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> Jaywalking laws would have happened sooner or later. There are no jaywalking laws in the UK. So I don't think that's true.

by pmyteh 9y ago

dsfyu404ed 9y ago
If a pedestrian crosses the street at a particularly inappropriate time is there a statute under which they could be fined? The "jaywalking law" in my state is that you have to use a crosswalk if it's within 300ft. In practice this means that you either use a crosswalk, or cross the street in a reasonable manner at a reasonable time. It's like speeding. If you behave reasonably you have nothing to worry about. The US seems to have more restrictive laws about traffic behavior and enforce them less. If you compare jaywalking laws with the rules vehicles have to follow[1] the result is that if one party is following all their rule. It's similar to the redundancy in road traffic laws (e.g. a safe following distances and using one's signal provide redundancy that prevents rear endings when one party doesn't do one of those things) [1] http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/pedestrian-crossing-50-state-summary.aspx http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/pedestrian-cross...
- pmyteh 9y ago
  > If a pedestrian crosses the street at a particularly inappropriate time is there a statute under which they could be fined? No. There is semi-binding guidance called the Highway Code, which includes sections for pedestrians (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedestrians-1-to-35 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedes...) but there are no criminal or administrative penalties for not complying, except for Rule 34 (railway level crossings) which carry a criminal fine. Crossing the road in a dangerous way is discouraged by education ("The Green Cross Code") and by the obvious downsides of getting hit by a car. If you do something stupid you may well get a bollocking from any passing police officer, but no fine. edit: The Highway Code is actually a very good example of (kinda) law which is sensible, well-expressed, easy to read and well-illustrated. Well worth a look.
  - robocat 9y ago
    An exception is motorways, where pedestrians would get fined ( bicycles, mopeds and horses are not allowed either).
    - pmyteh 9y ago
      Yes; motorways (and other 'special roads') are restricted. It's not a matter of crossing them, though - just being at the roadside is an offence.
- andrewaylett 9y ago
  No, for most roads, there isn't. The Highway Code does say that you shouldn't cross within the zigzag lines of a "proper" crossing, but that's just Best Practices, and not enforceable. There are also roads where pedestrians are excluded altogether (no possibility of a footpath, no walking on the verge, fenced off apart from sliproads). The same rules exclude low-powered and slow vehicles from those roads too.

> Jaywalking laws would have happened sooner or later. There are no jaywalking laws in the UK. So I don't think that's true.

by pmyteh 9y ago

> Jaywalking laws would have happened sooner or later. There are no jaywalking laws in the UK. So I don't think that's true.

dsfyu404ed 9y ago

If a pedestrian crosses the street at a particularly inappropriate time is there a statute under which they could be fined? The "jaywalking law" in my state is that you have to use a crosswalk if it's within 300ft. In practice this means that you either use a crosswalk, or cross the street in a reasonable manner at a reasonable time. It's like speeding. If you behave reasonably you have nothing to worry about. The US seems to have more restrictive laws about traffic behavior and enforce them less. If you compare jaywalking laws with the rules vehicles have to follow[1] the result is that if one party is following all their rule. It's similar to the redundancy in road traffic laws (e.g. a safe following distances and using one's signal provide redundancy that prevents rear endings when one party doesn't do one of those things) [1] http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/pedestrian-crossing-50-state-summary.aspx http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/pedestrian-cross...

pmyteh 9y ago
> If a pedestrian crosses the street at a particularly inappropriate time is there a statute under which they could be fined? No. There is semi-binding guidance called the Highway Code, which includes sections for pedestrians (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedestrians-1-to-35 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedes...) but there are no criminal or administrative penalties for not complying, except for Rule 34 (railway level crossings) which carry a criminal fine. Crossing the road in a dangerous way is discouraged by education ("The Green Cross Code") and by the obvious downsides of getting hit by a car. If you do something stupid you may well get a bollocking from any passing police officer, but no fine. edit: The Highway Code is actually a very good example of (kinda) law which is sensible, well-expressed, easy to read and well-illustrated. Well worth a look.
- robocat 9y ago
  An exception is motorways, where pedestrians would get fined ( bicycles, mopeds and horses are not allowed either).
  - pmyteh 9y ago
    Yes; motorways (and other 'special roads') are restricted. It's not a matter of crossing them, though - just being at the roadside is an offence.
andrewaylett 9y ago
No, for most roads, there isn't. The Highway Code does say that you shouldn't cross within the zigzag lines of a "proper" crossing, but that's just Best Practices, and not enforceable. There are also roads where pedestrians are excluded altogether (no possibility of a footpath, no walking on the verge, fenced off apart from sliproads). The same rules exclude low-powered and slow vehicles from those roads too.