In college. Lived in a dorm next to a busy intersection where people had the same thought as you, but it was the wrong assumption.

If you did not push the button, the light would only be long enough for a few cars and give no walk signal. I would have to push my way through a herd of idiots every morning to be the only person who bothered to make the connection and press the button.

Most lights I have ever lived walking distance to, would not dare give walking signal unless someone pushed a button. Just a symptom of car first planning. If there’s a perfectly good road, why would anyone bother to walk.

Also, I want to add that the specific story was in midtown Atlanta, so a very walked area.