Pelican Parts Forums - pushing the button for pedestrian crossing..pushing it once.

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- - pushing the button for pedestrian crossing..pushing it once. (http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/917063-pushing-button-pedestrian-crossing-pushing-once.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dentist90 (Post 9150245)

Hmmm... I thought those buttons were there just to give pedestrians something to do while the lights go through their normal cycle. :p

Right you probably are.

https://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/02/10/placebo-buttons/

Not the whole article, but several excerpts.

Quote:

Your whole life, you’ve pressed buttons and been rewarded. It’s conditioning at its simplest – just like a rat pressing a lever to get a pellet of food.

The problem here is that some buttons in modern life don’t actually do anything at all. The magic between the button press and the result you want is all in your head.

According to a 2008 article in the New Yorker, close buttons don’t close the elevator doors in many elevators built in the United States since the 1990s. The website, The Straight Dope, investigated the issue in 1986 by asking elevator companies and elevator repairmen directly. According to their investigation, “The grim truth is that a significant percentage of the close-door buttons in this world…don’t do anything at all.” The reasons cited were that the button was never wired up, or that it was set to a delay, or was deactivated by the owner, or it broke long ago and no one ever complained because the doors eventually close whether or not you press the buttons.

Non-functioning mechanisms like this that motivate you to fool yourself are called placebo buttons, and they’re everywhere.

Computers and timers now control the lights at many intersections, but at one time little buttons at crosswalks allowed people to trigger the signal change. Those buttons are mostly all disabled now, but the task of replacing or removing all of them was so great most cities just left them up. You still press them though, because the light eventually changes.

In an investigation by ABC news in 2010, only one functioning crosswalk button could be found in Austin, Texas; Gainsville, Fla.; and Syracuse, NY.

The city deactivated most of the pedestrian buttons long ago with the emergence of computer-controlled traffic signals, even as an unwitting public continued to push on, according to city Department of Transportation officials. More than 2,500 of the 3,250 walk buttons that still exist function essentially as mechanical placebos, city figures show. Any benefit from them is only imagined.

– New York Times, 2004

Placebo buttons make sense.

A guy I know who has been the project manager for several commercial construction jobs has solved office complaints that it's too hot or too cold be giving the complainer a thermostat near their desk.

The thermostat is not connected to anything, but simply giving the complainer the illusion of control does the job.
In every case, the complaining has stopped. And the guy is looked at as a hero for giving such wonderful customer service.

Ain't the human brain interesting.......

The buttons I've seen only allow for more time to make it across. I don't think they start some timer to make light change sooner. At least where I've lived.

Simple solutions:

1. Put a sticker just above the button that says: OUT OF ORDER
2. Remove the button mechanism altogether and replace it with a sticker that says: WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHT IS GREEN, MORON

Quote:

Originally Posted by vash (Post 9149408)

boy.

i ride my bike to work and i have bike crossing buttons and a myriad of ped crossing buttons. ours are fancy. they either say, "wait" or "beep" when you push a button.

what is it with people that stand there mashing the button repeatedly?
"wait, wait wait wait wait....................................."

i've installed those systems. that''s like the car backing up and back over the loop detector repeatedly .

i've yet to explain it to anyone..haha..dont want to get shived..

i wish i could program one to NEVER switch if you keep pushing the bottom..or program the electronic voice to say.."lay off the button you mother effer"

:D

I'm going to have to relocate two traffic lights, and install 4 loop detectors this year for the AM/PM. I think I'll throw a special "Russ" loop detector in there so that I can have a special green light just for me.

I'm also going to install an elevator to get to the second floor. I know I'll have a special key for that, ha!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdfifteen (Post 9149582)

It never hurts to be sure of these things. I never flush the toilet until I have the stall door unlatched and I'm sure the door will open. I have nightmares about the horror of being in the stall with an overflowing toilet and a stuck door.

Laughed out loud at this one. Thanks !

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe (Post 9151336)

You don't get it. Both of those would cause more work and aggravation. If you put an out of order sticker, then you'd have various nuts calling to ask when it will be fixed because it's been broken X long, or even calling in just to advise you that it's out of order. On top of that, the stickers and paying someone to install them would cost money. Removing the button mechanism altogether also costs money because you have to pay some one a lot more money than the guy that installed the stickers to remove the buttons. Then you also have to dispose of the buttons. Then you'll receive a crap load of calls from nuts that want to know why the buttons were removed or to let you know that someone stole all of the buttons.

If, however, you leave the buttons installed, it doesn't cost anything, and the nuts are happy because they have a button to push which makes them feel much better.

'Beg buttons' are really stupid and a symptom of bad design and bad thinking about use of the public way, but someone's got to be a contrarian here and I suppose it will be me - there are a series of intersections that I go through not-in-a-car on a regular basis that are equipped with Beg Buttons and, in fact, the ped crossing signal will only go on if you press them. Naturally, the lights for cars are not affected.

Quote:

Originally Posted by masraum (Post 9151380)

You don't get it. Both of those would cause more work and aggravation.

I was just kidding, Steve. And green font doesn't seem appropriate for that, but if it does to you, let me know and I'll use it next time.

The buttons shouldn't be there if their function isn't posted clearly. Just "Press Button To Cross Street" or whatever the typical sign says doesn't seem like enough. Or maybe have the sign say "Press Button Once To Cross Street."

Opinions?

I do it just to annoy people who get annoyed at the littlest things

Excellent... the world needs more trolls.

The world needs more people who get annoyed at someone pushing the elevator button. Obviously.

Anyone remember the thread about people not parking in the lines? I rest my case.

^^^ A braindead troll is a very sad thing to see.

This isn't parf. Personal insults are not allowed here.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1465375182.jpg

I pushed them both. I bet your heads are about to explode from rage!

You're providing the board with an 8th grade level course on how to be a pathetic loser troll... that's a valuable service.

Please continue. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/eten.gif