Nah dont worry. Youre not being a pain....yet 
j/k 
If you hit the button without a route plotted, it will just bring up the list. If you hit the button WITH a route plotted, the woman will say "There is no traffic information on your route", then on the screen it will ask you if you would like to see a list of incidents close to your route (with a yes or no option on the screen).
Its not a perfect service, but it has definitely helped me drive from NYC to FLA