Gothamist: First Pedestrian Countdown Timer Hits NYC

Not Amused

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 03:07:16 -0500

Big deal! It's just another excuse for people to totally ignore the crosswalk signal . You have to get the stupid people talking on there cellphones to PAY attention to the damn signal first ! That's the only way this whole program will be a sucess story in N.Y. ! Just because it's rooted in terms of a great idea, Doesn't necessarly translate into smart move ! People first , Then bright idea's !

I take my bus out from Clinton

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 19:48:45 -0500

right after they install them on Avenue of the Americas, maybe they can add some to Museum Mile.

Steph

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 16:52:21 -0500

They are all over Canada & I think they are great

box

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 16:16:26 -0500

The box on top is a speaker for signals for the hearing impaired.

RS

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 16:11:45 -0500

They already blink red for a few seconds before turning solid red. We need timers now? This is a racket to give more money to the same company that replaced the old "walk/don't walk" lights.

delbert

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:57:16 -0500

They have these in Santiago, Chile, too.

bout tyme

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:17:14 -0500

it's about time, Now we can officially get the Olympics here. No more excuses, we got the countdown walk signal. What more do we need to show the olympic committee.

Toby

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:04:21 -0500

The countdown is more of a challenge than an aid. How about sensors that keep the pedestrians crossing while the cars wait. When all the pedestrians are clear, the cars can go. Eneterprising people could sell the drivers reading material while they wait. I don't think the signal pictured is in NYC, since I did see it on the news and it was a standard NYC yellow signal. Now what is this "Avenue of the Americas" you speak of?

Frank

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 15:02:51 -0500

When I was first learning to drive (in Brooklyn), I was told to watch the walk/don't walk sign as a clue to when the light would change in my favor. Cabbies and most native NYer's do this all the time -- now they will have a countdown, and blast off at the exact nanosecond the light changes. Likely result: more deaths! Personally, I miss the old walk/dont walk signs -- proved we were a literal city. Never bought into the "tourists don't understand them" logic -- couldn't they figure out that the second word (don;t) was a negation of the other. Besides, I am sure they were busy trying to understand why we had any walk signs at all, since they are totally meaningless to pedestrians!!!!!

drewo

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 14:53:44 -0500

Money would be better spent on more cameras to catch the 90% of motorists that roll through just-turned-red lights.

smitty

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 14:02:09 -0500

It's kinda funny-sad how behind NYC is.

sobro

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 14:00:48 -0500

these will never work in the south bronx. people there walk like they have bumpers.

enid

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:47:33 -0500

GRAND ARMY PLAZA! PLEASE! What a frightmare crossing the street there is.

edEx

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:43:16 -0500

so it'll now be like a yellow traffic light? when it's nearing zero it's time to speed up?

6th Ave

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:37:43 -0500

Avenue of the Americas?? Please.

the Empire

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:33:22 -0500

I just saw a woman get hit by a car on 36th st & 5th Ave. We NEED this shit!

nisey79

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:28:40 -0500

Is that a little surveillance camera attached to the top of the signal box?

JL

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:28:16 -0500

I actually think it is a great system. They have these types of lights in Taipei and they work there. I think while many of us seasoned NYers have already timed teh lights near our homes/jobs this system will be great for the younger crowd and the out of towners.

nyt reader

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:26:09 -0500

re. lack of cross signals on park ave south of 60th street or so the nyt actually answered that question just a week or two ago. apparently all of grand central's wiring and signals beneath the street have hindered placement of cross signals (remember, the street was built "only" about 70-80 years ago and built above the tracks....). the city may add signals finally in the near future (snicker, snicker). pretty stupid, huh?

Ben K.

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:13:32 -0500

boy, i thought we had these here, Wait, what? Do you ever go outside? Do you ever cross the street? Have you ever noticed that we definitely don't - or at least, did not until now - have those at all?

Ben K.

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:12:05 -0500

d

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:11:49 -0500

I completely misread that title as I skimmed it, what with all the cars hitting pedestrians recently. I don't know if this will help much. I was in DC last weekend and had the same mindset in regards to running towards the blinking hand. Though I suppose seeing a 3 or 4 next to it gave me pause to think.

Jeff

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:10:45 -0500

This city is so advanced. We always get the latest and greatest technology before everyone else. I hear we might be getting a subway with a predictable schedule soon! There's also talk of accepting credit cards in cabs! Capital of the world, bitches!

Jeff

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 13:08:16 -0500

This city is so advanced. We always get the latest and greatest technology before anyone else. I hear we might get a subway with a predicable schedule soon! There's also talk of accepting credit cards in cabs! Capital of the world, bitches!

birdman

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:54:33 -0500

boy, i thought we had these here, but yeah, they'll all over the west coast and probably ever other city i've lived in. btw, does anyone know why there's like no 'walk/don't walk' signs on park avenue in the 50s? I'm hardly ever there but when I am, it's crazy trying to cross there cause you can't really see the traffic light so great if it's changing so it's a total gamble crossing there. it's ridiculous not to have anything there.

huh?

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:52:57 -0500

so, now it will be the pedestrians' fault if they get hit by a car because they did not time their walk across the crossing adequately??? totally stupid!! this strikes me as just another way to lay the blame on the pedestrian as opposed to blaming and solving the REAL problem: motorists and their cars. sheesh!!

bee

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:52:46 -0500

Weak. Very weak. Takes the fun out of crossing the street.

timbnyc

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:48:13 -0500

"You will be flattened by traffic in 4, 3, 2..."

Elderta

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:45:17 -0500

They have these in DC, too. When I was there in August (ack, was it hot!), I didn't mind the countdown, though sometimes I found myself trying to outrun the timer. Can I really get across Connecticut Ave. in two seconds' time? I did try, though, and i made it! Also, what's that little blue box on top of the sign? A camera?

Columbian

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:43:06 -0500

We have those here in Columbia, SC, and they are very efficient. I thought that they had been in use in NYC before they reached us, but evidently not.

bob

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:42:10 -0500

These are all over the bay area. They also help with red light running because you can see how much time you have to clear an intersection as well.

wow

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:40:50 -0500

San Franciscio -- where's that? It would be great if the Gothamist staff could get Firefox 2.0, and turn on the built-in spell check. You'll get a little red line under words that are problems, and then can right-click for correction suggestions or add the word to the dictionary. And if you for some reason are stuck with Internet Explorer, get IESpell for built-in spell checking there, although it's not fully automatic as you type.

Lane Wyden

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:40:41 -0500

pedestrians don't need a stopwatch; they need to be granted more time to cross. these countdowns only tell pedestrians-- particularly slower ones-- what they already know: they don't have enough time to cross. without additional crosstime, more pedestrians will run and trip than will be spared.

Chris Coleman

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:40:15 -0500

I can't believe the city didn't already have some of these. They're all over Journal Square over in Jersey City.

Columbian

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:40:14 -0500

We have those here in Columbia, SC, and they are very effective. I actually thought they had been in use in NYC before they reached us, but evidently not.