We just came back from a holiday in northern Cyprus and they had these controlling the car traffic too. At first we were amused by the novelty of them too. But it didn't take long before we began to find it frustrating sitting there in our hire car watching the countdown every time we got caught at a red light. I remember thinking to myself, a watched pot never boils as it seemed the countdown in seconds didn't ever match up with seconds in real life. I also remember, ashamedly, speeding up towards them on approach when i saw the green countdown at the 4/3 second mark just to avoid the 60 second wait at the red light I knew we'd have to endure. As much as it's good for them to remind you of how much/long you have to wait and therefore something to look forward to, I couldn't help but sit there and be reminded of how much/long I have already waited and more so the time I have wasted. Without the timer I was oblivious and unawares and ergo happier. As you can tell, I had a lot of time on my hands to think about this this!

I played in the first game of our football season yesterday morning and saw something that reminded me of your post and how I also have this 'disease'. This year we've been supplied a new kit and Im a right back and normally get given the number 4 shirt but to my horror when the manager handed me the shirt the number 4 on the back was both not horizontal and completely off centre! Clearly it was only me that picked up on the fact that it was so off centre that I felt like i'd have to run with a lean or add a 0 to the left to compensate for it, nobody else even batted an eyelid! Problem is, it bothered me so much so that I had to ask for another shirt.... so now i'm playing in #25!