Absurd road junctions and so on

[Fozzer]

...I'll tell you something else which is unbelievably annoying, is when inquisitive little 4-year-old Johnny, out shopping with his Mum, observes that fascinating Button above him...and pushes it.....
.......and neither of them have any intention of crossing the road....

...and...also....

Annoying School Children, who push the button as they pass on the pavement to and from School, and bring the Traffic to a standstill, with no intention of crossing, just for a giggle!

Small Children...and School Children...and Teenagers... and Pelican Crossings!....>:(...!

Paul... ... ... ...!

Whey-up!....and I haven't mentioned timed; "Road Works Traffic Lights" on Red....when there is no-one, in the far distance, as far as the eye can see, approaching in the opposite direction...especially late at night on deserted Country Roads!
...BAH....Mr. Impatient!... ...!

.... ....!

[Hagar]

...BAH....Mr. Impatient!... ...!

.... ....!

Steady on Paul! You'll do yourself a mischief.

[Fozzer]

...BAH....Mr. Impatient!... ...!

.... ....!

Steady on Paul! You'll do yourself a mischief.

...I know..... ....

...I almost bought "Photoshop"!... ... ... ... ...!

Paul... ...!

[beaky]

...I'll tell you something else which is unbelievably annoying, is when inquisitive little 4-year-old Johnny, out shopping with his Mum, observes that fascinating Button above him...and pushes it.....
.......and neither of them have any intention of crossing the road....

...and...also....

Annoying School Children, who push the button as they pass on the pavement to and from School, and bring the Traffic to a standstill, with no intention of crossing, just for a giggle!

That's too bad. I'm convinced that in the USA, those buttons do absolutely nothing. I think it's some sort of public morale-booster... y'know, give the "little people" a sense of empowerment.

[eno]

That's too bad. I'm convinced that in the USA, those buttons do absolutely nothing. I think it's some sort of public morale-booster... y'know, give the "little people" a sense of empowerment.

At large road junctions that is the case ....... but here in the UK we have stand alone predestrian controlled crossings where you push the button and wait a short time for the traffic to be stopped. CLICKY
As Paul has stated it can be extremely annoying when someone presses the button but doesn't cross.

[Hagar]

That's too bad. I'm convinced that in the USA, those buttons do absolutely nothing. I think it's some sort of public morale-booster... y'know, give the "little people" a sense of empowerment.

At large road junctions that is the case ....... but here in the UK we have stand alone predestrian controlled crossings where you push the button and wait a short time for the traffic to be stopped. CLICKY
As Paul has stated it can be extremely annoying when someone presses the button but doesn't cross.

That's just another annoying thing the poor old motorist has to put up with. There's so many different types of pedestrian crossings these days it's no wonder I get confused when in my pedestrian mode. I'm not sure why this should be necessary & I've never heard of some of them. It's not clear on some types I've used when it's actually safe to cross the road. http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/roads/rnm/Pedestrian_Crossings.asp

When complaining about all this most people tend to forget that motorists are also pedestrians so they should be able to see it from both sides.

PS. I'm not sure how those push buttons work but assume they operate a simple time switch. If this is the case I have to wonder if those people who like continually pressing the button to make the lights change more quickly are having the opposite effect to that intended. 'Tis a funny old world & no mistake.

[Mictheslik]

As mentioned in the artical that Hagar has posted, France only adopted the yield on entry for roundabouts in 1983, prior to this rule the scariest junction I've ever experienced is The Arch de Triumph in Paris. This managed to scare the pants off a coach driver of 30 years experience.... and knowing the French it probably still would, as their idea of following road rules is rather loose, combine this with the fact that it is a major tourist attraction and it is complete chaos.

India is well renouned as one of the most dangerous places to drive you not only have to watch out for other drivers and predestrians but cows are free to wander anywhere. This makes any junction there extreme.

Seems the North Koreans quite liked it as a traffic management system....

.mic