Which country and town am I in, and what are the cars doing on what sort of street?
Mainly I look to see if there are any vehicles in position to be a danger, and what their drivers seem to be aware of and up to. Usually if I’m in the street I’ve already been doing that, the situation hasn’t seemed dangerous so far, and depending on the rules and driving culture, I’m probably going to keep walking, or speeding up and continuing to cross, unless I’m with someone who turns back, in which case I try to stay with them and help them.
You’re not an American or Canadian, so why are you asking about fate? I thought most or all Europeans had awareness and skills regarding crossing streets with respect to what the drivers are actually doing, not so much with regard to the signals?
That’s certainly what I learned to do in cities in Italy, France, Holland, Belgium, Scandinavia, etc., and even the UK. I don’t remember Germany being especially different, but it’s been a while.
In the US though the drivers and pedestrians tend to be less conscious and aware and more reliant on rules, and more susceptible to upset or even panic and random behavior if someone does something wild like jaywalking.