Sriracha wrote:
Never heard it called the “beg button” before, that’s an excellent name. Unless there is phasing involved, pedestrian crossing lights should change the moment the button is pressed. The delay should elapse from the end of the crossing time. I can’t understand how we ever got the usual “beg” arrangement where pedestrians are effectively challenged to cross against the light, which will then change after they clear the crossing, merely to annoy drivers. Does anyone know of a reasonable excuse for this arrangement?
I suspect the intent is that pedestrians will form a group and then cross together, but this rarely happens anyway, if the crossing is busy then a minimum time between green man phases will be effective after the first pedestrian has crossed alone.
The should also do away with the placebo button on junctions where the green man comes up when the red light comes on as part of the vehicle phasing, an is entirely unrelated to pressing the button. I think people are be capable of understanding that the lights will change as part of a controlled sequence, and that a button is not necesary in this instance.