At 08:32 it still felt like a quick crossing.
The junction is simple on paper. One road across, then another a few metres on. Two sets of lights. Straight lines.
Three people were already there. Not at the kerb. A step back, where the shadow from the corner building still held.
The first light was red. No traffic coming through.
No one moved.
When the green man came on, it was already halfway through its cycle. No countdown. Just the shape. Two people stepped forward quickly. The third waited a moment, then followed.
Across the first section, then a short pause in the middle. Painted lines and a shallow dip in the road.
The second light was already red again.
No one crossed.
There was a gap. Nothing coming from the left. Nothing from the right. One person leaned forward, then stepped back.
At 08:34 a cyclist rolled through without stopping.
Everyone else stayed behind the line.
The sun hadn’t reached the corner yet, so the group shifted back a step together. Not planned. Just enough to stay in the shade.
When the second green came, people moved faster this time. No pause in the middle.
On the far side, no one stopped. Everyone carried on at the same pace they had before reaching the junction.
Behind them, two more people arrived and stopped in the same place. Not at the kerb. Just back from it, in the last strip of shade.
From the corner to the opposite pavement is about ten metres.
It takes less than ten seconds to walk it when nothing interrupts.
This time it took just over four minutes.
No one crossed early.
No one stood at the kerb until the light had already changed.