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And then there's people who understand how risk compunds over a large number of instances. Yes, I wait for the green light. Because every single time I make a
by groby_b 14y ago
And then there's people who understand how risk compunds over a large number of instances.
Yes, I wait for the green light. Because every single time I make a judgment call that it's safe despite the red light, I have a tiny increase in the likelihood that there might be an accident. (No, waiting for green alone is not good either. There's always a risk. Situational awareness is good. But walking on red carries a bit more risk than walking on green, all other things being equal)
And since I do cross many traffic lights every single day, that tiny risk compounds. And compounds. And compounds. And if only a single, tiny accident happens, the time I saved by "making a judgment call" for thousands of crossings is all gone.
But hey, if you think life passes me by, more power to you. Glad you get to feel like a rebellious risk taker, living at the edge, always aware.
- tomchuk 14y agoAs my high school drivers ed instructor always said: "Colored lights are physically incapable of stopping a moving car." If there's one thing that I've learned being a pedestrian in NYC for the last 10+ years: Traffic lights are very loosely correlated with driver behavior. In my experience, you're far better off making decisions based on observing cars and drivers than faith that a red light means anything to a cabbie in midtown during rush hour.
- groby_b 14y agoSee above: "Situational awareness is good. But walking on red carries a bit more risk than walking on green, all other things being equal" Trust me, even in NYC, cars are slightly more likely to drive on green than on red. Or, in other words, a green light is a necessary but not sufficient precondition if you want to achieve minimal risk for your crossing.