On a slightly more serious note: I really wonder what’s going on in your mind when you press that button and cross anyway. Is it just because “I don’t care”, or is there more to it? If so: what?
EDIT: In case it’s because you don’t care: why do you press the button then?
Having been guilty of that at least once - you press the button and then realise there is sufficient gap in the traffic that you didn’t need the assistance of the lights to cross safely. You cross with each step layering the burden of guilt until you escape line-of-sight of the crossing. Then you can continue in blissful ignorance of the two drivers that just lost 20 seconds of their day and 5p in petrol.
And in guessing the Kyoto Protocol had minimal affect as most countries continued on with the attitude ‘so anyway, growth.’
Yeah I’ve done that a few times. These days, depending on the road and how busy it is, I’ll wait a few seconds in hopes that a gap opens and press the buttoj if one doesn’t.
Last week I saw a teenage girl walk past a crossing, push the button, then carry on walking on the same side. I guess that’s some kind of rebellious spirit.
When it happens to me, which I will add is not often, I justify it to myself by thinking that the cars would have required to stop whether I waited for the green man or not. Once you press the button it sets in motion a chain of events that the as of that moment unaware drivers are subject to. The fact that a gap then presented itself and allowed you to cross is inconsqunetial to those drivers.
If anyone is to blame it’s the makers of the button that don’t give it a recall.
In many ways that line of thinking is paralleled in how the world has justified disregarding the Kyoto protocol and how we find ourselves in the current state of affairs. Maybe that is why the crossing button is so absolute and final, who knows.
I was just about to say that I have been there before, with the exception that I had made an even sillier decision, and actually still waited for the green sign so that the drivers don’t get frustrated when they have to stop at an empty pavement.
Now, all that achieved was that the driver saw me from afar, standing at a totally deserted crossing, waiting awkwardly until it turned green. He would have had to stop anyway, but now he also got to witness an idiot waiting at an empty road for the sign to turn to green.
…so I think I would also be happy with a recall button. I’m just afraid it would be exploited by ill willed people/kids.
As for the Kyoto Protocol: I think it’s a disgrace it hasn’t been enforced the way it should have. That’s partially the reason we won’t be able (haha, won’t… HAVEN’T been able) to act in time and just go extinct ( 🙏 ) or at least fall back to the bronze age. Speaking of pressing the button: it also makes several cars cough up more exhaust fumes as they are waiting unnecessarily ; ).