It was twilight when we entered Botticelli's in Central City, so when we came out, I was quite surprised to find

lights still on all the downtown trees. It was unseasonably warm, with no snow (although that changed two weeks later), yet the lights still managed to give the downtown a holiday atmosphere.

Now, I need to apologize for the blurred photo above. I really, really wanted a picture of the wife's SUV as they drove past me down the street (parking was difficult, so I got booted out to take my tree pictures, whilst she, eldest son and her godson circled the block). But I got a little concerned about the traffic bearing down from behind me, and didn't hold as still as I should.

I also didn't get another photo that I really wanted.

You see, like many progressive communities, Central City has replaced a lot of their old glass bulb street lights with LEDs. And they have followed the trend by also replacing their pedestrian walk lights. But theirs are a little different. At least new to me.

They have a countdown clock besides the international symbols for Walk and Don't Walk.

Big, LED-lit numbers that count down from nine seconds to one, before the light changes.

Does anybody else have these?

I mean, I can see these as a safety feature, letting folks know how much time they have before the light changes. But in truth, pedestrians have the right-of-way, and in this city, I suspect they get it, regardless what the street light says.

What I want to know is, do the countdown lights increase accidents and near misses?

I mean, I can see kids standing there on the corner, daring each other to not dash across until the count is down to three, or even two. Maybe even one.

Heck, I know I would.

Not to mention all the cross-traffic drivers that can sit there and watch the countdown until their light turns green. Getting that half-second jump on everybody else as they anticipate their right to claim the intersection.

I don't know. I would like to talk to someone in the Central City street department, just to see what their accident rates have done since they installed those countdown lights.