green man crossing

[Fooshufflewickbannanapants]

I'll start by saying I have six children and use the green man appropriately when out and about with them, however this morning I am waiting at the crossroads ( all have green man crossings) and there are no children anywhere to be seen so I check and no traffic at all and begin to cross the road when a woman ( probably late 50's if it makes any difference) grabs my arm ( enough force to stop me in my tracks) and tells me I should wait for the green man!!

I asked her to let go and pointed out at 37 years old with no children anywhere near the crossings I am perfectly capable of crossing the road with out it. She tutted and exclaimed loudly that some people are so rude! Meanwhile I crossed the road all by myself like a big girl. Aibu to assume if there are no children around I don't have to press and wait?!

You probably don't, but I always do

I hope you didn't press the button and then cross though, as a driver that is one of my pet hates!

Press and wait, or just cross....don't press, cross and make me wait at an empty crossing . And yes I know a few seconds isn't going to make an difference to me

Pressing and crossings without waiting gets 'the stare' from me too! Absolutely no need!! Grrrrrr perhaps I'm extra grumpy this morning :-/

Astounded that she had the neck to (wo)manhandle another adult.

That old mumsnet classic of "Did you mean to be such a fucking interfering old busybody?" is appropriate here.

"I hope you didn't press the button and then cross though, as a driver that is one of my pet hates!"

It is one of those things that seems to annoy people for no reason. As a pedestrian you can't know whether there will be no traffic in 30 seconds time, so you'd normally press the button. If it ends up safe to cross before the lights have changed then why not do it? It makes no difference to the driver if someone has seen that it was safe to cross and does so before the green man, than if they had waited to cross at the green man.

I shall practice my interfering old busy body mantra then!