In praise of... jaywalking

[BrynCP]

I've spent 3 weeks in Germany this year and found their green man compliance amazing. 2AM, roads literally empty, and they were still stood waiting for the green man. The first time you forget to comply and you get that look as though you just murdered a puppy, you don't do it again

However, they also complied very well with the shared used cycle paths which were pretty much everywhere in Munich; pedestrians stuck to their side and cyclists stayed on their side.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I spent a week with a Danish family in CPH and got the feeling that the Danes don't agree with anything the English do.

Can't say I have noticed that. but they sure do find David Cameron's hair funny.

 

[Cuchilo]

You cross in Germany when you are not supposed to and other pedestrians will tell you off, especially if they have kids with them.

Where I live the kids tell you off . They also tell you off if you don't "ding your bell "

 

[Trickedem]

You cross in Germany when you are not supposed to and other pedestrians will tell you off, especially if they have kids with them.

I remember the same thing happening when I lived in Germany about 30 years ago. I committed an even more heinous crime because I was pushing my son in the pushchair. I still remember the collective tutting and disapproving comments.
On the other hand if there was a runaway oiltanker with flames coming out of it bearing down on a crossing, I swear they would all cross like lemmings if they had a green man.

 

[MiK1138]

You cross in Germany when you are not supposed to and other pedestrians will tell you off, especially if they have kids with them.

I agree with the waiting for the green man if i am with my kid or there are kids about, shame kids dont have Darth Vader teaching them how to cross the Road

 

[SD1]

Fewer things boil my wee faster than seeing people being penned in like cattle so that they don't get in the way of the traffic. Back me up here @theclaud, it is so blinking rude and uncivilised!

At lunchtime I got let off a fine, on account of my being a visitor, for crossing on a red man in such a cattle pen, right outside the office, when there was not a single vehicle or bicycle in sight. I got a lecture on road safety from a Danish police officer who, I'll admit had very cute freckles and lovely laughter lines around the eyes, and a very fetching Heckler & Koch belt accessory. So I just nodded and agreed with every word.

Should the red man be mandatory or should people on foot be allowed to cross the road when and where they like?

I had a problem with this in Manchester. There was an extraordinarily long gap between the little man turning red and traffic moving off. Could have crossed a couple of times while waiting. Very annoying on the other hand I was in no hurry so why was I bothered?

 

[jefmcg]

even if it is a hateful US import of a phrase

It should be a hateful word in US too.

Do people know the origins the word "jaywalk"? It is, very literally, from a conspiracy of car manufacturers.

It was originally coined from the word jay, indicating a country bumpkin. So that jaywalk is only something a rube would do; sophisticates stick to the sidewalk**

People started to look at legislation to make road safety the responsibility of cars, as the roads were public spaces for all people to use. Of course, this messed up with car dealers USP - what's the point of a car if you have to travel at walking speed? - so they started campaigning to make the roads for cars only, using boy scouts to spread the message. Now the government does the work for them in most countries, with people enforcing the primacy of the car.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26073797

**if there is one: they are very rare in the US outside city centres.

 

[theclaud]

Fewer things boil my wee faster than seeing people being penned in like cattle so that they don't get in the way of the traffic. Back me up here @theclaud, it is so blinking rude and uncivilised!

With you all the way. It was the only thing I didn't like about Sweden. Other than the price of booze and the difficulty in buying it, and a strange breakfast habit of squirting pink fish paste into hard-boiled eggs. I blame the Reformation.

 

[theclaud]

It should be a hateful word in US too.

Do people know the origins the word "jaywalk"? It is, very literally, from a conspiracy of car manufacturers.

It was originally coined from the word jay, indicating a country bumpkin. So that jaywalk is only something a rube would do; sophisticates stick to the sidewalk**

People started to look at legislation to make road safety the responsibility of cars, as the roads were public spaces for all people to use. Of course, this messed up with car dealers USP - what's the point of a car if you have to travel at walking speed? - so they started campaigning to make the roads for cars only, using boy scouts to spread the message. Now the government does the work for them in most countries, with people enforcing the primacy of the car.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26073797

**if there is one: they are very rare in the US outside city centres.

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[RedRider]

Fewer things boil my wee faster than seeing people being penned in like cattle so that they don't get in the way of the traffic. Back me up here @theclaud, it is so blinking rude and uncivilised!

At lunchtime I got let off a fine, on account of my being a visitor, for crossing on a red man in such a cattle pen, right outside the office, when there was not a single vehicle or bicycle in sight. I got a lecture on road safety from a Danish police officer who, I'll admit had very cute freckles and lovely laughter lines around the eyes, and a very fetching Heckler & Koch belt accessory. So I just nodded and agreed with every word.

Should the red man be mandatory or should people on foot be allowed to cross the road when and where they like?

Completely agree and prob would've reacted the same way to the freckled police officer. An internet search throws up a number of results on 'history of jaywalking' including this BBC article...

"The idea of being fined for crossing the road at the wrong place can bemuse foreign visitors to the US, where the origins of so-called jaywalking lie in a propaganda campaign by the motor industry in the 1920s."


It's the bastard car lobby again, asserting motoring interests above civilisation again.

Edit: see @jefmcg post above.

 

[theclaud]

Completely agree and prob would've reacted the same way to the freckled police officer. An internet search throws up a number of results on 'history of jaywalking' including this BBC article...

"The idea of being fined for crossing the road at the wrong place can bemuse foreign visitors to the US, where the origins of so-called jaywalking lie in a propaganda campaign by the motor industry in the 1920s."


It's the bastard car lobby again, asserting motoring interests above civilisation again.

TMN to @jefmcg!

 

[RedRider]

TMN to @jefmcg!

I just admitted as much in an edit...do I get a TMN now as well?

 

[theclaud]

I just admitted as much in an edit...do I get a TMN now as well?

Oooh. I'm not sure I have the authority to pronounce on that one.

 

[RedRider]

Oooh. I'm not sure I have the authority to pronounce on that one.

It's an arcane point to be sure so I'll withdraw my claim graciously

 

[Bazzer]

You cross in Germany when you are not supposed to and other pedestrians will tell you off, especially if they have kids with them.

Yup, also saw the reverse first hand. Wife and I were in Koblenz waiting with other pedestrains for the green man.with other pedestrians. The sign illuminated, but before the mass of people moved, a cyclist came through RLJ ing. Suddenly a big German arm came out and belted the cyclist on the head, as he passed in front of the pedestrians on our side. None of the pedestrians showed any concern towards the cyclist or remonstrated the guy who hit the cyclist. The murmurs seemed to be he got what deserved.