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Maybe it's specific to a certain area/region of the US, but here in at least a few places in the pacific NW all three of those things work (ped lights enabled by pushing ped button, elevator doors do close, and the office temp control works).

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Not true. The article specifically mentions Seattle having non-functional pedestrian buttons, and I've encountered many myself around the city. In fact, I think the Seattle Times ran a story on it a while back.

edit: found it - https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/do-...

Seattle is in the PNW, but Seattle is not the PNW.

True, but your original assertion (without the "in at least a few places" edit) was misleading.

Seattle buttons do something. If you press and hold, they announce the intersection name, and when the walk sign is on, they tell you which street you're crossing. I haven't been in the city outside of peak times, but they may affect cycle timing when there is little traffic, and it makes sense to run a more adaptive schedule (but then again, there might not be such a time)

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