You know people are just putting their hand up to acknowledge/thank you for stopping, right?

I don't know you and I have no idea what you see or what your intention is -- the fact that you want to "floor it" just shows that you're an angry piece of shit.

I came here to say what number 3 said. It's a thank you, silly bean.

Dear Portlanders, please ignore this incredibly ignorant post. First off, you're supposed to go to a designated crosswalk. Then you raise your hand to indicate to oncoming drivers that you wish to cross and wait till they slow down and stop. Sometimes it takes a minute or two, but one thing for certain is you can't "man up" and have eye contact with someone who is often distracted by other things, or who may sitting high up in a truck. You raise your hand precisely because it's a way to be seen. Anyone who reads this garbage could get killed if they are pedestrian or arrested for vehicular manslaughter if they're a driver. Really, whoever wrote this, please move to a place where no people exist, as your desire to "floor it," even in jest, indicates you actually have no idea what you're talking about.

The prior comment is ok, except for the BS about the "designated crosswalkd". Every intersection in Portland is a designated crosswalk, like it or not.

Since 2011 Oregon Law has stated that if any part of a person is extended into the crosswalk drivers must stop for them to cross, this includes unmarked crosswalks i.e. every intersection in Oregon. Sticking your hand up is an acceptable method of communicating to a driver that you want to cross without having to actually walk out in front of a car that may not stop due to driver inattention. Maybe chill out a bit and just follow the law instead of threatening people who are trying to legally and safely cross the street.