to think that adults don't need 'to wait for the green man'?

[MrsWooster]

why, on a reasonably quiet road, would a grown person press the button on a pelican crossing and wait while NO TRAFFIC GOES BY until the green man flashes? what happeed to common sense, judging the traffic and being a fucking adult?!
usual caveats apply of SN or if you've got kids and are trying to train them not to spring into the road like gazelles.

I wait for the green man if I'm on my own but there is someone else there with kids, so as to set a good example. If there were only adults around and it was safe to cross then I wouldn't wait.

Cos additional needs aren't always obvious?

And a hangover/tiredness due to toddler night waking affects me in such a way that I would rather take the safest crossing if possible!

Habit.

it's a habit I've gotten into since having my dd whether she is with me or not I wait. the roads around here though you couldn't tell if a car was about to come around the corner so it isn't really safe to just cross

Don't botherby myself but would if I could see any children around...even if they were not waiting to cross

Otherwise YANBU

Green is a nice colour... Red is a nasty colour... Bring more green into the world by waiting for the man!

I occasionally find myself absent mindedly doing it just out of habit after so many years doing it with the DCs, no harm in it and I am perfectly capable of judging traffic etc.

No, I make an independent decision as to when to cross the road. When they are older others can do the same. I also sometimes eat a sweet before a meal thereby spoiling my appetite. Adulthood brings with it the right to make reckless decisions.

Same as Jolly I hate hearing some poor parent having to explain to their kids why they have to wait when the "other people" just run across-all for the sake of 2 minutes. Yesterday I was waiting (dutifully polishing my halo ) because two blokes with their kids were at the same crossing- they said "We'll make it if we run kids!!" and scampered off.Charming!

yabu
in other countries you can be fined for not crossing at a crossing or when it's not green...

I wait for the green man 90% of the time, I'm usually in my own world with music blasting through my ears. I also suspect it's habit as I walk DD to and from school and we have to cross several roads

YABU. Road safety is in everyone's best interest, they are not based on user's age.
I have a cousin who was mowed down whilst using a pedestrian crossing (correctly) in London when he was in his late teens. He never recovered fully and still needs life long care as a result of some inconsiderate and dangerous twat who got behind the wheel. The Green Man didn't protect him because the twat that nearly killed him, didn't obey the rules of the road/stopping off at a red light

Cos a car might suddenly come and knock me over why does it enrage you so much most people just do it out of habit it's embedded In them.

In Germany other adults will tell you off for "not setting a good example" even if there are no kids around. German punks cross before the green man in a self concious display of rebellion.

im not disabled but im nervous around roads after being hit by a car as a teenager. I usually wait unless its obviously clear, but if its a big road or a junction then ill definitely wait. cars come out of nowhere when im around

Depends how long it takes for the traffic lights to change. There are a couple of crossings near me where the lights change as soon as you press the button, but you see many people standing there waiting ages for a gap in the traffic.

I know it's setting a bad example, but I wouldn't hesitate to cross when the red man is on in front of someone else's kids if I had a train to catch or something. I'd feel a bit bad about it, but ultimately getting to work on time is more important to me.

i always wait for tommy the green power ranger on busy roads. quiet ones with no traffic....no

So you press the button, OP, and can't be bothered to wait for the green man? Okay there might be no children about to see you do that but what about drivers who have to stop at the red light crossing where you have pressed the button and crossed no one is crossing? If there are children in the car and they see you walking off, they will know that you crossed without waiting for the green man.

What sort of example is that?

YANBU

I just don't press it if I dont have a child with me, which admittedly never happens!

A pelican crossing is usually somewhere where cars come whizzing round a bend or along a busy stretch of road. People don't press it just to annoy you! They do it because they need to, you just might not realise. I've started to do it because I am preggers with ligament issues and can't leg it when a car comes round the corner at speed. Have to say, when you're walking cars are annoying, when you're on a bike cars and pedestrians do 'stupid' things and when you're in a car, bikes and pedestrians irritate. It's because we stop thinking about other people's needs when they massively conflict with ours.

Watching a friend getting fined for jaywalking in Germany in 90s made me cross the with the green man now I do it out of habit

Because you probably save a minute and a half by crossing when it's red.

If you leave yourself enough time to get to your destination, you don't have to cross on red, surely?