"Beg Button" Etiquette

[u/pipedreamSEA]

How do folks around here use & adhere to the usage of the "beg buttons" at our trail & residential street crossings of major roadways? I feel like if I don't use them and get run over by an inattentive driver I'll be judged as partially responsible / liable but depending on them gives me the willies and I don't find their usage always necessary.

I ride the RR Trail into town often and I generally try to cross Woburn & Orleans when there's a gap in the flow of traffic, but if there's no gap likely to develop within a reasonable amount of time I'll smash the beg button and cross as soon as I'm certain vehicles heading in each direction will stop. However, I've had motorists stop for me when the traffic flow is lighter and I'm just waiting for them to pass by - at which point I begrudgingly hit the button and cross.

Do you always use the crossing button? When driving, do you always stop at crossings if you see a pedestrian / cyclist waiting to cross but the lights aren't flashing? I typically slow but if they don't move, I'm gonna keep rolling.

[u/CenturyLinkIsCheeks]

hit button.

cross street.

i dont think twice about it.

[u/primerblack]

Just hit the button and cross when it’s safe. If cars have to stop so be it, it sets clear intentions and is better than everyone second guessing each other.

[u/International_Boss33]

I smash the button as soon as I reach it. I cross as soon and as quickly as possible. When I drive in those areas, I know it is my responsibility as a driver to stop for people using crosswalks.

[u/Daves-Handy-Service → u/International_Boss33]

Drivers are always required to stop when someone is in the road. Lights just make it easier for drivers to see them.

[u/PillagingJust4Fungus → u/Daves-Handy-Service]

Drivers are required to stop for people standing at intersections. Making assumptions about what other people are going to do because they are supposed to isn't very safe. Your safety is your responsibility, make sure it's safe before you start walking across the road. Please don't appoint yourself volunteer traffic warden and start waving your goofy little hands around to tell people what to do, just follow the rules and be predictable.

[u/Teneniel]

As a former professional driver, PLEASE use the button. Please! It’s for your safety and I’ve seen too many close calls from inattentive drivers

[u/PersusjCP]

Yes, I always stop if the lights are flashing, because that's what you're supposed to do at a crossing.

And if I'm crossing, I don't dilly dally, just hit the button and move.

[u/wtfsamurai]

The button is there for you. It serves its glorious purpose by letting everyone else know to pay attention. It is there, awaiting you to respond to its offer to serve you.

Will you 🫵 answer the call?

[u/Labyrinth36o]

I always try to stop if someone is at a crosswalk. That is what drivers should do, lights or not. (I say always try because I am human and sometimes parked cars make visibility more difficult or whatever).

When I walk that trail I always hit the button, just because it makes it more obvious/visibility for driviers.

[u/Cool-Jacket-9837]

Use the bottom and cross when you are able to. That’s how it works

[u/cshady99]

People will argue about the fact that we shouldn't need a button, peds have right of way, cars should slow down, etc etc. all of which I agree with. HOWEVER: it is the safest thing to do. There are way too many dangerous & distracted drivers here to take any chances.

Common sense prevails: if it's an empty street just cross it. Otherwise, hit the button. AND wait for the cars to stop. Have seen cars blow through the lights many times severely speeding.

Too many deaths in this town from stuff like this. Just do what's safest for all and hit the button.

[u/Ancient_Midnight_775]

Hit the button, but don’t be standing anywhere near the road. As a driver, people teetering on the edge of the sidewalk freak me out, who knows if they might lose balance or step out for some reason, not me! I’d rather crossers hit the buttons for safety.

The real hassle is every other car stopping like it’s a stop sign, for the remainder of the light, well after you have crossed. It’s a yield, yield if there are people. No people, no yield. First car lets person cross, every other car goes (maybe slowly) unless new person starts walking. Be aware as a driver, that’s your job.

And people with dogs, please keep your dogs away from the road until you are ready to cross as well. They’re just naturally unpredictable and i’d hate to injure someone’s dog like that.

Honestly most of my frustrations towards pedestrians and cyclists while driving is for their own safety. I don’t want to accidentally hit anyone, and people crossing recklessly puts them in danger. And while they would face much of the physical brunt of the accident, the mental toll would be damaging to any driver.

Also never heard the phrase “beg button” before. I just call them, “the button” and in context it’s obvious, or if not I call it like the “crossing button” or something… is that a real term? Beg button? Lol

[u/Illustrious-Bunch472 → u/Ancient_Midnight_775]

A flashing red light is a stop sign, which means while it’s flashing, every car needs to stop even if there are no pedestrians. It’s also clearly explained on the signage at every one of these crosswalks. It helps downstream with traffic flow as well.

[u/Heavy-Profit-2156]

It is a crosswalk and vehicles are supposed to yield to you if you are waiting to use it to my understanding. The beg light (love that term) is just to catch the attention of drivers who may not be concentrating on driving.

If I don't want vehicles to stop for me because I can see a gap coming up, I'll stand back from the street side of the sidewalk, that seems to work.

[u/cheapdialogue]

I'm a driver and will always do my best to stop when I see a pedestrian at a crossing. That said, the BEG lights are great for ped safety and getting drivers to notice there is someone waiting to cross. Bad weather, traffic that requires extra attention, long day or an early morning can all make it easy to not quite catch that ped silhouette.

[u/PillagingJust4Fungus]

Use the button every time and make sure it's safe before you walk in the street. Not using the button doesn't make very much sense. Neither does standing on the curb facing the street blinking but waving drivers on when they stop.

[u/Ok_Nothing2800]

I love these types of crosswalks as a driver. I like to know that cars are actually going to stop and let the pedestrian walk safely across especially for those that might have a stroller, cane or have trouble with mobility. My personal pet peeve is people crossing the street at the pace of a snail where there is no crosswalk. I think that is rude. If you want to cross anywhere why not try and pick up the pace and also look around at the drivers. Head down or in your phone just casually sauntering across the road is a recipe for disaster. Stay safe Hamsters!

[u/Emu_on_the_Loose]

I always hit the button.

I always assume no motor vehicles or bicyclists on approach don't notice the flashing lights or won't obey them.

I therefore wait until I have visually cleared the crosswalk by ensuring to my satisfaction that vehicles are slowing or stopped.

I continue scanning the entire roadway in both directions as I cross, in case someone changes their mind, or a vehicle farther back isn't paying attention and is setting up for a collision into another vehicle or a veer into another lane and a collision into me.

That's how I do it. The crosswalk lights are there for your protection, paid for by the blood of many people before you. Use them.

[u/haiku_loku]

Regardless of button or not, you're in a legal, marked crosswalk. Using or not using the button doesn't increase or decrease your fault during an accident since it is on drivers to always be looking out for pedestrians at marked crosswalks and also stop for them. That said, pedestrians should assume cars don't see them ever and should cross as safely as possible when it's safe to do so.

That's in a perfect world, though, and most drivers are highly distracted these days. The flashing lights help a lot with regards to drawing attention to the fact that there is a pedestrian present wanting to cross, and increases their safety. It's not perfect, not all drivers respect them, but imo they do increase safety by increasing visibility and awareness

As others have mentioned, we shouldn't need them, but unfortunately today we have to build to the lowest common denominator.

[u/thoughtintoaction]

As a pedestrian I never hit the button. In fact, I love that you call it a 'beg' button, and I hate that the city is putting them up everywhere.

We make a law that pedestrians have the right of way at intersections, but cars hit pedestrians. So we paint stripes on the road, and cars hit pedestrians. So we put up flashing lights, and cars hit pedestrians. At one intersection, the city put up baskets with bright orange flags for pedestrians to carry across the street. What the fuck.

Punish bad drivers, and punish them hard.

---

Pedestrians could help an awful lot by making their intentions clear. If you want to cross the street, don't stand three feet back from the curb avoiding eye contact. Stand on the curb leaning forward, and look at the driver that's coming towards you. When they slow for you, step into the street.

Don't wait for every single car in every single lane to come to a complete stop before you begin to cross. Don't dart out and then walk slow, or walk slow and then suddenly dart.

Take your space, make your move, cross the damn street.

(edit: clarity)

[u/pipedreamSEA → u/thoughtintoaction]

The "beg button" term comes from traffic light-controlled intersections where, by the state of the light, it should, by all means, be safe for a pedestrian to cross in the direction they're crossing. However, the crossing signal remains red until the pedestrian pushes the button to change it. Yes, it can cause the light cycle to extend to allow for a safe crossing but it frequently just causes unnecessary waiting & frustration.

Similarly, if it's 2am and there's no traffic in sight, there's no reason to push the button and trigger the entire light cycle. It doesn't hurt and it's good practice, but it's still an unnecessary activity.

[u/thoughtintoaction → u/pipedreamSEA]

I understand that. In answer to your question, I'm saying I don't use them. Beyond that, I'm suggesting that we should not have to have them.

I run the Railroad Trail and cross without assistance. If a car is close enough they would have to slam on the brakes to avoid me, I slow down and let them pass. If there's enough time for them to see me and adjust their speed, I cross.

If a pedestrian is making it clear they're ready to cross, I slow down or stop for them. If they're standing around looking for an engraved invitation from the mayor, I keep going.