Back in the 1910s, 1920s, the streets in American cities were a gigantic big old mess. You had pedestrians, horses and carriages, vendors, and street carts. It was a melting pot of everybody, which wasn’t great news for people trying to encourage the sale of cars. If you have a great big hunk of lethal metal careering down a street, you don’t want anything in its path.
The American automobile industry had a clever idea to clear their path. At the time, there was a derogatory word, “jay,” meaning somebody who was unsophisticated or naive, especially someone from the country. The automobile industry took that word and invented the term “jaywalker” to imply that anybody stepping into the street was stupid, an idiot, or an unsophisticated person who didn’t understand how cities work.
They created adverts to embed the idea that the pedestrian was the fool if they were the one crossing the road. They got schools and boy scouts involved, and used adverts everywhere to persuade people that the blame for accidents lay on the pedestrian, not the car. They essentially shamed people into leaving the streets to vehicles only.
As time went on, the narrative shifted from rural “idioticness” to illegality. Many American states began criminalizing the act of being a pedestrian in the street outside of a crosswalk. The cultural shift was complete, all because a manufactured word convinced everybody that walking was a crime.
By the way, in case any Americans don’t know, jaywalking is not illegal in Europe.
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jaywalking is not illegal in Europe
It’s illegal to walk on motorways in the UK. I suspect that’s true in other European countries too. But except for that, in UK cities and towns, a pedestrian can cross the street whenever it’s safe to do so. And the carnage that would result of the US did that doesn’t happen here. It’s just another case where Americans allow themselves to be micromanaged in ways that seem bizarre to the rest of the world.
In Italy it’s not illegal, but if you have a pedestrian crossing at less than 100m away and you don’t use it, police could give you a fine, but they rarely do it anyway, they just warn you or don’t even care.
The other day, I almost got hit while crossing in a crosswalk, while the walk sign was lighted and all cars were stopped at all way red. It was ok though, that’s just bmw priority rules (and no, she also didn’t signal before turning left to go through a red light)
probably illegal to walk on railways too?
We do have crosswalks in Europe, but they are more of a suggestion for pedestrians. Though a car driver is obligated to stop and give way for anyone trying to cross at a crosswalk or risks a fine if they don’t stop. Of course cars don’t have to give way to people crossing the “jaywalking” way.
Although there are places where the cars are second class citizens and everyone is more important than a car. Those places are bisically a pedestrian area where cars are allowed as humble guests.
They have to avoid running someone over, so in effect they have to give way. In the UK, a pedestrian wanting to cross the road at a turning has priority (right of way) over cars turning into the road, but most car owners either don’t know or don’t care, and rarely stop.
In my country (Cyprus) you’re technically supposed to use the crosswalks as a pedestrian (in classic Mediterranean fashion, no one really does, or rather doesnt care about that particular rule), but theres an order of priority for right-of-way that goes as such:
Pedestrian > Bicycle > Car/Truck
So even if not at a crosswalk, if a car or bicycle hits a pedestrian, its the car’s fault, pretty much automatically. Makes sense in terms of children playing in smaller streets in front of their homes.
@abbadon420 @Venat0r
In Germany and Spain (both countries with domestic auto industries - ahem auto-lobbyists :obey: ) jaywalking is illegal and you can get a fine, the Police (cunts) will fine you if you do it, and if someone ends up killing you, well, the Police favour the car drive (of course they do) and the worst Auto murders get is a 3 year driving ban. Germany is car-brained :(
#CarBrain #AutoLobbyismus #ThePoliceAreNotYourFriendsWhen did jaywalking become illegal in Germany???
I don’t think it is. Can you point me to the corresponding § in the StVO?I’ve never bothered reading your shitty law but cross the road in front of a cop and you’ll see.
You Germans are really the USians of Europe: god forbid anyone criticises the land of the Übermenschen
@47363 @abbadon420 @Venat0r
§ 7 (4) of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) makes crossing at a red light a fine, other parts suggest if you endanger traffic by not crossing near a designed crossing can be punishable.
Anecdotally, I have been stopped by police for cycling though a (cycle+pedestrian) crossing just after the lights changed. And I know of this happening to people walking as wellI have no idea what you’re referencing.
- § 7 StVO has nothing to do with pedestrians. (“Use of Lanes by Motor Vehicles”)
- § 7 StVG sounds more like it, but doesn’t have a (4).
- § 25 (3) StVO allows crossing the road.
I see you’re using a different interpretation of jaywalking from mine (crossing the street [almost] where ever you want).
@47363 @abbadon420 @Venat0r
The StVO makes crossing the street anywhere else when a designated crossing is nearby is technically a violation. Depending on how much work the “almost” where you want, means in your definition, it sounds similar. I’m not sure what your point is though.
Do you not think traffic regulations lean in favour of cars in Germany?If regulations (or the handling of violations) favour cars is a whole different question from whether jaywalking is illegal.
@47363 @abbadon420 @Venat0r
Ok, well if you want to be nitpicky. The regulation doesn’t define jaywalking, rather § 7 (4) makes it de facto the case, however it allows for crossing when there are no crossings nearby, which would mean it is not in all cases a violation.
That’s blatantly false
You must not live in Germany. Lucky you.
Can I forward you my fines as proof then? You’re welcome to pay them
No, drivers are required to stop to all pedestrians in any case, obviously.
The Dollop did a great episode about this:
Non-spotify link: https://art19.com/shows/dollop?q=159+-+Pedestrianism
Thank you, edited.
I was just linking it in case people don’t have Spotify since I looked it up anyway to listen to myself later 😊
