Because the button doesn't actually do anything.
Some crosswalks are configured to respect the button press, but in my experience the vast majority don't have any effect whatsoever.
Some crosswalks are configured to respect the button press, but in my experience the vast majority don't have any effect whatsoever.
There’s a pervasive myth about elevator buttons and crosswalk buttons being there as placebos. Yes, I’m certain there are instances where—when the traffic lights regularly cycle all day long—they might be placebo buttons, but the vast majority of them will at least lengthen the cycle time for your direction, and if appropriate will trigger a change sooner than it would have occurred otherwise.
I've timed it. It does nothing.
The elevator button thing is not a myth, it's actually quite common. As is crosswalk buttons that do nothing.
As far as crosswalks go: Yeah, on major intersections where light cycling is guaranteed to happen all day, the button may not accelerate the change. But that doesn't apply to "lonely crosswalks", and I bet that same button will work in the middle of the night if the cross-street happens to die off during those hours. I caveated that in my comment.