Why do people j-walk?
By firecracker
@sacmom (14192)
United States
March 3, 2007 11:28am CST
I have seen a lot of near misses lately when it comes to j-walking. Just yesterday I saw a man j-walking (he was actually on his bicycle) just about get creamed on the road. I have even seen idiotic pedestrians that cross the crosswalk against traffic. Once I saw two kids almost get hit by a car and another time a man because of this. Both times the drivers had to slam on their brakes. And this was in the day time! About a year ago a woman died just down the road from me because she was j-walking. She was apparently running across the street, tripped, and fell. One car that was closest to her, saw her, swerved and was able to miss her. Unfortunately the driver behind the first car didn't see the lady and ran over her, killing her. I believe this was also in the daytime. I also knew a guy in high school that died on Halloween due to j-walking. Only difference with him was that it happened at night. So why do people j-walk in the first place? Is it to get to the other side quicker, or do they have a death wish, or heck, maybe both? What are your thoughts on j-walkers?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Aug 08
hi sacmom I hate to see people j walking as its just so stupid.
I live in an apt. complex on a very busy main street and I see idiots every day dodging cars and am so afraid one day I will see one of them get hit. the traffic here is just dreadful and sometimes the j walker has to wait for long minutes between lanes before he or she can get across. what if this person slips or moves out into a lane where a car is coming and the driver
cannot stop. I cannot do this, I will walk to a traffic light and then go accross on the ped. light. j walking is so stupid its not even funny.
1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
29 Aug 08
It is very stupid. I also worry about seeing this as well. So many people would rather risk walking illegally across the road just to get to the other side a little quicker. It only takes one time for a car to hit one of these pedestrians for them to become a human pancake on the road.
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I j walk all the time. J walking doesn't necessarily mean you are running in front of cars, which is dumb, but I do it to cross at an opportune time and to cross at a more convenient location.
I don't run in front of cars, I just don't use crosswalks all the time
1 person likes this
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
17 Aug 08
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1656632.aspx
Hello - if you are also in the Sacramento County area, not all the motor vehicle operators are angels - many times I tried to cross Zifendel Drive and White Rock as well and absolutely no one would let me pass.
and Rancho Cordova is striving to be the pedestrian friendly "City of the Future" --
They need to look in their own back yard what kind of animals they are harboring ...
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
17 Aug 08
True, but the same can be said about pedestrians. Some don't even have the common sense to look before they cross. They just assume cars will see them and stop, which makes it a bad mix here, or anywhere else for that matter.
But back to drivers. A few weeks ago I was getting ready to make a right turn. As the light was getting ready to turn green at any moment I decided to wait as there were pedestrians (a man and a child) getting ready to cross in the same direction. Although I didn't wait for them until they were safely across to the other side to make my turn, I did wait until they were just about half way and I stayed far right so that I could avoid them. I guess the driver behind me did not like this because right after I made my turn he or she made their turn (I had heard them peel out so I looked in my rearview mirror). They barely missed these two pedestrians! Apparently as they made their turn they went into the left lane so they could pass me (I guess they thought I was driving like an old lady). They could have killed those 2 people. Talk about nuts!
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
19 Aug 08
I concede on this point, there are a lot of pedestrians who do not follow the law, doing as you described. And you acknowledged that there are drivers who are just as bad. I definitely agree on this point, based on my experience. So what can we do?
Let me meditate a bit ...
1 person likes this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
3 Mar 07
I am not going to admit that I am actually a j-walker. And you are not going to torture that out of me either. :P
People jaywalk because of the convenience. Sometimes, even if the pedestrian crossing is just a couple of steps away, the tendency is to just dash across since it is quite unlikely that anything untoward will happen.
When anyone jaywalk, I think it is safe (I remain hopeful) to assume that he will check thoroughly enough for traffic being risking his life.
