Puff, puff...

Old people find it difficult to get across the road at a pelican crossing in the time allowed, it seems. So pelican crossings are being phased out in favour of puffin crossings.  These are crossings which are controlled by the traditional traffic light sequence, rather than the flashing amber of the pelican, and are regulated by being connected to a CCTV camera and a computer.  So the theory is that the lights will not change from red to green so long as there are still people on the crossing, and equally they will not change to red unless there is someone waiting to cross. Sounds very sensible - but in my experience, they don't work like that.  There's one I come across regularly when I go shopping, and it will change to red even though there's nobody in sight, and then stay on red for about 15 seconds. Don't know whether it's faulty, but it's a right pain!