How to use the online timer
Waiting at the kerb for the green signal can make forty seconds feel unexpectedly long, especially when you are standing still while traffic streams past. The countdown gives the pause a clear end without encouraging you to step out early. Let the signal, rather than an impatient driver or another pedestrian, decide when the crossing begins.
While you watch the lights, a phone may dim or lock before the countdown finishes. The timer can continue behind the dark screen, but its ending may be easy to miss if the sound is muted or the handset is buried in a pocket. Keeping it where the alert can be heard lets you remain focused on the pedestrian signal instead of repeatedly waking the display.
Standing beside a British road in hot weather can feel more tiring than the brief wait suggests, particularly where there is little shade. Use the pause to stay back from the kerb and watch for the green figure, since glare can make the display harder to read. If the traffic-light sequence runs longer than the timer, remain where you are; the road signal controls the safe moment to cross.
Common questions
Why might the pedestrian signal stay red after the countdown ends?
Traffic-light phases vary with the junction, traffic flow and requests from other crossings. Wait for the green figure even when the set interval has finished.
What if the green figure appears before the countdown finishes?
The lights may change sooner during a quieter traffic phase. Cross only if the signal permits and there is enough time to complete the crossing safely.
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