Do you cross the road before the green man flashes?
@lordwarwizard (35747)
Singapore
March 9, 2007 2:28pm CST
Alright, we are not talking about jaywalking here so please do not print out my post and forward it to the traffic police. :P
I like to ask for your indulgence... imagine that you are now standing at a cross junction. You want to cross to the opposite side and the red man is now glaring at you. The vehicles are moving from right to left and the light for them has just changed from green to amber. A few secs later, the red comes on and the green arrow starts to blink. Once the green arrow disappears, the green man will come on for your direction.
My question is: when do you start crossing?
I can't be sure for other countries but at least for Singapore, there is always a slight but significant pause between the time the right-left light turns red and the time our forward direction flashes green. If one uses the right-left light as a guide, it is pretty much safe to cross as soon as the right-left light turns red i.e. even before the forward light takes the cue and turns green.
What I've just said may sound confusing - but I assure you that if you humor me and try imagining yourself at the cross junction, it would be very clear.
So do you cross only when it turns green for your side? Or as soon as the green arrow appears? Or when it blinks? Or before your green but as soon as the right-left green arrow disappears? Or do you find a cozy spot to jaywalk anyway? Or... ?
Do share your thoughts. ;-)
19 people like this
72 responses
@GardenGerty (160908)
• United States
9 Mar 07
I look at the traffic, and if it is safe, I cross. I could spend my life waiting for the "little white man walking" and about the time I start, I get a "red palm outward". I just make sure not to get hit by any cars.
4 people like this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
9 Mar 07
In the event that something would happen then you should only cross when it is appropriate to do so. Even then something could go wrong and you want that on your side when the offender is finally punished. So I do wait on those rare occasions when I am in town and need to cross the street for a treat, if that is what I choose to do.
@Alexandria37 (5717)
• Ireland
9 Mar 07
Our traffic signals are a little different here. If the amber light flashes it means you can cross if it is safe to do so. Whenever I have children with me, I will obey the signals but I must admit I have jaywalked a few times when I have been on my own, particularly when I am in a hurry. It is difficult to know when to cross as some road hog in a car will always try to race against the lights and he will drive through the signals even after they have turned red.
3 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Mar 07
Interesting.. that part about amber. It's an official thing?
1 person likes this
@yanjiaren (9031)
•
9 Mar 07
Noi am terrible after being hit twice by a car and that was at the red lights..I wait for the cars to stop completely before i even venture out to cross the roads. The drivers are getting worse lol and somany drive without licences or insurance plus drunk. No way i am mrs scardy cat when it comes to crossing the road lol
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
9 Mar 07
I wait for the little white man to appear before I cross the road especially if my son is with me. If I am in a hurry to catch the metro or bus, then i check to see how busy it is on the roads, and then run across.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
9 Mar 07
You mean it's not green not white elsewhere in the world? Seems that "white" has been mentioned several times...
1 person likes this
@trinidadvelasco (11401)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
In my country, the signal for pedestrians to cross is when the light turns red. That's when I'd go. There is also a pedestrian signal light which is visible for those at the pedestrian lane waiting for the right time to cross the street. It turns green when the red light is on for the vehicles. No confusion there, as it is very easy to interpret.
As for your description of the way you do it in Singapore, I am pretty sure I'd get what you mean once I get to pay your country a visit. My daughter told me that Singapore is a beautiful country. She was there many years ago, spent a few weeks touring. My husband used to work in your country for some years and he told me as to the advancement it has achieved with the government's iron hand.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
11 Mar 07
Yes.. Singapore is a nice place to visit. Roads here are sure safer than many other places! :P
Do bring your family for a visit in future. ;-)
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
9 Mar 07
As a pedestrian, if the lights aren't green but the traffic isn't coming my way I will cross anyway. I can't see why that would be a problem. The only time I always wait is when I have kids with me as it shows them a bad example.
3 people like this
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
11 Mar 07
I start crossing when the road is clear, ie. when the green man appears, when the green man is flashing, even when the red man is glaring at me.
Of course, I wait by the traffic junction if there is a traffic light. I just find it so funny that one should be waiting foolishly for the green man to appear. I think I can judge much better than that sturdy block of metal standing rooted there, flashing at constant intervals.
@carolmil123 (115)
• United States
9 Mar 07
I almost never wait for the walk light to come on. I am impatient and I start crossing the street as soon as traffic stops. That way I get ahead, at least in my mind. I watch the turn lights and try to get across fast. HA
3 people like this
@zen_flynx (106)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
gosh! your country has such an elaborate crossing scheme! you lost me in the middle of your post! ha ha ha! anyway in my country cars usually beat the light. for them green means go, yellow means step on it!, and red means stop but if the coast is clear get on with it quickly! its such a mess here. so if motorists are like that here what more are pedestrians right? they disregard the red and green man, they cross the minute they reach the street. and whats worse? they walk so slow that cars honk their horns at them. and instead of rushing up they stare at you like its your fault! well i love this country but sometimes people here are jerk$. and one more thing, i have this crazy idea that Filipinos could be the champion of a world dodge ball competition, we do have the training!
2 people like this
@zen_flynx (106)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
oh, and by the way, i think all Filipinos has the middle name "JAY."
2 people like this
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
24 May 07
I often have my children with me when I cross the road. I will wait for the "little white guy" to appear before I cross. I have taught my children to follow what the traffic signal shows them. There have been several times when we have had the "little white gut" appear an as we go to cross we almost get hit by a car that is being driven by someone who is unable to understand a traffic signal. It is quite frustrating at times.
2 people like this
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
25 May 07
I'm not just surpose to keep walking as if I am the only one in the world? geesh, thats not fair. I don't wait for a "little green man". Our little guy that tells us to cross is white. And yes I do wait to see him before I cross most of the time. There are times when traffic is clear that I go ahead and cross instead of waiting.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
25 May 07
Geez, the last time you checked, did you own the road? :P
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Mar 07
I'm in England and the roads are perhaps not so wide, but if I'm certain there's no traffic coming and I have time to get to the other side, I'll walk on a red light.
I only really wait for the green light if I have children with me, or if the road is really heavy with traffic.
Brightest Blessings.
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
10 Mar 07
I would have to say it depends on the amount of traffic, the speed of traffic and the type of street it is on.
I typically drive everywhere and do not have to worry about crossing too many streets, but when I do I may cross at the crosswalks, but if I'm parking in the middle of the street, and the place I want to get to is directly across from me, well then I probably won't go to the corner to cross but will cross where I am. Of course if the traffic is crazy, I will go to the corner as it'll be safer.
I don't know if you are ever going to get a straight answer out of me! lol
2 people like this
@anonymili (3138)
•
10 Mar 07
This is quite an interesting one as here in the UK there are no laws against what you guys call jay-walking (maybe there should be). We have a red man and a green man at crossings not that people take that much notice of them generally. I tend to cross as soon as I've seen the cars stop on either side even before the red man disappears BUT if there are no cars on either side, and the red man is still showing I just cross the road anyway. Saying that I would add that I make doubly sure there are no cars approaching as being a driver I know how annoying it is when pedestrians step out to cross the road when you're approaching and you have to do an emergency stop.
I would say that I'm probably 90% more cautious than other pedestrians and definitely 100% more cautious than my husband who just steps out onto the road insisting that we have the right of way all of the time. He grew up in India and basically thinks cars should ALWAYS give pedestrians way which I think is a bit of a bad attitude (seeing as he’s a driver too)!
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 07
Wow.. here in Singapore, I think we are fined $50 for first offence.
And from what you say, I would think Singapore is pretty safe on the road (which I think it really is :P).
@Fishish (696)
• India
10 Mar 07
i just did not understand what u were trying to explain. i do cross roads carefully, in fact i am petrified when i haev to crooss a road. i will wait for the road to be completely empty before i cross. and i never run and cross i was taught that as a choild, never run whiole crossing roads. if there is a zebra crossign then i do see the lights of course and otherwise i use my brain...
2 people like this
@desimanero (419)
• United States
10 Mar 07
im a very impatient person.I usually(if possible) walk while i still have a red light.I run to the other side.But i try not to because one time when i was 8 months pregnant i was at an intersection where there were 4 stop signs and i walked since they had a stop sign anyways.And this car comes speeding past running the stop sign.I almost got hit and it scared the crap out of me.
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
10 Mar 07
I've had a few of these near-accidents too... I just continue to be careful. :P
