Interesting piece on BBC today http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26073797
...much in comon with more recent encouragement of cycle helmets, perhaps?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
Jaywalking - whose idea was it?
(12 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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This wouldn't be the same auto industry that almost signle-handedly destroyed the municipal public transport systems in most US cities, would it?
Posted 10 years ago # -
When I visited Toronto for the first time I was thrown by drivers actually stopping when pedestrians approached the kerb, and this happened everywhere. It was very pleasant.
Posted 10 years ago # -
@stickman - do you mean cars stopped whenever a pedestrian approached the road, at any point, not just at a crossing.
Seems a bit - odd?
Posted 10 years ago # -
Happens a lot in rural canada, where there are relatively few pedestrians. Somewhat surprised to hear also in Toronto.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Ah, a bit like the strange custom (when I was there 10 yrs ago) in NZ of slowing down and giving way to cars turning right across your path - largely died out in urban centres like Auckland, presumably due to confusion / crashes !
Posted 10 years ago # -
Exactly. Used to drive my dad mad. I now rAther like it - old fashioned courtesy to pedestrians.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Nelly - yes, that was exactly it. Approach the kerb to cross anywhere and the cars would stop.
SRD - I was surprised too. We'd been in Boston the week before and so were used to the jaywalking laws. The first time our Canadian friends went to cross I actually went to pull them back. This was in Burlington, just outside Toronto, but it was pretty much the same in Toronto itself.
Now I think about it, this was about 15 years ago so things may have changed since then.
My wife and I still talk about it though whenever we find it difficult to cross a busy road.
Posted 10 years ago # -
the only thing to remember is (as someone explain here before) that jaywalking only applies to crossing 'between signalized junctions'. so in suburbs or small towns, crossing the road where-ever you want may not be jaywalking, unless there's a signal at the end of your block.
Posted 10 years ago # -
I was once stopped by the police in New Jersey for jaywalking (I was running for a bus and dashed across the road against the light when there was no traffic - he held me long enough to make damn sure I missed it). I was OUTRAGED - I couldn't believe it was actually illegal to cross the road in the land of the Free...
Posted 10 years ago # -
There's a good podcast on this over at
99% Invisible.Posted 10 years ago # -
‘I’m walking here!’: jaywalking legalized in New York City
New law, letting people cross street outside of crosswalk, ends racial disparities in enforcement, council member says
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/29/new-york-jaywalking-legal
Posted 1 month ago #
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