h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What about the beep, beep signals which gave rise to the hilarious Not The Nine O'Clock News sketch.
When the green man lights up the Pelican crossing starts to "beep ... beep ... beep ... beep" ... in the sketch, someone's digital watch alarm goes off and a blind man walks into the road only to be hit by a car!

Tasteful.

The beeping noises in Torquay are the best I've heard. They go boopboopboopboopbooooooop with the latter, longer 'boop' raising in pitch at the end. It raises a smile on many a toursit. It can even be used as a diagnostic tool to spot a grockle, though this is usually unecessary.

A great fact: Torquay is invaded by thousands of foriegn language students every summer, they clog up every public service and street. When asked at the end of their visit the one thing they remembered most about Torquay, they all chorused 'boopboopboopboopboooooooop'

Fortunately now defunct, there was one in Leeds that said "Caution, two way traffic" every five seconds. This was because it was mainly one-way, but had a contraflow bus lane.

A green man wearing only a towel crosses the road. He drops the towel, and while stooping to pick it up he gets run over. Moral of the story: Don't cross the road when the green man is flashing.

I remember that joke from my childhood, I've probably not told it very well, but I'm sure you get the gist of it.

You must have been fairly close as it still elicited a groan.

The beeping noise no longer exists on many of these crossings, it has been replaced with a small metal cone on the left underside of the button box which revolves during the crossing period.

Some have both.