Jaywalking: How It Became Illegal To Cross The Street - Cheddar Explains

We all cross the street; but most of us do it illegally. The story of jaywalking began a hundred years ago. The battle for whom the streets belonged was waged, and pedestrians lost. But how did such a common practice become outlawed–and why?

Further Reading:

“Street Rivals: Jaywalking and the Invention of the Motor Age Street” by Peter Norton

BBC News

Vox

YouGovAmerica

Streetsblog NYC

The Pitch

QNS

HathiTrust

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[rogink]

I'm a Brit in my late 50s and had always assumed 'jaywalking' was a made up 'offence'. If it's safe enough to cross the street, cross it. It's only in the past couple of years I've watched Youtube videos about USA telling me it's a real thing. And amazingly they even have enough cops to police it!

[midway]

Good video, Not Just Bikes takes a dive into this as well with a video on crossing the street being deadly when it shouldn’t be. I was actually tapped by a car who had just dropped off a kid at school while I was in the crosswalk. You almost have to stare the drivers down when you want to cross at a crosswalk.

[specialopsdave]

It would make sense if they had specific signs for specific locations telling you to that a certain spot is dangerous to cross at, since you can't eliminate them all, while allowing crossing everywhere else. That way, instead of it being illegal unless otherwise posted, it becomes legal unless otherwise posted.

[trulsdirio]

Pedestrian safety? More like car dependency and favoritism.

[terrylambert]

If jaywalking is unsafe, why do they allow right turns on red?

[perpetualgrimace]

"78 of Americans" admitted to jaywalking...I would have thought the number would be much higher 😂

Edit: note I wrote "78 of Amercians" like she said out loud, not "78 PERCENT of Americans" like she meant, that's the joke

[FalconsEye]

No country fell victim to the automobile like America, its become so entrenched it'll be impossible to restore

[cnnpp]

Simple The automotive industry should pay for what they do and did

[Nicholas-f]

Car companies coined the term to corral pedestrians so cars could speed through cities.

[Sinaeb]

TL:DW
Car lobbyists wanted to make car more attractive

[YearRoundHibernater]

I never understood why they made it an offense to cross the road except for at the end of a road at a junction. In the middle of a road a pedestrian only has to look in 2 directions, 1 direction at a time in order to see oncoming traffic that might be a danger to them, But at a junction you have to start looking in 3 or 4 directions, constantly as you cross to be even somewhat aware of where cars are coming from. It's like the purposefully designed it to endanger more people.

[leovomend]

every video about what or how something "works" in america just makes me know how much of a dystopia it really is

[taquitolayton]

3:27 "78 of americans admit to jaywalking" guess 99.9% are liars

[BLURTHEGHOST]

I'm a serial jaywalker, and have yet to be caught😈🤫

[mikmook]

We don't call it jaywalking in the UK, we call it "crossing the street". It's pretty weird that this is a crime. People can't be trusted to cross the street, but they can apparently be trusted to own guns. Strange priorities there.

[cocacolazero_]

as a someone who lives in the UK, i do this every day lol

[ntatenarin]

I think it's kinda cool that's how the Dodgers got their name.

[vice.nor.virtue]

Wow I knew Jay-Walking had some pretty racist stats surrounding it but I didn't realised it was that bad.

[Killrballoon]

Kinda weird that in the stock images show you displayed a UK crossing even though Jaywalking has never been illegal here. Naturally you can’t wander out onto a motorway but on regular roads pedestrians officially have right-of-way unless they’re making a public nuisance of themselves.

[davidkoenig]

Lord... NYC was made for jaywalking. Much of the time, especially during early hours of the morning, there is no cars at all. Hell, I have been able to stand in the middle of the streets to take photos of the buildings. If anyone gets ticketed for jaywalking, it is just revenue collecting for sure.