Futility

This is beautiful. Out of the 3250 cross-walk buttons in New York, only 750 of them actually work. Computers control all the rest.

The city deactivated most of the pedestrian buttons long ago with the emergence of computer-controlled traffic signals, even as an unwitting public continued to push on, according to city Department of Transportation officials. More than 2,500 of the 3,250 walk buttons that still exist function essentially as mechanical placebos, city figures show. Any benefit from them is only imagined.

This is the same with elevator open/close door buttons in newer elevators. They don't work. Keep pushing though if it makes you feel better.

NY Times