# Ever Get a Ticket for Jaywalking? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951 "2017-11-28T14:07:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/21 "2017-11-28T18:26:36Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I got one when I was in high school. Running across Pacific Coast Hwy was much more expedient than crossing at the corner. I did it every day for months and then one day a cop yelled at me through his megaphone or whatever to stop where I was. He gave me a ticket - I don’t recall how much it was - and my mother had to take me to the municipal building to pay it. IIRC it was the juvenile division. I got mine on PCH also, I think it was Newport beach, near the wedge. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/22 "2017-11-28T18:38:12Z")
It’s good to know the definition of jaywalking. The below is for California and Sacramento, but other states and cities may have similar laws. From [abc10.com](http://www.abc10.com/news/local/sacramento/how-does-california-define-jaywalking/430480241), > [@](#): > > California has many definitions of jaywalking, the most common of which defined by **California Vehicle Code (CVC) 21955**, which states “between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk.” A key phrase is “between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices” — so if adjacent intersections are not controlled, it sounds like jaywalking there does not violate CVC 21955. The scary part is where it says there are many definitions of jaywalking. The article quotes other laws. > [@](#): > > **CVC 21954**. (a) Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard. > > **CVC 21956**. (a) No pedestrian may walk upon any roadway outside of a business or residence district otherwise than close to his or her left-hand edge of the roadway. > (b) A pedestrian may walk close to his or her right-hand edge of the roadway if a crosswalk or other means of safely crossing the roadway is not available or if existing traffic or other conditions would compromise the safety of a pedestrian attempting to cross the road. And then Sacramento city codes: > [@](#): > > **Sacramento City Code 10.20.020** , which states no pedestrian shall cross a through-street within 300 feet of a crosswalk other than within such crosswalk, except at a location where a school bus is stopped and is displaying flashing red lights. > > **Sacramento City Code 10.20.050** , which states no person shall stand or otherwise be in any roadway if such action interferes with the lawful movement of traffic. This section shall not apply to any public officer or employee, or employee of a public utility, when necessarily upon a street in the line of duty. There may likely be similar laws in other states and cities. Also in California, when the Walk / Don’t Walk light starts its countdown to Don’t Walk, it is [illegal to enter the crosswalk and start crossing](http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-countdown-crosswalk-20170509-story.html). > [@](#): > > Believe it or not, you can get a $250 jaywalking ticket for crossing the street even if you were in the crosswalk and the traffic light was green — if you started after the crosswalk clock began ticking down… > > California law says you’re not allowed to set foot in the street once the “Don’t Walk” or red hand signal begins flashing, even if there is still plenty of time on the countdown. The editorial article is about changing that law, but until then it’s good to know. Other states may have similar laws. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/23 "2017-11-28T18:48:17Z")
No, I have never gotten a ticket for jaywalking. But I have seen a Gladiator movie. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/24 "2017-11-28T18:59:22Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I’ve seen lots of friends get them in Los Angeles (around USC). Nowhere else. Hah! That’s where I got mine! Crossing Jefferson to get to the Burger King, right by that firehouse. Motorcycle cop rolls up and stops me and a buddy. I told the cop I didn’t have my wallet on me, and gave him a bogus name (It helped I was wearing an old Air Force jacket with someone else’s name still on it). My buddy gave the cop his real ID and had to pay the ticket. 😃 This only bolstered my already shady reputation. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > When I told my mom she cried because, she told me, “now you can never be president”. True story. This is hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/25 "2017-11-28T20:26:39Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > It’s good to know the definition of jaywalking. The below is for California and Sacramento, but other states and cities may have similar laws. > > From [abc10.com](http://www.abc10.com/news/local/sacramento/how-does-california-define-jaywalking/430480241), > > A key phrase is “between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices” — so if adjacent intersections are not controlled, it sounds like jaywalking there does not violate CVC 21955. The scary part is where it says there are many definitions of jaywalking. But, can local municipal codes contain laws _more_ restrictive than the statewide DMV law? That might depend on the wording of the state law, or perhaps even more on the whim of the cop and the judge. I had been under the impression that CA state law explicitly _allows_ jaywalking where the ends of the block are _not_ controlled by traffic control devices. (This would leave ambiguous the case of a block with a light at one end.) If that is true, then a city should not be able to enact a more restrictive law, as it would contradict the state law. But the quote cited by **Bullitt** does not seem to corroborate my impression. If it simply says jaywalking is forbidden in blocks with lights at the ends, then it might be possible for cities to create additional laws forbidding jaywalking in other places too. He’s right. That’s scary. It means a citizen traveling from one city to another within the state can never be sure what the laws are from one city to the next. The whole idea of having state-wide laws was supposed to be to prevent that. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/26 "2017-11-28T21:23:36Z")
I have seen many people get tickets for jaywalking across Main Street in Irvine, CA. Irvine is one of the safest cities in California, so the cops are bored and have nothing better to do. ---
**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/27 "2017-11-28T21:44:13Z")
Got jailed for it in Hollywood, in the '70s. I was gobsmacked, to say the least. Got out the next evening from downtown, last case of the day before the week-end. Still can hardly believe it happened. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/28 "2017-11-28T22:30:28Z")
I did, in high school about 1976-ish. Several of my friends and I had gone out to lunch and were coming back to school (Evansville Indiana). A cop was parked, waiting, and we all got tickets. I think they were $4 each. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/29 "2017-11-28T22:39:48Z")
I have not. I heard a middle schooler talk about it once when I was teaching in the 1990s, but that’s as close as I’ve gotten. About ten years ago, I was working a fundraiser for a local art museum. I saw a set of people on the other side of the street watching the show and decided to take my money barrel over their way. Just as I was getting ready to make my mad dash, I noticed that i was just a couple of paces away from a police sergeant. I asked her if I would get busted for jaywalking if I crossed the street in front of her. She leveled her gaze at me and asked: “How bored do you think I am?” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/30 "2017-11-28T22:43:04Z")
“How bored do you think I am?” Translation: “Well to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, i kind of lost track myself. But being that this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well do ya, punk?” ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/31 "2017-11-28T23:18:07Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > “How bored do you think I am?” > > Translation: “Well to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, i kind of lost track myself. But being that this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well do ya, punk?” For jaywalking? In Omaha? In the front lawn of an art museum? She was pretty chill. Terribly attractive, too. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/32 "2017-11-28T23:45:53Z")
On Canal Street in New Orleans. It took two light phases to get all the way across. The police would stop you and send you back again, and tell you to wait for the light. But tickets not issued. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/33 "2017-11-28T23:55:27Z")
For what its worth, as a blind pedestrian, I ALWAYS jaywalk. I go to the middle of the block, instead of crossing at the intersection, it’s much safer there. In an intersection crosswalk, there is traffic coming from all four directions, and turning cars often have a green light, and pedestrians are so rare nowadays, drivers are never vigilant for them. In the middle of the block, cars come from only one direction at a time, and they have a clear view of me. Luckily, Ive never had to try to explain this to a cop or a judge, who have no idea that the world is a different place to some people. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/34 "2017-11-29T00:14:08Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > For jaywalking? In Omaha? In the front lawn of an art museum? > > She was pretty chill. Terribly attractive, too. Then I would’ve lingered. Hope you did! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/35 "2017-11-29T00:15:10Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > For what its worth, as a blind pedestrian, I ALWAYS jaywalk. I go to the middle of the block, instead of crossing at the intersection, it’s much safer there. In an intersection crosswalk, there is traffic coming from all four directions, and turning cars often have a green light, and pedestrians are so rare nowadays, drivers are never vigilant for them. In the middle of the block, cars come from only one direction at a time, and they have a clear view of me. > > Luckily, Ive never had to try to explain this to a cop or a judge, who have no idea that the world is a different place to some people. Really? Wow. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/36 "2017-11-29T00:29:11Z")
I got one in high school. There was a 7-11 across the street from my high school and no one ever walked all the way up to the corner to wait for the light. I got written up and they sent a notification in the mail. There wasn’t a fine, though. My sister opened the notice and kindly gave it to my mother. Thanks, Sis. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/37 "2017-11-29T01:57:14Z")
Boston police, uh, don’t really do jaywalking tickets. Somewhat famously: > [@Section 18A of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts](#): > > If it is the first, second or third offense subject to this section committed by such person within the jurisdiction of the court in the calendar year, payment to such clerk of the sum of one dollar shall operate as a final disposition of the case; if it is the fourth or subsequent such offense so committed in such calendar year payment to such clerk of the sum of two dollars shall operate as a final disposition of the case. Assuming you can handle those dire consequences, jaywalk all you want! (It’s also the best way of crossing a lot of the streets downtown, really, as long as you’re paying attention while you do it.) ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/38 "2017-11-29T02:00:43Z")
I got one in 82. I was 12 years old, hanging out downtown on a Friday night. Crossed Main St. right in front of an officer sitting in traffic in his cruiser in the middle of the block. The cop gave me and my friends the option of a jaywalking ticket or going home for the night. We took the ticket. Probably could have walked around the block and been done with it instead of taking the ticket…:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/39 "2017-11-29T02:27:36Z")
In Minneapolis, MN in the 1970’s-80’s, there were a lot of them issued – the cops used to use them to harass gay & lesbian people. The largest gay/lesbian bar in the Twin Cities was in downtown, where parking could be real tough to find. And directly across the street was the back parking lot for the Minneapolis public library. Which closed at 9pm, which was just about the start of the busy time at the bar. So the library parking lot would empty out, and be available (and it was free!), so people would park there. Then at the end of their night, people would leave the bar, and rather than go down to the corner, cross in the crosswalk, and walk back to the parking lot, people would just jaywalk across the street from the bar to the parking lot. And the cops, who were supposed to be there to keep downtown safe, would swoop in and write a jaywalking ticket. (Only to people coming from the gay/lesbian bar – people jaywalking from other businesses weren’t ticketed.) So nearly all the Minneapolis jaywalking tickets were issued in one place, at about the same time at night. Another example of our police protecting and serving! ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951/40 "2017-11-29T03:36:35Z")
They give them out occasionally in my city. In Eugene it’s not illegal to cross a street mid-block, as long as you cross perpendicular to the curbs. What’s illegal is to cross a light-controlled intersection when it says DON’T WALK. That you will get a ticket for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-get-a-ticket-for-jaywalking/802951.md?page=3)