Forum Topic

Button Edgers

There is an article on Mail Online today regarding “Button Edgers”.  These are people who refuse to press traffic light buttons.  Some people don’t press the button because they are afraid of catching germs or some don’t know they have to.  It’s a drivel article. However, do you think pressing the button at the crossings on PHS makes any difference?  I have always thought that if the button isn’t pressed at the PHS crossing nearest to Sainsbury’s, then the lights give priority to the vehicles turning into the high street from Chelverton Rd, rather than pedestrians waiting to cross the high street?  

Martine Guy ● 4h3 Comments

I think if the buttons are not pressed, pedestrian cycles will be skipped. How quickly lights react seems to be a function of time of day. The pedestrian lights at East Putney seem to react faster, sometimes immediately, and allow repeated pedestrian phases in a shorter time scale, later in the evening than earlier in the day. I must admit I haven't measured that scientifically, but sometimes in the morning and early evening they seem to take ages to change. I suspect all the lights are "tuned" differently. One would expect them to change in phase with other lights during peak traffic times to ease traffic flows but recent traffic issues seem to indicate that isn't always the case …

Michael Ixer ● 3h

Barbara, yes I usually press the button. Fairly recently I was on the Chelverton side of PHS waiting for the lights to change to let pedestrians cross, but after seeing the cars go through 2/3 times from Chelverton rather than the green man appearing for pedestrians, I pressed the button, the traffic stopped and the green man indicated it was pedestrians turn to cross.  No one else at the crossing had pressed the button.  I think it makes a difference at this crossing. On the other hand, it seems to me that no matter how many times I press the button at the Disraeli/Norroy crossing on PHS, it makes no difference.

Martine Guy ● 4h

Martine, I always press the button, I even lean past somebody on their phone and press it.

Barbara Stevens ● 4h