I got one in downtown Kansas City, MO crossing Main Street at 11th. The ticket claimed I crossed against a red light. The thing was, I did. But at that time, that intersection all the lights turned red at once, and all the walk signs lit.
I fought it and showed up in court with photographs of the intersection. The cop didn’t bother to show up, and the judge threw the ticket out. Really annoyed me as I took the time, and wanted the cop called out for this bullshit ticket.
It never happened to me (and not because I was innocent), but when I was in college, the city police would set up jaywalking stings on the edge of campus during the busiest times of the day. They’d get whole groups of 20+ people who didn’t stop when the signals turned to don’t walk, and make them line up to get their tickets.
I suspect expatriate New Yorkers have some of the highest rates in the U.S. for getting jaywalking tickets, because the “offense” is such a routine part of life in NYC and cops there typically ignore it.
They are actually proposing real jaywalking fines in Boston. $25 first offense, $50 and $75 for subsequent ones. Double if you do it while on a cell phone.
I got one a couple of years ago. I usually don’t subscribe to the idea that Police have a quota to fulfil, but jaywalking fines have to be part of that scam, they really do not justify the Officers’ time otherwise.
Technically the charge was “crossing against the lights” or something like that. No doubt that’s what I did, but there was no traffic at all on that corner as I crossed. I did it safely. And of course we all know thousands of people cross this way on busy streets and make sure to do it when they will not obstruct traffic. I was not causng any problems for any driver, surely that counts for something.
It was a $120 fine I seem to recall.
Yup! 1987, San Diego, California. I was guilty as sin.