+628 You feel like the "push button to walk" button at traffic lights don't actually do anything, amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I saw a Youtube video where the button cage simply fell off the traffic light pole--it wasn't connected to any circuitry, it was just a button.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yep it just makes people think they're controlling it and so they don't freak out

by Anonymous 13 years ago

My drivers ed teacher says they don't make the light change faster, they make the "cross" symbol stay lit longer.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I read somewhere that they don't do anything...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I used to think when i was a kid that there was some guy sitting in front of a bunch of screens and when someone pushed the button hed seem them there and change the light to go faster. I was so convinced...up until now.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

i thought that way with traffic lights. haha

by Anonymous 13 years ago

They don't..otherwise you could control the traffic lights and screw stuff up.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Those don't actually work. They used to, but when they decided to quit running them, they just kind of left the buttons there so people will think that they were controlling it, when really they aren't. They're called "Placebo Buttons." The same goes for the 'open door' buttons in elevators.

by Anonymous 13 years ago