Staten Island, NY – It takes 38 seconds, give or take a fraction, for the light to change at Targee Street and Venice Avenue in Concord.
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For those in more of a hurry, behold the pedestrian crossing button, affixed to poles at all four points of the intersection.
It’s like the great mystery surrounding the audibility of a tree falling in a vacant forest. Does pushing the button really make a difference, or is it all just meant to make us feel better about ourselves, as though we have even a shred of control over a force as monumental and unyielding as New York City traffic?
To find out, a scientific experiment was in order, involving three button-pushing methods and a stop watch.
The quick, firm push. The long push. The impatient, staccato push.
Thirty eight seconds, no matter what.
Turns out, the city disconnected the majority of the Big Apple’s buttons years ago, but decided it was too expensive to go around removing them.
There they remain, teasing unwitting pedestrians who waste the button-pushing finger power that could better be used on elevators, or doorbells, or vending machines.
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Just like everything else in life, we think we are in control of what happens around us. But truely there’s a higher power controlling everything, but we just keep on pushing buttons thinking we’re in control.
Some still work. There is one on flatbush ave near the Aviator that won’t change unless the button is pushed
lol
Although it is true that a majority of them ARE indeed disconnected. The pleasure is derived from finding the select few that actually WORK.
The purpose of the button is to make the Walk sign go on, not to make the light change any faster. If the button isn’t pushed, the walk sign will probably remain on don’t walk even though the light is green for cars.
Lol I’m shocked were not being taxed for the non-working buttons.
Its like pressing the “Close Door” in the elevator.
I dont think it closes the door any quicker. and yet so many press it. (actually they press it three or four times, and each time they hit it harder..)
The people who press these buttons who are waiting on a train platform and always sticking their head over the tracks to see if the train is coming.
Do we really think the train will come faster if we stick our head over the tracks?
LOL!
How about having a button for the drivers shouldn’t have to wait sO long on red?
i have actually gotten out of my car at very long red lights in flatbush to press the “walk” button hoping it would turn the light green.
now i see that was a waste of time.