I've noticed this a lot lately. When people get to an intersection, they will push the walk button over and over and over for the entire time they're standing there waiting. Unless I'm mistaken, it doesn't make the light turn any faster. Is it just something to do while they're waiting? Cause surely it can't be good for the machines when people just stand there leaning on the button for a minute or however long it takes. I'm just curious why people might do this.
Also, I'm wondering if this is a worldwide thing, or just a Canadian/North American thing people do.
2006-11-15 11:00:15 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
People can get frustrated very east and don't have a lot of patience, ESPECIALLY if they have to go somewhere in a hurry. No one knows for sure, but my guess is that it is something of an OC (obsessive compulisve) they like to press buttons, but since they have nothin else to do, they will press the button "50" times. People dont know limits, and they think that will speed the light, so they can move fasater
2006-11-15 11:04:09 · answer #1 · answered by FoxSix 1 · 5⤊ 0⤋
The walk button has been a lonesome stress-relieving vestige for the weary traveler. While pushing the button a single time activates the signal that someone is waiting, and all other attempts are fruitless, the sheer relief of believing that repeated attempts will make the light change faster is a common occurrence.
People will curse, pray, cross their fingers, punch the roof of their car, scream, tap their steering wheel, flash their headlights and do just about anything to make traffic move faster...even though none of this is effective in the slightest.
So push the button in earnest! It at least makes the other people waiting with you feel like you are doing something to further their cause.
2006-11-15 19:03:40 · answer #2 · answered by politechaos 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
lol I'm Canadian and I'm actually almost a culprit of that... instead of pushing it 50 times, I just hold it 50 times longer than the average person... lol I think people push it so much because they are impatient and they think that pushing it so much is going to make the light change faster. It probably just pisses off the light and makes it not want to change any faster, but in fact, slower.
2006-11-15 19:03:04 · answer #3 · answered by Ashley P 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I say they are bored or impatient so they push the button in hopes of making it go faster(which does not work)
2006-11-15 19:02:18 · answer #4 · answered by b4tm4n18 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That is true in fact many of those buttons don't effect the light at all as they are on timers
2006-11-15 19:01:22 · answer #5 · answered by keith s 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Human nature I guess... I do it, I do it for elevators too.. and internet buttons. I lived in Israel and New York and now Tennessee - people do it everywhere. That's why I think it's just human nature.
2006-11-15 19:02:18 · answer #6 · answered by Cranberry 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i think that people believe that if they press the button a lot then the light will change faster so they can walk across
2006-11-15 19:01:54 · answer #7 · answered by Sarah M 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because the morons actually think that it works, when in fact it was only put there to keep the brain dead busy, which is fine as long as they know there colors
2006-11-15 19:07:01 · answer #8 · answered by Jim 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They do it because they think it will make the walk signs work, and they do not realize that it will not work even if they throw monkeys at the person who made that retarded walk button.
2006-11-15 19:02:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
If I knew it would mean I am one of those obnoxious people! I really do think they believe it will make the light change faster. Pathetic.
2006-11-15 19:02:04 · answer #10 · answered by Kimmy 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋