Pedestrian crossings are different in different areas. Some work on a timer, while others actually have a functioning button and a buffer gap between one green man/walk sign and the next.
However, when it happens to be raining (More often than not around these parts), pedestrians really don't want to be waiting around for the traffic lights to change. Couple this with the fact that visibility is reduced for people driving, and you have the potential for a large number of accidents.
This would be similar to a normal pedestrian crossing, except for the inclusion of a rain gauge to determine the amount of rain falling. If it is more than mere drizzle then the changes take effect. Of course, the gauge would be placed high out of reach, to prevent tampering.
If the pedestrian crossing that works on a timer, then more weighting is given to the amount of time that the lights are on green. If it is one that uses a button, then the time between one green man and the next is decreased. This would be proportional to the strength of the rain.-- hidden truths, Mar 06 2006 gauge placed high out of reach http://images.googl...+zoeken&sa=N&tab=wi [zeno, Mar 08 2006] In my part of the world the rain is quite often horizontal. Bun from me!-- spinglespangle, Mar 06 2006 For reasons I have never quite been able to establish, New Yorkers actually drive faster and more dangerously in the rain. So you're probably better off scooting off the streets in the rain, and not tarrying.-- DrCurry, Mar 06 2006 Lights should change a little slower, too - Let's not cause the cars to skid uncontrollably into the already soaked and waiting pedestrian.-- Dub, Mar 06 2006 I guess nobody really likes being out in the rain, even if you are in a car.
Good addition [Dub].
Take a wild guess what the weather's like now?-- hidden truths, Mar 07 2006 Like most days, it's a beautiful sunny day here (NYC).-- DrCurry, Mar 07 2006 Somehow, I can't help getting the feeling that you're gloating a little there.-- hidden truths, Mar 07 2006 And you can cross the road anywhere you like (in Manhattan, anyway - it's a little riskier in some of the boros).
As the song says, it's a wonderful town.-- DrCurry, Mar 07 2006 TBH I have no idea how this would work in Manhattan. There it seems a fairly even split between pedestrians going in a vertical direction and pedestrians going in a horizontal direction.-- hidden truths, Mar 07 2006 "pedestrians going in a horizontal direction" - are they levitating?-- spinglespangle, Mar 08 2006 Nah, he meant "on some of the burros". Many New Yorkers use them to transport their briefcases and grocery purchases.-- jurist, Mar 09 2006 random, halfbakery