How should pedestrians not walk on a 4 way walk traffic light?

You can walk diagonally as well.

Whatever the (pedestrian) traffic light tells you.

Blindfolded (is never a good idea).

Some of them are labelled things like “Walk all ways with Walk”, allowing free-range walking until the light changes. You can walk in curves, spirals, change your mind… go wild!

You can’t walk diagonally. You also shouldn’t walk against the light if there are traffic lights at that intersection. Sometimes there are pedestrian walkways only on one side of the road, so then you should adhere to that.

Watch traffic, assume they may not see you. The pedestrian has an obligation to crossing traffic in a way that is safe for themselves and traffic too. You can’t just cross, and depend on the “pedestrian having the right of way” like so many people think. Look at the eyes of the driver before you cross, if the traffic is at the corner, and see that they see you.

@JLeslie, a 4 way walk traffic light is designed so all the pedestrians waiting to cross can do so at once. In NYC very often the cross walks that are painted on the street have diagonal included. In my little town in CT we are encouraged to walk diagonally at the 4 way walk lights as well, so as not to be caught out in the middle when time’s up.

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&ei=qnVzW7XBCuTP5gLwvqWIBA&q=aerial+pictures+of+diagonal+crosswalks+in+NYC&oq=aerial+pictures+of+diagonal+crosswalks+in+NYC&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.3...12685.14381..17584...0.0..0.109.584.6j1......0....1.........0i71j30i10.gcRFp_d_-4Q#imgrc=9r63PGqk86zZiM:

There might be diagonal crosswalks in downtown Las Vegas. There used to be when I was there in the early 70’s. Then, when the light said “walk,” it was as @Zaku describes.

@canidmajor That’s pretty cool.

Ok, I stand corrected. If it’s marked, then obviously you can do it. I’ve never seen a diagonal, or at least I don’t remember if I have. Where in NYC are they? I don’t remember ever coming across one, but I see the usefulness if there is a 4-walk. Some intersections are almost impossible to be safe if any traffic is moving, but most times, smaller intersections, all 4 ways are not stopped for crossing. Most of the country is not populated like northeastern cities. Very often people are using judgement, not walk signs, to get across a street, even if it’s jaywalking.

I don’t think all crosswalks are perfectly aligned along the cardinal axis.

Do you mean to ask if it’s okay to cross diagonally?

@JLeslie – no no no. In downtown Denver there used to be plenty of 4-red-light intersections,l and diagonal walking was encouraged and even lined. Other cities do it too.

It’s called Pedestrian Scramble see link

^^My guess is Denver is very populated like cities in the northeast and LV.

I understand the concept. Like I said it makes sense.

I’ve seen it in West Seattle (not exactly a very highly populated area). (Oh, the wild abandon of not walking only between two lines, in an intersection where cars go!)

Do not walk in a way that could get you hit by a car. Do not walk unless you 100% sure the driver is aware of you being there. If you are not sure walk behind the car.

Like I said, @JLeslie, my little city in CT (pop 50,000) has it too. It’s more efficient, and even if it’s not painted, it is encouraged.
And I don’t remember which intersections in NYC, I didn’t anticipate this conversation when I was there last time.

@canidmajor. Ok.

Diagonal crossing (or asI prefer to day, “catty-corner crossing”) is common in towns large and small. It is on every intersection on Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco. And it has been adopted in Walnut Creek CA as a way of expediting traffic in a part of downtown where cars make a lot of turns.

It helps in places where cars turn a lot, because pedestrians going on the same green as cars means that traffic has to wait for the pedestrians to clear for the cars to move.

So, I just skimmed through the Wikipedia page and it mentions that Denver had a lot, but some where removed.

It cites the few corners in NYC that have them.

It says that there is concern that people will go against the light, because the wait to be able to cross is a longer wait with a scramble.

It mentions that it’s usually put in at intersections that have heavy pedestrian traffic. It actually mentioned some in DC when I lived in the metro area, I don’t remember coming across one.

Also, in NYC they mentioned a mid-street crossing at Union Square, that I use all the time. Typically, pedestrians are supposed to cross at corners, but there are pedestrian crossings all over America not at corners.

I personally wouldn’t do a diagonal cross unless it was marked for pedestrians (I assume these intersections are marked for pedestrians?) or if I had an entire crowd of people around me doing it. I just wouldn’t think to do it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedestrian_scramble

Can someone change the misspelling of “pedestrian” in the OP?

I’ve never seen a diagonal here. Either the N-S pedestrian traffic goes, or the E-W pedestrian traffic goes, in tandem with the car traffic. I have never seen a situation where all pedestrians go at once.

I think some of you were thinking of 4 way stop, but I’m talking about 4 way walk traffic light.

So,diagonal crossing is said to be less safe (I don’t know by how much) than crossing one direction at a time. Where it’s legal and where it’s not I don’t know.

Actually, diagonal crossing is safer, @flo, when all the traffic is stopped, because it is less distance and less time than crossing two streets during the one designated time period.

I’ll go with it’s less safe.

Go how you like. But being caught in the middle of the street because because you were afraid to go on the diagonal, seems a bit fraught.

Just curious, those of you who are very familiar with 4-way stopped traffic for pedestrians, is the intersection also no right on red for the car traffic? I’ve been at intersections where all traffic is stopped for pedestrians, but I don’t remember this detail. The most dangerous part of crossing a large intersection in my opinion is cars making right who don’t see the pedestrian as they round the corner for a right turn.

In my town, at those crosswalks, there is no right on red.

Well, in my town the traffic is never stopped all 4 ways. And I’m talking about lights @JLeslie. And we can turn right on red. But I also live in a small farming community. Hell, a lot of people start crossing main street (4 lanes) from where ever they happen to be, and people will stop for them. Even me.