Press the Button

We’ve all been there. We’re standing at a pedestrian cross-walk, the traffic signal changes to green, but a couple of things happen:

1.  The pedestrian cross-walk signal doesn’t change to “walk” and we sit there for what seems like an eternity; or
2. We start crossing the street only to find the traffic signal changing colour after we take two steps off of the curb.

Either way we find ourselves frustrated.

 What’s the solution? Press the pedestrian cross-walk signal.

As a personal injury lawyer having represented many pedestrians, I’ve learned from traffic engineers that traffic signals are highly complex.

 Many factors play in a role in when and if a traffic signal changes colour.  Traffic at other intersections can cause the lights to change colour. Vehicles stopped at an intersection can trigger the lights to change. Emergency vehicles can manually change the colour of lights at some intersection.  Likewise, pressing the pedestrian cross-walk signal can cause the light to change colour.

Here is the interesting part. A person who presses a pedestrian cross-walk button can extend the time of the lights.  In other words, by pressing the signal you allow yourself more time to get across the street than if you don’t.

So press the button.  You don’t have to be Usain Bolt to make it across the road.