And if you can't make eye contact because the driver's eyes don't happen to be pointed in your direction? Just stand there like an idiot in front of the crosswalk until the light turns red?

Sorry, I just get a little frustrated with that little bit of wisdom because it's so seldom possible to follow it. For instance, if I'm on a crosswalk and someone is waiting to make a right turn to turn across the crosswalk on  a green light, our eyes are just not going to meet, ever.

At a certain point, you do have to place some degree of trust in others to follow the rules of the road, otherwise you ain't going anywhere.