Jaywalkers...don't cry if you get hit.

@missybear (11391)
United States
January 22, 2012 10:02am CST
There has been quite a few Jaywalking accidents here in Vegas lately and as a result of that quite a few death too. I just seen this old man getting of the bus and jaywalking right in front of the bus when there is a light just a couple feet away. Is it really that hard to cross at the light instead of taking the chance of getting hit by a car and get hurt or be killed. I understand if there is no light and you have to cross somewhere but at least look both ways like your parents taught you. Is there a lot of jaywalking where you live?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
27 Jan 12
Yes, there are...unfortunately. I've seen too many close calls too many times, although not so much lately. As a driver I've almost hit some of them as well. Some of these people just run across in front of moving traffic, like the cars are going to stop for them. One guy even ran across the street in of me...at night! It was like he was playing chicken as he waited until the last second to cross. I don't know how I was able to avoid him, but I did. Needless to say, it was very frustrating, not to mention scary. He might of been an idiot, but I for one didn't want to hit him with my car. Okay, so there are those that use crosswalks. But that doesn't mean that they use them correctly. For instance, I saw a guy jog across one once...against traffic. The light had been red for him, but he crossed anyway. And here it was at a busy intersection! I can understand that pedestrians want to get to the other side of the street, but come on! To cross against moving traffic is just asking to get hit. By the way, apparently some parents don't teach their children to look both ways. I know as I overheard a woman tell her kid (?) to just keep going...that cars will stop for them. Okay, so this was in a parking lot, but still. Just because they're in a parking lot doesn't mean that they're safe from moving cars, especially one as busy as that one.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
28 Jan 12
I've seen the same thing.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
28 Jan 12
I seen some cars moving through a parking lot like it's a race track.
1 person likes this
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
24 Jan 12
I haven't seen a lot of jaywalking in our area. But, I have seen this happening over the years more and more. I think some people don't want to cross at the crosswalk, because they don't want to wait for the stop and go lights. Which is ridiculous, it doesn't take that long. You would think that some would think life would be more important.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
25 Jan 12
I do
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Jan 12
Right! Me too!
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
23 Jan 12
Yes definitely. In major cities though, people are forced to use the skywalk being installed because vehicles run at "light" speed and the only ones that got hit are either stupid or really stubborn. In our province where traffic rules are barely strictly implemented, people cross at their own risk. What I hate most here in our place is when you use the pedestrian lane and yet cars never slow down to let you cross.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
23 Jan 12
I know what you mean, we have intersections that just have a crosswalk and no street light and it takes forever before a decides to stop and let you walk
@digidogo (444)
• Philippines
23 Jan 12
Uhm, sometimes jaywalking might be the most convenient way to cross the road so as I speak as one of the jaywalkers but I ALWAYS look at both sides whenever I cross even if it is there is a traffic light. You can never be too cautious, it may save your life. From where I am, jaywalking is very prominent. From busy to quiet roads, you will never fail to see a jaywalker and I am not proud of that even if I am one. Even I have made it a habit since I started to go with the flow. One thing our government did was to locate traffic officers at areas where most of this happen. It has been very successful both for traffic, drivers and the hospitals. If you would not abide by it or are rich, then get ready to pay the penalty fee or suffer a couple hours of lection on rules regarding traffic :)
@missybear (11391)
• United States
23 Jan 12
I used to do it years ago until I noticed more and more people being stopped in the road by cops and giving up to $200 fines so I haven't done it since...I do think about it at times when the light is kinda far away. But "Better save than sorry"
@digidogo (444)
• Philippines
23 Jan 12
You mean "better safe than sorry" :) That is the reason why I always put it in mind to look at both sides before I cross, that is still being safe. Also, I never cross the road if there is traffic on either side, I make sure that I have alot of space to run. I do not want to be in a situation where I would have to make the decision of going forward or back. I have been in a few and I always choose to go forward so I run like hell is chasing me. Haha.
@asliah (11137)
• Philippines
24 Sep 12
hi, yes,there are many jaywalkers here in my country but when the government implement an ordinance about jaywalking because of the accidents happen here the people who still do this were lessen and aside from that they will be punish or penalize.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
24 Sep 12
Here it's like a $200 fine
@Triple0 (1904)
• Australia
23 Jan 12
Oh yes there is a lot actually, very popular amongst the younger generation. I guess some young people these days think it's kinda cool to jaywalk across the road. When I take public transport I see a few people just walk across the road right in front of the bus and they're not people who just departed off the bus. I don't get why people can't use their common sense and just walk a bit more to the traffic lights. The bus driver had to beep a few people to tell them of for walking right in front of it when it was trying to drive away. If jaywalkers get hit, it's their fault, not the vehicles. At my school, a few boys would run across the road to "show off".
@missybear (11391)
• United States
23 Jan 12
Some people just don't care, especially teenagers
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
23 Jan 12
No..not alot of that here. Things are very spread out here and there is not a lot of walking. There is a city close by where there is some walking around the college campus but I haven't dealt with jaywalking muuch. When I was in Vegas..I saw a lot of it..LOL..I was too scared to do it though.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
23 Jan 12
Sometimes I think that the lights are to far and in between but it's still better than getting hit by a car or getting fined by the cops
• Philippines
22 Jan 12
we also have many in my country though some got hit but some drivers are too good to just let them cross the way, i've seen most of man thinking they are strong and courageous and strong enough though we really cant avoid those hard headed shells to do it as if they own the street.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
22 Jan 12
It's also about a $200 fine if the police catches you
@cearn25 (3456)
• Philippines
22 Jan 12
Jaywalking is very common in my place. People tend to ignore the traffic lights and just walk like there is nothing happen. They have their own traffic light. There are times that there will be traffic enforcers who watches people who do jaywalking. They will pay if they will be caught.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
22 Jan 12
same here and the fines are around $200 so I wouldn't take the chance unless there was no light close by
@yahnee (1243)
• Philippines
22 Jan 12
A few years ago, I learned my lesson not to jaywalk. I used to ignore this rule and cross anywhere I want to. Unfortunately, I got caught and had to pay the fine. The worse of it was the shame of being taken to the police headquarters for the offense. Fortunately, I had some money with me for the fine otherwise I would be given a penalty of community service. After the incident, I always followed the street regulations and have since avoided jaywalking because a second offense means a lot more in terms of penalty and fines.
@missybear (11391)
• United States
22 Jan 12
I can't say I've never ever done it but it's been years and after seeing people get stoped and fined I never done it since