Pedestrian countdown false cycling

On certain signalized intersections, especially the ones that are car activated or button activated, the pedestrian countdown that gives you an idea as to when the light will change sometimes starts a countdown and then flips back to the walk sign without changing the light. It appears to do this on its own.

Does anyone know why it does that?

These intersections are often timed with other intersections. The countdown cycle begins at specific times with or without a car at the intersection or pedestrian pressing the button to cross the street. The countdown begins because in the bigger picture of the network, this traffic light should not change at any random time. It will only change if at the end of the countdown there is a) a car waiting at the intersection or b) a pedestrian has pushed the button to cross. The funny thing about lights like this is that they deceive pedestrians and drivers. If you are on the main street and you see the counter going you may speed to try and make a light that will not change. If you are a pedestrian at the light and seeing it counting down you may not bother to push the button and thus the light will not change.

On an additional note, a lot of these lights are also set up to provide "short greens". I'm sure you have noticed that at some streets when the light turns green, the pedestrian signal stays on do not cross (the stop hand). In this case, a car has triggered the green light, but no pedestrian has pushed the button to cross the street. The pedestrian crossing (walk, flash do not walk, then steady do not walk) obviously takes longer than it would for a few cars to cross a street and the system assumes unless a pedestrian pushes that button (at these intersections) that only cars are crossing and the light can be shorter to lessen the time the light stays red for the main street. Once again this can be confusing for pedestrians, the light turns red, you are ready to cross but the walk light doesnt come up, you start crossing and have to dart across the street as the traffic light turns red.

Hope that made some sense.

Most annoying thing is when you are waiting for the red to turn green, you see the pedestrian countdown appear and when it reaches zero... it goes back to the walk symbol reappear and you have to keep waiting! When this happens, assuming the way is 100% clear, I usually just cross illegally/run the red.

Those black/grey pavement markings near a traffic light intersection allows an automobile, truck, even a bicycle to trigger a change in the traffic lights.



If the vehicle moves on (IE. turns right) the countdown may still continue but without a vehicle present, it returns to normal.

A pedestrian does not have the passive trigger of just being present. They have to consciously press the button to trigger a change in the traffic lights.



That is why sees may see a green light for the motor vehicles but no walk symbol for pedestrian because they consciously did not press the button to activate it.



Would be nice to see some pedestrian presence activation of some sort so the pedestrian doesn't have to consciously do something.

W. K. Lis said:

Would be nice to see some pedestrian presence activation of some sort so the pedestrian doesn't have to consciously do something.

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However it probably promotes greater safety to not have pedestrians walking around almost unconscious.

This from the MTO's Online Driver's Handbook, at this link:

Pedestrian signals help pedestrians cross at intersections with traffic lights. The signal for pedestrians to walk is a white walking symbol. A flashing or steady orange hand symbol means pedestrians must not begin to cross.

A pedestrian facing a walk signal may cross the road in the direction of the signal. While crossing, pedestrians have the right-of-way over all vehicles.
A pedestrian facing a flashing or steady hand symbol should not begin to cross the road. Pedestrians who have already begun to cross when the hand signal appears, should go as quickly as possible to a safe area. While they are crossing, pedestrians still have the right-of-way over vehicles.

At intersections with traffic lights where there are no pedestrian signals, pedestrians facing a green light may cross. Pedestrians may not cross on a flashing green light or a left-turn green arrow.

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If the pedestrian signal NEVER display a white walking symbol, because the person forgets (Alzheimer?) or the button is actually broken, what then? Cross on a green light?

Why is crossing on a green light valid when there is no pedestrian signal, but invalid when there is a pedestrian signal?

Why is the pedestrian information in a driver's handbook, even if a pedestrian may not have a driver's licence? Why doesn't Ontario produce a pedestrian's handbook?

The Driver's Handbook is primarily designed to assist those who are looking to obtain a driver's license. At present, a license is not required to be a pedestrian in Ontario so there is no perceived need for a handbook. It's also much simpler to be a pedestrian than to operate a motor vehicle.

Mind you, a mandatory pedestrian license wouldn't be a bad idea considering increasing levels of stupidity such as jaywalking while texting, and so on.

DarnDirtyApe said:

The Driver's Handbook is primarily designed to assist those who are looking to obtain a driver's license. At present, a license is not required to be a pedestrian in Ontario so there is no perceived need for a handbook. It's also much simpler to be a pedestrian than to operate a motor vehicle.

Mind you, a mandatory pedestrian license wouldn't be a bad idea considering increasing levels of stupidity such as jaywalking while texting, and so on.

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However, the rules governing pedestrians are published in the driver's handbook. There is no "pedestrian's handbook". "Ignorance of the law is no excuse." ("Ignorantia juris non excusat" or "ignorantia legis neminem excusat".) They do, however, make it easy to be ignorant by not telling pedestrians.