
|
|
|
|
I thought it was a 'shunt' of minicab drivers?
|
I thought it was a 'shunt' of minicab drivers?
Something ending like that anyway.
|
|
I think the poster may have been alluding to the multi-racial composition of Leeds, and the occupations traditionally adopted by particular castes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Often pedestrians just press the button then realise 5 seconds later that it's safe to jaywalk (illegal in certain countries)
"Jaywalk"? What on earth does that mean?
|
"Jaywalk"? What on earth does that mean?
Basically crossing other than in accordance with designated crossings at appropriate times:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywalking
|
|
|
I can think of two junctions which are very difficult to get out of. poor visibility and a steady stream of traffic. But downstream of pedestrian crossings.
I have been known to send the passenger to press the button :)
|
Lud, tell your intellectual button pushing green ideologue drinking buddy that every time he pointlessly causes cars to stop and start, he is causing greater CO2 emissions and waste of the earth's resources.
Oh and spill his glass of claret over him as well.
|
Of course I have told him so several times, with much profanity.
Er, we don't usually drink claret in the pub... And he's a good fellow apart from this luddite approach to traffic flow, which we all know has heavyweight official backing...
|
|
|
|
|
|
