Jay Walking (time for U.S laws ?)

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SteCenturion

I am your Father
O.k, to avoid any confusion, I would prefer this to be an open, light hearted debate & recognise that everyone will have an opinion valid to themselves.

Soon as it turns ugly (hopefully not) I'm outta here.

My view follows.
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
Time for US laws?

No.

Time for the faster and heavier to stop abdicating their responsibility to use the road with due care and attention?

Yes.

Now the lighthearted bit;

LOOK, A BADGER IN A CAPE.
 

Fubar

Guru
I'm not even sure I know what the actual US law is, maybe just a vague idea of it - but no, I don't think it is time for it without major infrastructure changes (impossible in most cities) and I would agree with @John the Monkey that it would give motorists even more belief that the roads are solely for their use. I say this as a regular driver/cyclist/pedestrian.

Oh yeah: :o)
 
OP
OP
SteCenturion

SteCenturion

I am your Father
On a daily basis I see women pushing prams full length down the centre of Bus Station bus lanes, as if they own the road.
I also cyclists riding up & down them & through the stands etc.

I see pedestrians walk deliberately at vehicles to cross the road, even when there is a pedestrian crossing 5 or 15 yards away & lights for traffic are green.

I see baby buggies hanging over kerb edges or pushed into the road as if said buggy is a forcefield with which to stop traffic, again quite often only a very short walk to a safe crossing point.

For fear of retribution I will not say how I see so many of this type of pedestrian craziness but can assure you that I do more often than most.

In the USA & Germany also (i am told) there are jay walking laws to protect motorists or cyclist etc from such fools & just wondered what the opinions of CC members might be.

Do these laws work ? Are they a deterrent to pedestrians ?

I don't know of any figures/facts but would think a great many accidents are caused by such people, where motorists or cyclist might have to take evasive actions & then be involved as a result, maybe with pedestrian getting away scot free.

These are my opinions, I don't seek validation or approval for them & remain (to a degree) open minded.

Thanks for any opinions posted back.
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
My daughter spent one of her Uni years in Germany and there they have rigid adherence to the traffic signals. She remarked how strange it was when she was retuning to her flat in the early hours of the morning and her friends would all stop at the pedestrian crossing, waiting for it to turn green, even though there was no traffic in sight for miles!
 

Turbo Rider

Just can't reMember
if-a-man-says-youre-ugly.jpg


And no...I'd be arrested every day. Selfish. Ho hum.
 

John the Monkey

Frivolous Cyclist
Location
Crewe
The thing is, you're supposed to avoid them. Drive at a speed where you can stop, cycle far out enough (or slow enough) that someone stepping off the kerb isn't a problem. I was taught it when I learnt to drive and everything.

Lighthearted:
LOOK, THE BADGER IS NOW FLYING A BLIMP, AND WEARING A JAUNTY TRILBY.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
Absolutely f*&£ing not !

The whole hierarchy of might in the UK is cars, then much lower down - cycles, then right at the bottom pedestrians.
Any law saying ped's will get busted for crossing the road in the wrong place is just nuts.

We need to turn it round with "presumed liability", whereby those in charge of dangerous machinery such as cars and trucks are presumed to be at fault in the event of an accident, unless they can justify otherwise. Likewise cycles hitting pedestrians (anecdotally at least, by RLJ'ing, pavement cycling and cycling across Zebras - which we've all seen).

To further add the insult of busting pedestrians for having the temerity to cross the road - ffs !

Anyhow, rant over

EDIT - light hearted response - we should campaign for pedestrian insurance, and compulsory training and licencing. They should also carry a registration number to check for misdemeanours. And anyway, they don't pay any effin' pavement tax either
 
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