Press the button and walk
Posted on 25 September 2006
A pedestrian traffic light on St. Patrick’s Street, Cork. The green man is strutting his stuff and people are walking across.
Does anyone else have a dislike for the design of this button? Sure, there’s a big arrow pointing to a large white dot, but it took several years for people to realise that they press the white button instead of the light at the bottom of the unit. The problem is that people are used to pressing a physical button, something that sticks out and can be pushed in. The white dot is flush with the surface of the unit, and people go to press the only thing that looks vaguelly button-like, the light. I still see people do it, and yes, this is one of my pet peeves, thanks for reading!
7 responses to Press the button and walk
Phew, I thought I was the only one who pressed the light every single time.
First time I’ve seen something like this.
I rarely see people pushing any part of it anyway, since they usually don’t plan on hanging around to wait.
Such a shot. Love the low down point of view.
In Belfast we still have the good ol’ push the button button. I dont think I could handle those modern lights. Although I do like the ones in Dublin, with the really awesome noise, and the timers.
Amazing photo, poorly designed button.
OCD?The buttons at car park ticket machines are even more stupid, a recessed button for thousands of people to push in with their filthy fingers, while leaning out of a car window, because the machines are stupidly designed and are a full arms length from the body of the car, and if you drop the ticket you can’t open the door to pick it up. The designers are having a laugh.Why should you have to press a button?There should be sensors to automatically see you waiting, or your weight should trigger a traffic signal sequence.I shake my trembling fist and raise my walking stick at the designers, and the dull committee who accepted the tender for moronic stuff like this, because it takes too long to argue at a committee meeting for intelligent design in public street furniture.
stupit people