The San Francisco-based motor club is giving pedestrian signals a technological boost. Ped man is the more straightforward of the two partners. Dressed in white, he leans into the crosswalk with knee bent and elbow jauntily cocked. He's a go-getter. Don't forget to look both ways.
Hand shows up after ped man disappears.
His message is fuzzier. Always red, the five-fingered icon begins by flashing. When hand appears, the devices let pedestrians know how many seconds are left until the light turns red. The association must complete a study for Caltrans showing that safety has improved and that people understand the time clocks before they can become permanent. Banks isn't worried.