Stop pressing that button.

I am frequently amazed by the number if people who believe if you hit the buzzer at a set of lights, frequently and repeatedly, the green walk person will pop up faster.

What grapevine, rumour or old wives tale did these people hear this from?

For my nearly 35 years, of which probably 31 of those I have been pressing the button at lights, I have never experienced the outcome of more presses = a faster green walk person.

Recently while standing at a set of lights near home this 'believer' philosophy came true. The 'button presser' came up to the set of lights and pressed the walk button a trillion times, or at least as fast as his wrist would let him and then, like magic, and undoubtedly as predicted by this 'button presser', the green walk person appeared.

This is obviously how the rumour started.

Someone witnessed this happened and from then it has been believed and spoken about 'the more you tap on the walk button the faster the lights change'. But this is not the case.

The truth of the matter is the rest of us 'silly' pedestrians had been standing at the lights for the set wait time. The button was pressed all but one time by each individual pedestrian. Then we stood back and waited. Then, the 'button presser believer' came up pressed the button like a maniac and bam! the lights changed.

Magic.... I think not. It was just dumb luck this button presser came up in the last ten seconds and while still tapping the signal to walk came up.

Unfortunately, he undoubtedly then just set the wheels in motion to turn some other sensible pedestrians into a 'button presser' believer.

Imagine if it were true, and pushing the button meant it speed up the appearance of the green walk man. Cars would never get a green signal. Pedestrians would take control. People would buy or build a big stick and start tapping the button from meters before they got to the lights so there would be no wait at all. There would be new airtasker jobs for the person who never wants to wait. There would be app crazes, log your tapping speed, your wait times, the longest tapping stick.... the possibilities are endless.

But no.... relax.... press, pause and wait. It is baloney. Like eating your crusts will make your hair go curly or carrots help you see in the dark!

Please bring back the sensible pedestrian and lets just press, wait, beep beep beep beep. Walk.