I'm sure there are laws against hitting jaywalkers.
Here are some questions I have thought while driving across campus to work out every morning:
If someone stops for them, am I allowed to hit that car for stopping for jaywalkers? If it's a college student who doesn't even look both ways before crossing the street do they deserve it? What if they look at you right before stepping into your lane (and I was close enough to him to see the whites of his eyes)? What if they are jaywalking 25 feet in front of a crosswalk? Is it considered rude or perfectly acceptable to honk my horn the very moment they cross in front of my car? Is it only universities in Utah that have issues (I went to Utah State in northern Utah, I visited my husband frequently while he was at BYU, and I'm now in southern Utah, and they all had this same problem (and now I will admit that I have jaywalked myself once or twice in my lifetime)), or do universities across the country have students who truly believe they are invincible when they walk directly in front of a moving vehicle?
Am I a complete hypocrite for complaining about jaywalkers when I admit in the same post that I have done it myself? Have any of you NEVER jaywalked?
45 people wanted to leave a comment:
I would swerve towards them and do my best to hit them.
I always cross in the crosswalk - please see todays post ;)
I dunno what the laws are -but I do know that around my area people are just flat out stupid. :) Example: All black clothing, ipods in, texting, right in the middle of the street -at night.
The answers to your questions in order are:
-Keep going.
-They deserve to get hit
-Probly not
-Yes
-Definitely deserves it
-Perfectly acceptable as long as you honk for a long time.
-I'm assuming it's a national problem
-Only if you've ever done it like you described above---blatantly jaywalking in the face of oncoming traffic.
-Um...yes, I have jaywalked.
I'm with tiburon--student jaywalkers are worth ten points each.
I haven't ever jay walked and I will tell you why....THOSE ARE BIG CARS AND WILL KILL ME. I am not a super hero and can not stop a fast moving car. I always get mad at my sister who just walks out in front of a moving vehicle and spouts out "I have the right of way because I am a pedestrian"
Just because we are the pedestrian doesn't give us the right to step out in front of moving vehicles, especially in a NON WALKING zone!
(off my soap box now...this is one of my pet peeves, can you tell?)
I forgot what jaywalkers are. Living in the middle of nowhere will do that to you.
I do remember jaywalking myself at BYU. But I was always cautious and looked first.
I think that college kids just think that the world revolves around them and that you will always stop because they are the center of the universe (high school kids seem to think that as well but college kids are worse because there are no parents around). As for me jaywalking? I went to Snow college and I knew the world revolved around me (wink, wink) so I will let you make your own assumptions. :)
In NYC, jaywalking is mandatory. People will kill you for not jaywalking.
BTW, I did get your email but haven't had a chance to respond. It made my day!
I jaywalk all the time. But cars have the right of way. I'm fully aware that if I get hit by a car IN THE STREET no less, while crossing NOT a crosswalk, that I'd be at fault. (Not that the law agrees, because we all know that says to yield to pedestrians.)
I kind of prefer getting as close as I possibly can to the jaywalker. If I can come to a rolling stop and not actually stop, that's even better. I'm extremely passive agressive.
Is it still jaywalking if there are absolutely no cars coming? Because sometimes I do that. But I think it's perfectly acceptable to honk at offending pedestrians, or "pestrians". But I'm full of road rage and far too trigger happy when it comes to honking at people in general. In or out of their cars. So you probably shouldn't take my word for it.
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to get back to you about Survivor. Maybe later today. Or tomorrow, after my week of preschool is over. I love it, but man am I BUSY!
ps - Are you in between favicons now, or is my computer not working? Your blog looks naked in my browser!
Jaywalking is one of those rules that just get me going! If someone is attempting to cross in the crosswalk, I WILL STOP and I get ticked at everyone else who just goes on their merry way.
However those who chose to chance it across a street while NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES, deserves to be hit. "I didn't see them. The sun was in my eyes" Okay, maybe I wouldn't really hit them. But if I have to stop or slam on my brakes - you can bet they will get the stink eye AND the horn from me.
Show me someone who has NEVER jaywalked, and I'll show you a liar!
I have only jaywalked when I've been physically forced to do so, like when my husband drags me across a busy street ten feet shy of the crosswalk and intersection. lol.
1. I have jaywalked. I don't do it often, but I have done it before.
2. If someone steps in front of your car, and you can see the whites of their eyes, they deserve to be hit. That's not to say that you should hit them, I'm just saying.
It's not just BYU. I went to Oklahoma State, and two things will get you a fat ticket on campus: 1. jaywalking and 2. not yielding to the ped in the crosswalk.
I lost count of how many students I nearly flattened because they didn't look before stepping into the crosswalk. Like some magical forcefield protected them from oncoming traffic. Brother.
If I know I'm not going to hit them, I speed up! Just enough for my engine to get loud. Because that bugs the crap out of me! There's a crosswalk for a reason. I use my horn generously, as well. :)
I don't recall a HUGE number of jaywalkers at ASU (AZ State)... There were enough stop lights that they would mostly just walk down to the nearest one. I do remember being annoyed by all the stoplights, though.
I only jaywalk when there are NO cars coming.
Along the same lines, I totally walk in front of a car when I AM in the crosswalk (like the little crosswalk in front of stores). Especially when they have a stop sign and just didn't bother to stop. I walk right out, then. I don't care if they have to slam on their brakes. If they're supposed to stop, I make them. (While making sure my kids are on the OTHER side of me!)
I've always been taught that pedestrians - no matter how stupid - have the right of way. Sure wouldn't want to have a death hanging over my head for hitting somebody.
The Horn Honking thing is HILAR. I think you should try it!!!
If anyone says they have never jaywalked I don't believe it.
My husband has been hit by a car, well cars as he has been hit twice WHILE in the crosswalk. He is 6'8" people he isn't hard to miss!
Okay, so the students at this university do NOT jaywalk. They do not even attempt to go in the crosswalk until there is no traffic. It is totally the weirdest phenomenon I have ever seen!
I remember when I first started school at Ricks College the police told us that the cars had the right of way on icy roads.
well, i work on a university campus and live in vegas. jaywalking is a regular occurance in these part, and i loathe it.
i do my best to run over as many students and tourists as i can. i have a point system and everything. ;)
in high school i *actually* got a ticket for jay walking- from my high school to the mcD's across the street with 6 of my friends. you know what a jaywalking ticket cost in avondale az? something like $250! crazy! of course, my mom got all of us out of it, but still-
i am very annoyed by people that pay no regard for traffic laws.
Umm...
Not legally, but you should
Yeah, I think so.
Yup, they still deserve it.
You are never rude when expressing yourself with your horn. You could be using your finger...
I'm pretty sure they do think they are invincible.
I'm also sure I missed a question or two.. :)
I've never jaywalked once in my whole life. However, I jay-run ALL the time. I figure if I'm going to do something illegal and potentially fatal I'm going to do it very fast!
People who jay walk slowly, or who cut it very close, are incredibly rude in my opinion. They don't consider the feelings of the people driving the car. The panic and the heart palpitations they sometimes cause. It's one thing to cut quickly across a not busy street, another thing to strut around as if you're more important than everyone else.
I've jaywalked twice in my life.
It terrified me, and I will never do it again.
My friends forced me. They didn't want to walk to the cross walk.
I ALWAYS use the crosswalk.
Driving at ANY campus is the worst! Iowa State was the exact same way. Blasted college students and their delusions of invincibility!
Louie says: 5pts for undergrads, and 10pts for grad students (because they should know better). Oh, and 25pts for professors.
I would try to make them think I was going to hit them, then stop at the last minute. Jay walker... Beware!
P.S. Good luck on the bathrooms!
I think the "pedestrians get the right of way" rule really only does count inside a cross-walk.
Maybe a bulldozer?
I think you are justified in hitting them. And I think this is a Utah thing. Or at least Utah county... I haven't spent time anywhere else, so I can't speak for the rest of Utah, but it always shocks me when I STOP at the curb, and a car 100 ft away stops for me. People here are crazy spoiled. And drivers are too nice. I'm used to starting to walk across the street, and having the car pass a few feet in front of me, and everyone's fine with it. Everybody's still alive. No big deal.
This totally drove me bananas when we were living in Provo. I have to admit that I will jaywalk every once and a blue moon....but only when there are no cars around. I really don't want to get hit...that would suck.
That is at the top of my list of pet peeves from a college town. In fact I just saw UTA busses with a big banner across the back that has a man walking while texting, has an Ipod on and sunglasses and is looking down. It says somethign like "They cant see you so you better see them" Uhm WHATEVER!
My sister lived a block from BYU and I refused to go visit her for the year she lived there because I despised driving that close to campus. Honestly.
I think everyone has jaywalked in their lifetime...but I NEVER expect a car to stop for me, which I think is the major difference. My pet peeve is people in parking lots that walk down the center of the aisle at a leisurely pace, and won't move to the side so you can go around them. But, jaywalkers suck too :o)
Hi. That was me above from my personal email account. SORRY!
I will be on Team Hypocrite too. (Not Team Complete Hypocrite..haha) :) I don't like it when people jump out in between cars like grown up Frogger. But I have done it. I am just much more careful. And I NEVER do it with our son.
I have jay walked quite a few times, (especially when I was younger) but I was never braisen about it. I would not step in front of a moving car...these people are just crazy. I don't trust ANYONE that much to be sure they would stop. (what if they didn't see you for one reason or another) As I've gotten older, I've heard more and more horror stories about people meeting their fait Jay walking - forget it. Don't do it.
For me the issue isn't jaywalking, but just being inconsiderate. I have had someone-a working adult, not student but in Logan-walk right out in front of me and she stared me down like I was in the wrong. Anyway, back to topic, I think it is just people who are rude and think they should be able to do whatever they want.
I got a speeding ticket a few years ago and went to traffic school. It is probably one of the best things I've ever done because it's made me a much better driver, and pedestrian. The officer teaching the class showed us a ton of pictures of accident aftermath.
One accident was caused when a car on a four-lane road stopped for two girls riding on their bikes. (They were not at a crosswalk.) The driver thought she was doing the right thing in letting the girls go across. But there was another lane of traffic they had to cross. There was a car in that lane that they didn't see. And that car didn't see them because they were behind the car that stopped. The other car plowed into the girls going 50 mph.
That's why I use crosswalks. And don't stop for pedestrians that are jaywalking. I'd rather make them wait two minutes than risk their lives.
I say hit 'em. They deserve it.
Hilarious post and questions!! I jaywalked in college (both in Utah and AZ). I agree that young college kids think they are invincible.
I've jaywalked, and I am somewhat unapologetic about it. Sometimes it is just necessary, you know? But I have NEVER, NEVER jaywalked in front of a moving vehicle. Why would I? That's crazy - I want to live. Maybe college students do think they are invincible!
:~D
Psssh. I totally jaywalk. Duh. Therefore, I brake for fellow criminals.
This is very funny.
And I can't believe anyone would even slow down, much less stop for a jaywalker in the median! Sheesh!
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