To think if you press the button on the crossing it should be fucking illegal to cross before you get the green man?

[nicenewone1]

If you are stopping the traffic, do not cross when there is a gap in the traffic, you pressed the fucking button so you wait for the green man!

All the stopping and starting adds to the pollution and it really fucks me off when I stop and they have already crossed and are on their merry way!

It can't be just me can it that thinks people who do this are inconsiderate, selfish and rude with no thought for the environment?

Seconding Treacle, Rat and SoPass, once the button has been pressed if a gap appears go for it. In any case isn't it swings and roundabouts? The cars can move on more quickly since by the next light change the pedestrian will have crossed.

I'm a driver too.

But you'll be stopping anyway once they've pressed the button. Isn't your objection only that you want everyone to experience exactly the same level of inconvenience as you rather than any loftier concerns?
Sometimes you press the button when it's busy then a gap comes up earlier than expected stupid to expect pedestrians to ignore an earlier sensible crossing opportunity when it is zero extra inconvenience to you.

As almost everyone has pointed out you'd have to stop anyway regardless of whether the person managed to cross in a gap that or if they waited.

Are you therefore suggesting to do away with crossings altogether? Just in case someone sees an opportunity and crosses before the green man appears?

As I said, I only press if there are cars but if they then indicate and turn off and I have enough time then I cross when I get a chance. I don't press the buttons for fun, only if I think it's necessary but I can't see into the future and sometimes you get a chance to cross before the lights change. I push the button to get a chance to cross, if I get the chance to cross a bit early I will. Most of the time I have to wait for the green man but I'm not going to wait just for the sake of it. On most of the crossings I use the buttons don't actually do anything (they just go with the phasing of the traffic lights) but I can think of one in particular that is actually triggered by the button where there are lots of side streets just before the lights that sometimes mean you press the button but then end up not needing it. Me waiting or not will make no difference to anyone that has to stop, they'll stop whether I'm there or not.

I drive for a living, but when I'm not working I walk absolutely everywhere thanks. I work 3 hours a day, and walk for at least that too.

outnumbered which country are you in. That idea is so sensible it will never be introduced in the UK

No I'm not being ridiculous, but I think people who don't drive have no concept

I drive. I cross before the Green man. It doesn't bother me if other people do.

You have to stop either way. Just relax

You're not unreasonable, but utterly ridiculous. Do you ever get out of your car and walk anywhere? I would imagine getting out walking would give you a very different perspective.

I agree OP, but mainly for other reasons. I'm disabled by the way, as some people think that makes a difference. It really pisses me off when I'm waiting at the lights with DS or my class, trying to practise road safety, someone had pressed the button then fucks off across the road because there's a gap and I'm trying to teach little ones that you should only cross when the green man is on. A lot of these people push their buggies first into oncoming traffic, which is just delightful.

Huffleluff an important part of teaching road safety is that not all road users follow the rules and you should always do what you think safe and not copy those around you. So if I have Dd with me we wait for the lights and I tell her the early crossers can take their own risks but we are being extra safe.

Meh, there's a crossing near me that takes absolutely ages to turn green so if I see a gap I'll definitely bloody cross.

I try and not press the button if I don't need to.

I also don't rush my toddler too much when we're crossing either despite what some drivers think I should. Reasonably brisk pace is enough.

YABU. It makes no difference.

Since when is a car driver's journey more important than a pedestrians?

Unclench. It makes no difference of any kind to you if they wait or don't, you have to stop anyway for the exact same length of time.

This is he most ridiculous AIBU I've read in a long while.

If a pedestrian waits, the car stops; if the pedestrian doesn't wait, the car stops.... the actions of the car ARE THE SAME in both instances.....so you don't have to be Einstein that whether the pedestrian crosses before or when the green man shows it has absolutely no negative impact on the environment!.

Actually, if I'm driving to a pedestrian crossing and it's red, the person's crossed and there are clearly no other people around and there are no traffic cameras, I actually (drum roll) run the red light! I'm sure the legion of goodie-goodies on the site will be along to decry my shameless illegality any moment!

I remember being in Austria years ago with family friends out there, and was baffled at why they waited for a green man on a stretch of road that very clearly had no one driving along it for a few hundred metres in either direction... was bizarre to see people so wedded to a clearly pointless rule.

If zebra crossings replaced all pelican, puffin, and toucan crossings, we would stop when someone needs to cross.

Why do we need more?

Get a grip

Because sine drivers are arseholes and don't stop at zebras

I press the button and wait for the green man.Thats cause im deaf in one ear.I teach my kids the same.Pisses me off when people press the button then run across.

But the enviroment does not come in to it cause i dont drive and you are the one polluting not me.

A significant minority of motorists just don't stop for zebra crossings. I'd guess that's why pelican crossings are used do much. Although frankly I've seen plenty of motorists ignore those over the years too.

SaucyJack 😂

I agree OP fucking rude. I also hate it when I stop to let someone cross the road (not at a crossing, just "to be nice") and they don't have the decency to scuttle across the road giving me an embarrassed wave. No, they just stroll along like it's their god given right.

I also hate it when the wind blows my hair out of place, the foxes tear open a garbage bag, my 6 year old wont eat unless I find the red plate, and when I have to pay £4.90 to go one stop on the tube. Fucking. Rude.

I have a crossing that turns green once in every 6 rotations for pedestrians if you've pressed the button. The lights are within the boundary of a box junction. I should be able to see the lights change for me to cross safely, but there is normally an arsey driver who thinks it's acceptable to stop in the box junction and blocks the view of the lights to cross at appropriate time. Therefore I will cross whenever I see ample safe gap in the traffic so that I don't have to wait another 6 rotations for the same thing to happen will always press the button though as you don't know where they are in the rotation unless you've been stood for the duration. (I also drive)

A lot of those buttons are just placebos and the light only changes according to a timer and the traffic pattern. So it makes absolutely no bloody difference if the pedestrian waits or not, it all depends on how many cars on the road at the time.

www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/10290501/Pedestrians-tricked-by-placebo-buttons-at-crossings.html

I'm playing mumsnet bingo. Someone has told OP to get a grip. Has anyone told OP to grow up? Have we had the biscuit yet? So many questions. So many other things I should be doing.

If zebra crossings replaced all pelican, puffin, and toucan crossings, we would stop when someone needs to cross

You really think all drives stop at zebra crossings??

THAT is why pelican crossings are used. Because at least traffic lights make people think twice

What annoys me is drivers who think they can quickly zip through before the lights change but can't and then whose car/van/bus (yes, i've seen this from all three types) is now blocking the crossing meaning I have to go around them. In some cases where it has been a larger van or bus they are placed in such a way that makes seeing the green man impossible and I then have to stand and wait through another cycle of traffic.

I just want to kick their bloody vehicle, I don't/wont do it but I want to.

People who cross the road in busy traffic with the lights maybe acouple of yards away . Really... just walk to the lights .....