Pedestrian Jaywalking On Busy Streets

I have an issue with people crossing a busy street jaywalking that don't bother to look at the cars that are clearly there and coming.

Sure I don't mind if people cross but at least look at the objects that are coming at you that could potentially kill you if it doesn't stop, but they seem to just not care. There is a certain class of people that refuse to look, they just focus straight ahead depending on the drivers good will to brake slow down, or even completely stop. And when I say class it includes all races and genders it's just a type that does it all the time, and you can tell.

What if the driver is young and inexperienced, super tired, on drugs, intoxicated, or it's winter time and can't stop quickly, there is a high chance you could be hit be injured or worse.

Personally when crossing I not only look at the incoming car, I look at the driver inside the car, because I don't want to get hit, I need to try to read what the driver is going to do, for my own personal safety. As I driver I know even a 2 second distraction can have a negative outcome, I also know if I am super tired my reaction times are reduced.

But these other people, just don't seem to care about their lives, almost if they have a death wish.

A real pet peeve of mine when driving, sure I don't mind hitting the brakes to let them cross, but they should at least look to see that I am actually slowing down or stopping, sometimes they are crossing at 45 degree angle with their backs toward me not a care to see what the car is doing.

Any ideas why people do this?

My thoughts are a lot of these people either have never driven a vehicle or just no longer drive and have forgotten what is like to drive in a busy city in 2024.
Either way every time they cross like that they put their lives in danger, and now with E-bikes on the road moving quickly and silently they need to be watching for them too; but they don't, they just meander across the roadway not a care in the world with no concern for their own life.

Respect to all pedestrians that find and use the crosswalks, now it's on the cars to stop regardless if they look or not; but even then, some level of faith is in use that the cars will see you and stop, I have seen many cars blow through crosswalks, the pedestrians jumping out of the way because they were watching.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

Any ideas on why they do this? Yeah I got you.

Well in Cali they do it regardless, so Newsome in his infinite wisdom made it a decriminalized law.

I see it as Darwin at work to your last part.

But yeah, modern society.

a reply to: SteamyAmerican

Well they aren't going to charge anybody with crime for jaywalking in California, if they don't charge them for shoplifting which is worse.

The law was for the peoples personal protection, removing it from the lawbooks is just letting people be stupid without a ticket or fine, but it's doesn't stop the injuries or deaths from the ignorance and stupidity of their actions.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

I wrote a thread some years ago about this very thing and it's one of the main reasons I have cameras in my vehicles. People are stupid. Never underestimate that. They think that a 4000 lb vehicle just stops whenever they decide to cross the street and have the "I'll sue you mentality". Many of them are not looking where they're going, they are too interested in that all important cell phone. I swear the sense of self preservation is going the way of the Dodo.

If you're dumb enough to step in front of a moving vehicle, the gene pool is better off without you.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

If you don't have a dash cam you should get one. Don't leave home without it. Save people a lot of headaches.

I fell hard on my tailbone once and could barely hobble. My doctor's office was half a block from my house, so I slowly hobble there, and on the way home I was halfway across the road-in the crosswalk.
A lady came barreling down the road and layed on her horn; she wasn't slowing down, and I could only step maybe three inches at a time.
I just froze; I knew she was going to hit me, and I couldn't get out of the way.

I stood there looking at her and pointing to the crosswalk; she screeched on her brakes and came within inches of me. She appeared to be mouthing the word 'sorry', and in my pain I displayed one of my less than stellar moments. I flipped her off and hobbled the rest of the way home.

Crosswalks are dangerous places for pedesterians.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

On two occasions in my life i have been standing on the white line road markings in the middle of the road waiting for a gap in the traffic to get to the other side and have been driven at by drivers ? .

One time it was late at night on a quiet country lane with no other traffic around just me and the oncoming vehicle ,but i did not have time to get fully across and held at the line and the lady driver drove purposely at me
.

On both occasions I was being mindful of the driver and not being a idiot , but there are some crazy mean people out there

originally posted by: stonerwilliam
a reply to: Blue_Jay33

On two occasions in my life i have been standing on the white line road markings in the middle of the road waiting for a gap in the traffic to get to the other side and have been driven at by drivers ? .

One time it was late at night on a quiet country lane with no other traffic around just me and the oncoming vehicle ,but i did not have time to get fully across and held at the line and the lady driver drove purposely at me

.

On both occasions I was being mindful of the driver and not being a idiot , but there are some crazy mean people out there

Yes since there are such bad drivers on the road all the more reason for pedestrians to have a look before they step out on the road, and look at the cars closing the distance quickly once on the road.
Or just don't be stupid like these kids.


If people can't see you, and don't expect you to be suddenly in front of their car, even the fastest reaction won't be fast enough.

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

I have had a few scares behind the wheel myself with animals and children running out on the road and always was a 20 is plenty driver in built up areas of town .

But those 2 occasions I talk of the drivers of those vehicles were evil or mad and had no reason to be angry with my actions ?

a reply to: Blue_Jay33

OMG yes, this! I get this soooo often. People have become so entitled rude, it's unbelievable. They don't acknowledge the car that had to slow/stop ,don't even look my direction, they just assume the world will slow down and stop for them

God, and then there's me ,even when crossing at a crossing, and a car is patiently waiting for me to cross, then I will acknowlegde them with a wave and slight smile/nod. I'm old, I'm gen-x.
Then again, it's probably the younger generations mostly that are this rude, not all off course, but mostly.

a reply to: ScarletDarkness

Well I think Gen-X were told to look both ways before they cross the road, as they were left outside to play alone and unsupervised from dawn to dusk, given survival idea's by our boomer parents but then left to do it for ourselves.

Gen Z have been able ignore advise without consequences, they are forced to learn the hard way.

One thing about our generation even though we were left to our on devices to fend for ourselves out in the world, if our boomer parents saw us not listen to important survival advise, we knew in no uncertain terms, tough love designed to not let us forget. It wasn't mean, it was just the parent trying to make sure their child fully understood and wouldn't forget.

So look both ways when you cross a road so you don't get run over by a car, pretty simple life advise, and if I forgot and chased a ball onto the road, and they saw, I knew about it.

When they are of the situational awareness to walk into a fountain or off a cliff, what do you expect. It is adults doing this. I am supprised there are more of these unaware individuals hit.

originally posted by: Blue_Jay33

originally posted by: stonerwilliam
a reply to: Blue_Jay33

On two occasions in my life i have been standing on the white line road markings in the middle of the road waiting for a gap in the traffic to get to the other side and have been driven at by drivers ? .

One time it was late at night on a quiet country lane with no other traffic around just me and the oncoming vehicle ,but i did not have time to get fully across and held at the line and the lady driver drove purposely at me

.

On both occasions I was being mindful of the driver and not being a idiot , but there are some crazy mean people out there

Yes since there are such bad drivers on the road all the more reason for pedestrians to have a look before they step out on the road, and look at the cars closing the distance quickly once on the road.
Or just don't be stupid like these kids.

If people can't see you, and don't expect you to be suddenly in front of their car, even the fastest reaction won't be fast enough.

Damn, that was crazy!!! Those stupid kids bounced right off that car and just kept running, bearly missed a beat.

Fortunately according to the comments on YouTube they were alright, one of them ended up with a broken wrist, apparently… doubt they’ll be running across the road like that anytime soon though.

originally posted by: Blue_Jay33
Well I think Gen-X were told to look both ways before they cross the road, as they were left outside to play alone and unsupervised from dawn to dusk, given survival idea's by our boomer parents but then left to do it for ourselves.

The same is true for us baby-boomers.
"Look right,
Look left,
Look right again.
If all is clear, then cross."

At intervals, perhaps annually, our primary school was shown the story of "Little Dolly Daydream", as a warning against bad road-crossing habits. Old fashioned strip film, manual frame advancement (knob on top of the machine), running commentary provided by teacher reading from script. I still remember the snarls on the cars threatening Dolly as she made the final road-crossing that landed her in a hospital bed.