Civic jaywalkers

sepi said :

The problem is the ridiculous amount of time it takes to cross northbourne with the lights.

Unless you walk super fast, and start right at the start of the green light you cna’t get across in one set of green lights and have to stand around in the middle for ages. It seems like 10 minutes to get across there.

Maybe they could do what the do in some other capital cities. Have the lights go green for all the pedestrians in all directions at the intersection for a minute or two then go back to normal traffic.

How do you actually get a fine for j walking? I don’t carry ID unless I’m driving. (terrible at losing my wallet). So how do the cops know who they are giving the fine to? I remember 10 years ago when there was a “crackdown” on littering cigarette butts. A number of the fines issued were for false names.

yep, i’ve seen someone get a fine for j-walking on that intersection. Just had to do it in front of police, on a Thursday night, and have a close call with vehicles. Was quite a few years ago though

TheBusDriver said :

Oh my gosh, jay walkers. in Civic you say? Who’s have thunk? By the name of Yoyoyo? Boy, you don’t say. Next you will be telling me they’ll be complaining about buses not running on time.

This man needs a taxi.

Back in the day when I was at uni, I did an “observational study” of jaywalking at this exact intersection for some social research course.
http://efshare.com/?s=7WLXUV

Oh my gosh, jay walkers. in Civic you say? Who’s have thunk? By the name of Yoyoyo? Boy, you don’t say. Next you will be telling me they’ll be complaining about buses not running on time.

“In the direction of travel” – you are not required to turn back, rather you must only cross to the next refuge point.

ML-585 said :

(3) If, while the pedestrian is crossing the road, the pedestrian lights change to flashing red or red, the pedestrian must not stay on the road for longer than necessary to cross safely to the nearer (in the direction of travel of the pedestrian) of the following:
(b) the nearest side of the road. “

Do I have this right? If I step onto the road and the green light starts to be a red flashing light, I’m legally obliged to turn around and step back on to the kerb? Would NEVER happen!

Genie said :

I have also nearly been run over by cars turning left from Northbourne Ave onto London Circuit, while I have a green man. I think most people don’t realise there is a “give way to pedestrians” sign there.

There is no sign that I recall. However, there is no need for a sign: ARR 62:

” (1) A driver turning at an intersection with traffic lights must give way to:
(a) any pedestrian at or near the intersection who is crossing the road the driver is entering; “

Also, refer ARR 231 Crossing a road at pedestrian lights:

“(2) If the pedestrian lights show a red pedestrian light and the pedestrian has not already started crossing the intersection or road, the pedestrian must not start to cross until the pedestrian lights change to green.
(3) If, while the pedestrian is crossing the road, the pedestrian lights change to flashing red or red, the pedestrian must not stay on the road for longer than necessary to cross safely to the nearer (in the direction of travel of the pedestrian) of the following:
(a) a dividing strip, safety zone, or traffic island, forming part of the area set aside or used by pedestrians to cross the road at the intersection or place (the safety area);
(b) the nearest side of the road. “

Apparently even marking on the bloody pavement doesn’t even work!

It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye. But the words mountain and mole hill keep popping into my consciousness as I read this post.

Aeek said :

buzz819 said :

But if the same Pedestrian crosses the road within 50 meters of a pedestrian crossing or against a no crossing sign they commit an offence, while committing such an offence they can not reasonably be said to have right of way.

That still doesn’t give anyone the right to hit them if it can be reasonably avoided.

No, I don’t think that is what the thread is about. It gives the Police the right to fine them for it.

buzz819 said :

But if the same Pedestrian crosses the road within 50 meters of a pedestrian crossing or against a no crossing sign they commit an offence, while committing such an offence they can not reasonably be said to have right of way.

That still doesn’t give anyone the right to hit them if it can be reasonably avoided.

Genie said :

I cross this intersection probably once a week, and most people are right.. Without running, you cannot make it across ALL of Northbourne Ave on one cycle of the green man. 🙁

I have also nearly been run over by cars turning left from Northbourne Ave onto London Circuit, while I have a green man. I think most people don’t realise there is a “give way to pedestrians” sign there.
.

I once complained about the ridiculously short length a pedestrian light stayed green. Can’t remember where it was (this would’ve been about 12 years ago), only that I saw a little old lady getting quite panicky when she found herself only halfway across when the light turned red. Also can’t remember who I complained to, but when I crossed there again about a week later, the light stayed green twice as long!

I cross this intersection probably once a week, and most people are right.. Without running, you cannot make it across ALL of Northbourne Ave on one cycle of the green man. 🙁

I have also nearly been run over by cars turning left from Northbourne Ave onto London Circuit, while I have a green man. I think most people don’t realise there is a “give way to pedestrians” sign there.

On a side note.. I have to ‘jaywalk’ across a Southern Cross Drive to catch the bus every morning, normally I’m waiting up to 5mins for a break in traffic to cross the road, no biggie.. What it is that amuses me is the teenage girl walking to St Frannies who simply just crosses the road most mornings and cars slamming brakes on to avoid hitting her. (She almost caused a rear-ender a few days ago…) Mind you if cars actually did the speed limit along here, I don’t think I would get my giggles (and “holy crap that car is going to hit her” freak out) most mornings…

Another really bad crossing for jaywalking is the one outside Canberra Hospital on Yamba Drive from the outdor carpark heading towards the main hospital building. Because I’m a goody goody, I always wait for the green man. The other reason is, even if one direction of traffic happens to be free because of the way the lights are synching, the other 3 lanes never are so you’re going to have to wait in the middle anyway. I have seen so many close calls on that road its not funny. The worst offenders are staff who park in the outdoor staff carpark and don’t want to take the extra few steps backwards to the crossing. Lucky its near the emergency room I suppose…

Last year when visiting Brisbane and doing some shopping at Queen Street Mall we observed a policeman handing out fines to people for jaywalking. His hit rate would have been getting someone every second cycle, usually because how long it took to write out the fine. He would fine those crossing when the red man was there and also those that crossed outside the white lines.

pptvb said :

I saw a funny thing a few weeks ago.
I was waiting at the crossing on Marcus-Clarke St, near the IGA, when a bloke walked across the crossing, against the signal.
The police officer waiting next to me made (told) him to go back & wait for the little green man signal.
This bloke was not happy, as he was 3/4 of the way across, but complied.
Just as he got back, the lights changed! I laughed & the cop was smiling about it.
So I guess it is enforced occasionally!

The officer wasn’t a high ranker was he – with “egg yolks” on his cap visor?

Late last year I was waiting at the same set of lights, and a high ranking AFP officer did a similar thing to another bloke, so I wonder if it’s maybe it’s the same police officer.

People just aren’t patient any more.

ML-585 said :

I know it’s not in “Civic” (or City to use the correct suburb name), .

“Civic” was reinstated as the official name ages ago after a public outcry …

I know it’s not in “Civic” (or City to use the correct suburb name), but if you want to see jay-walkers with a death wish, check out the new Belconnen Bus Stations. I’ve seen pedestrians commence walking at the Westfield lights when the red man is facing them – these lights will only show red to pedestrians when a bus has the green which means that when crossing against the red there’s a very good chance of being taken out by a bus. It’s only a matter of time before it happens.

Sgt.Bungers said :

10 points to anyone who knows how the term “jay walking” came to be. No looking at Wikipedia.

This problem comes about for reasons mentioned in other comments. This intersection takes too long to legally cross. Those heading from civic to city west must wait over 5 minutes to legally get across that road. Waiting 5 minutes to get across a regular signalised intersection is UNHEARD of if you’re in a car… if traffic lights were red for 5 minutes, how many people driving a motor vehicle would ignore it? Quite a few if road work traffic lights are anything to go by.

On a regular basis in Canberra, I see motor vehicle drivers become so impatient that after a mere 30 seconds, they’re prepared to drive through the crossing regardless of who or what is coming.

A FAR more dangerous practice at this, and many other high pedestrian activity areas in Canberra, are those drivers who for some reason think it’s their god given right to maintain speed when approaching a pedestrian on or near a road.

Many drivers forget or are simply oblivious to the fact that they are legally required to do anything reasonably possible to avoid colliding with a pedestrian on the road, regardless of if that person should be there or not. A driver who hits a pedestrian, and is then found to have been in a situation where they could have seen the pedestrian was about to void their path, yet made no attempt to slow down or avoid a collision, is going to be in a lot of trouble.

Take that away with you. Any Canberran who passes through this intersection in their car on a regular basis has no excuse not to be well aware of the amount of people attempting to cross the road at Northbourne/London. RiotACT readers doubly so. Slow down when approaching the intersection, and you’ll find that your number of close calls decrease dramatically.

I do agree that it’s a bit ridiculous that drivers get so annoyed when they have to take their foot of the accelerator briefly (or god forbid: brake even!) to avoid hitting a pedestrian, whether or not they should be there. And I’m one of them when I’m in the car! But I’m trying to lighten up a bit and re-educate myself. It’s a busy area and – I know I’m weird – I somehow find it adds to its appeal. It actually gives a feeling that Canberra is a bustling place, even if just for 2 minutes while you drive past that stretch.

What I am allergic to though is if parents cross through the red or next to a zebra crossing with their young kids. Jay-walking is a sport strictly for the over 12s!

The absolute worst time for jaywalkers on Northbourne is late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, when liquored-up idiots constantly stroll out in front of cars anywhere from London Cct to Barry Drive.

It’s getting to the point where there at least need to be fences along the edges of the central median strip to at least corral them into crossing at the actual intersections, even if they can’t be expected to follow the simple “green means go, red means stop” system.

I don’t think Canberra has jay walking laws – otherwise those drug addict/pusher car windscreen washers, harassing drivers for money at lights, would have been arrested years ago.

And my feeling is that if you have a death wish and want to walk on the road then bad luck if you get hit (although I pity the poor car driver who has to live with the results of such an accident).

I’m in two minds about jaywalking. I hate the number of little laws that exist to impinge upon our personal freedoms. But as a frequent driver, it is frustrating and dangerous when you have to engage your brakes to avoid collecting a jaywalker who DID see you but doesn’t give a hoot and expects you to stop/slow down. Some times brakes DO malfunction! I used to drive a modern Ford Transit Van with an automated gear box, sometimes the complicated computer would fight the brakes when coming to a stop and it would engage engine power because it thought it was going to stall. This would result, when coming to a stop – in the van jolting forward a meter hard before stopping with a thump noise. People would look at me like I stalled it so I’d throw my hands up trying to indicate that it just does that sometimes! I was often paranoid that I would collect a jaywalker with that occasional malfunction and nearly did once.

I have seen plenty of idiots nearly get taken out as they take a chance to dodge lanes of traffic along there or just dawdle across. However, I often jay walk to cross at the lights at Bunda/Northbourne as they are probably the safest to do it amongst all the the sets along there. There is often large gaps in the traffic when it gets held up at the other lights, plus the phasing of the lights is exactly the same every time. The biggest danger at those lights are the drivers who run the red light, particularly turning off Rudd St left onto Northbourne, who don’t have enough time after the pedestrians cross with the lights.

You want to see jaywalkers? Head over to Canberra Ave opposite St. Eddies around 3:30 and watch the kids literally sprint across. Cars and trucks have to actually slow down to avoid hitting them.Just a matter of time…

Spideydog said :

What I especially hate is the pedestrians that pause at the lights, press the button 40 trillion times, then walk anyways, to just have traffic stop for no pedestrians when the little green man shows up

Worse, those whose push the button without breaking stride.

A friend was fined by police years ago in Perth. She thought it strange as everybody in Canberra Jay-Walked so she never knew there was actually a road rule would have been about 18 years at the time and was a long time ago.

We should live like the mainland Chinese and get along

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyN0uRuazJU

\

how about using countdown timers as they do in other countries, that way people know how long (seconds) they have to wait and are therefore more likely to stop and wait.

As a cyclist, I have hit quite a few pedestrians and many near misses in civic, despite trying to avoid and giving warnings.

also some guy gave me a heart attach on northbourne, just missed him but never saw him, he was in full flowing 60kmph traffic, MADD.

and from a legal point of view not worth the risk either..no (or reduced) insurance payout for you if hit

Mr Gillespie said :

Part of the problem may be the fact that nothing happens when you press that button and nothing happens straightaway, and someone else presses it and still nothing happens. They call it user-interface feedback or something like that, and these buttons are sadly lacking this.

Yep – feedback would be good. Like lift buttons …

Introduce ampelmannchen and these issues would disappear.

Part of the problem may be the fact that nothing happens when you press that button and nothing happens straightaway, and someone else presses it and still nothing happens. They call it user-interface feedback or something like that, and these buttons are sadly lacking this.

found it in the actual rules, section 234 http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2010-113/default.asp

it’s 20 metres.

astrojax said :

RichardWhereat said :

diehiphopdie said :

I’m a regular ‘jaywalker’. I don’t believe that I should be holding up traffic to cross the road because I’m waiting for a little light to say what I can or can not do. A car will hurt me. A car will kill me. That’s why I cross the road according to what traffic is on it’s way. Not because the green light says I’m allowed to cross.

I cross the exact intersection pictured above many times a week and I rarely wait for the lights. At any intersection I always look first though at all corners and carefully consider my options with regards to the traffic and how the lights are set up. I make sure that A. I’m not going to get hit and B. No one has to alter their speed or lane choice because of me.

What peaves me off is some of the halfwits that follow me, 10 seconds later but without checking for cars themselves. I constantly see cars having to break for them. If they’d like to commit suicide then that’s up to them but I don’t think some poor bugger in a car should have to spend every Thursday afternoon for the rest of their lives seeing a shrink in order to deal with the fact they’ve killed someone.

Unfortunately there’s quite a lot of stupid people out there. Just like the girl I heard behind me one day telling her friend “they wont hit us”. I really wanted to turn around and tell her how stupid she was and that she was crossing a busy road where the cars currently had the right of way. There’s far more obstacles for the driver than just having to look out for idiots like her.

Two more things that annoy the hell out of me are:
A. as a driver, I hate it when I have to stop at the lights because a road crossing pedestrian has pressed the button when the traffic other than me is non existant and:

B. as a pedestrian when agro tossers speed up to scare people crossing the road who would otherwise have had plenty of time to safely do so without interrupting the car.

That’s my 2 cents.

Your two cents should be worth fifty or so thousand dollars. Very good writing.

that is immensely generous, richard – ‘peaves’ ‘break’ ‘existant’ – just a few examples.

some good points? mebbe. good writing? hardly… and an arrogance of entitlement too prevelant in too many drivers who want the world to be some idyll; and are not averse to railing against the inequities perceived when it is no such thing… so a light goes red against you. well, the rules of the road say you must stop. is it that hard?

Richard – thanks for your nice comments. Cheers!

As for Astrojax (see last paragraph above) – wow! You seriously need to get a life 🙂 Unless of course you are trying to be funny with your style of commentary. Never have I mentioned the hardships of either crossing a road or waiting for cars. Either of the two is easy. I choose the safe way of trying to make life easier for both myself and others. That is all.

buzz819 said :

But if the same Pedestrian crosses the road within 50 meters of a pedestrian crossing or against a no crossing sign they commit an offence, while committing such an offence they can not reasonably be said to have right of way.

I recall leaning it was 20m way back when. I got curious and went and looked in the ACT Road Rules handbook and it isn’t mentioned anywhere what the distance is.

sepi said :

diehiphopdie:

It is all very well you crossing the road against the lights with just enough time to make it. But you say yourself this always results in other people following behind you less carefully, and nearly having accidents.

so maybe you shouold stop.

Sepi – I cross against the lights with much more than “just enough time to make it”. Also, I refuse to nurture the idea of people claiming their own stupidity to be the responsibility of others.

Stevian said :

pptvb said :

I saw a funny thing a few weeks ago.
I was waiting at the crossing on Marcus-Clarke St, near the IGA, when a bloke walked across the crossing, against the signal.
The police officer waiting next to me made (told) him to go back & wait for the little green man signal.
This bloke was not happy, as he was 3/4 of the way across, but complied.
Just as he got back, the lights changed! I laughed & the cop was smiling about it.
So I guess it is enforced occasionally!

All that proves is that cops are pricks (to be fair: that that cop is a prick). It is my understanding that at all times, in all circumstances that pedestrians have right of way. Of course common sense should dictate when that right is exercised. As Confucius said “When man argue with avalanche, man usually lose”

You should have a look at the Australian Road Rules again champ.

Because the Police officer decided to enforce a law by not giving out a fine he is a prick?
Don’t you think that maybe the person who decided to cross the road is a prick? The arrogance to do it while A. other people are waiting, even if it is only because a Police officer is there, and B. to blatantly break the law in front of a Police officer?

In almost all examples, besides of cause crossings and what not, the Pedestrian only has right of way when they are on the road first, eg. A man crosses the road when there is no pedestrian crossing, the car has to give way to them, but in saying that the test of reasonable behavior needs to be applied.
But if the same Pedestrian crosses the road within 50 meters of a pedestrian crossing or against a no crossing sign they commit an offence, while committing such an offence they can not reasonably be said to have right of way.

By far the most troublesome road in the city is the one between Tosolini’s and Dinas liquor/London Burger and Beers. I’ve seen it -atleast- 50 times; some jackhole cruising across and almost getting terminated by a turning Action bus. Sometimes I just feel like sitting there, snacking on popcorn and watching.

Sgt.Bungers said :

On a regular basis in Canberra, I see motor vehicle drivers become so impatient that after a mere 30 seconds, they’re prepared to drive through the crossing regardless of who or what is coming.

At pedestrian crossings that is.

10 points to anyone who knows how the term “jay walking” came to be. No looking at Wikipedia.

This problem comes about for reasons mentioned in other comments. This intersection takes too long to legally cross. Those heading from civic to city west must wait over 5 minutes to legally get across that road. Waiting 5 minutes to get across a regular signalised intersection is UNHEARD of if you’re in a car… if traffic lights were red for 5 minutes, how many people driving a motor vehicle would ignore it? Quite a few if road work traffic lights are anything to go by.

On a regular basis in Canberra, I see motor vehicle drivers become so impatient that after a mere 30 seconds, they’re prepared to drive through the crossing regardless of who or what is coming.

A FAR more dangerous practice at this, and many other high pedestrian activity areas in Canberra, are those drivers who for some reason think it’s their god given right to maintain speed when approaching a pedestrian on or near a road.

Many drivers forget or are simply oblivious to the fact that they are legally required to do anything reasonably possible to avoid colliding with a pedestrian on the road, regardless of if that person should be there or not. A driver who hits a pedestrian, and is then found to have been in a situation where they could have seen the pedestrian was about to void their path, yet made no attempt to slow down or avoid a collision, is going to be in a lot of trouble.

Take that away with you. Any Canberran who passes through this intersection in their car on a regular basis has no excuse not to be well aware of the amount of people attempting to cross the road at Northbourne/London. RiotACT readers doubly so. Slow down when approaching the intersection, and you’ll find that your number of close calls decrease dramatically.

RichardWhereat said :

diehiphopdie said :

I’m a regular ‘jaywalker’. I don’t believe that I should be holding up traffic to cross the road because I’m waiting for a little light to say what I can or can not do. A car will hurt me. A car will kill me. That’s why I cross the road according to what traffic is on it’s way. Not because the green light says I’m allowed to cross.

I cross the exact intersection pictured above many times a week and I rarely wait for the lights. At any intersection I always look first though at all corners and carefully consider my options with regards to the traffic and how the lights are set up. I make sure that A. I’m not going to get hit and B. No one has to alter their speed or lane choice because of me.

What peaves me off is some of the halfwits that follow me, 10 seconds later but without checking for cars themselves. I constantly see cars having to break for them. If they’d like to commit suicide then that’s up to them but I don’t think some poor bugger in a car should have to spend every Thursday afternoon for the rest of their lives seeing a shrink in order to deal with the fact they’ve killed someone.

Unfortunately there’s quite a lot of stupid people out there. Just like the girl I heard behind me one day telling her friend “they wont hit us”. I really wanted to turn around and tell her how stupid she was and that she was crossing a busy road where the cars currently had the right of way. There’s far more obstacles for the driver than just having to look out for idiots like her.

Two more things that annoy the hell out of me are:
A. as a driver, I hate it when I have to stop at the lights because a road crossing pedestrian has pressed the button when the traffic other than me is non existant and:

B. as a pedestrian when agro tossers speed up to scare people crossing the road who would otherwise have had plenty of time to safely do so without interrupting the car.

That’s my 2 cents.

Your two cents should be worth fifty or so thousand dollars. Very good writing.

that is immensely generous, richard – ‘peaves’ ‘break’ ‘existant’ – just a few examples.

some good points? mebbe. good writing? hardly… and an arrogance of entitlement too prevelant in too many drivers who want the world to be some idyll; and are not averse to railing against the inequities perceived when it is no such thing… so a light goes red against you. well, the rules of the road say you must stop. is it that hard?

johnboy said :

sepi said :

diehiphopdie:

It is all very well you crossing the road against the lights with just enough time to make it. But you say yourself this always results in other people following behind you less carefully, and nearly having accidents.

so maybe you shouold stop.

Or maybe a cull of such sheep would be beneficial to society.

More opportunities to hand out Darwin awards is always a good thing!

sepi said :

diehiphopdie:

It is all very well you crossing the road against the lights with just enough time to make it. But you say yourself this always results in other people following behind you less carefully, and nearly having accidents.

so maybe you shouold stop.

Or maybe a cull of such sheep would be beneficial to society.

diehiphopdie:

It is all very well you crossing the road against the lights with just enough time to make it. But you say yourself this always results in other people following behind you less carefully, and nearly having accidents.

so maybe you shouold stop.

Spideydog said :

What I especially hate is the pedestrians that pause at the lights, press the button 40 trillion times, then walk anyways, to just have traffic stop for no pedestrians when the little green man shows up ……..

That’s our revenge

pptvb said :

I saw a funny thing a few weeks ago.
I was waiting at the crossing on Marcus-Clarke St, near the IGA, when a bloke walked across the crossing, against the signal.
The police officer waiting next to me made (told) him to go back & wait for the little green man signal.
This bloke was not happy, as he was 3/4 of the way across, but complied.
Just as he got back, the lights changed! I laughed & the cop was smiling about it.
So I guess it is enforced occasionally!

All that proves is that cops are pricks (to be fair: that that cop is a prick). It is my understanding that at all times, in all circumstances that pedestrians have right of way. Of course common sense should dictate when that right is exercised. As Confucius said “When man argue with avalanche, man usually lose”

astrojax said :

quite clearly this is getting out of hand and the only way to attack this scourge is to ensure all pedestrians are registered. i can see a useful exercise in making all pedestrians go over the pit – those that fail will be swept up from the depths of its bottom and their remains thoughtfully placed in a skip at the end of each day. i mean, what else can we do?

put them in Hi-Vis Lycra

quite clearly this is getting out of hand and the only way to attack this scourge is to ensure all pedestrians are registered. i can see a useful exercise in making all pedestrians go over the pit – those that fail will be swept up from the depths of its bottom and their remains thoughtfully placed in a skip at the end of each day. i mean, what else can we do?

Wont somebody please think of the children!!!!

Queen_of_the_Bun said :

… Having said that, I’m a big fan of pedestrians who cross safely without pushing the button when there’s no oncoming traffic. Not a big fan (and I try not to do it myself) of people who push the button then cross anyway, meaning that by the times the lights change there’s no-one waiting to cross the road. Main offenders are at the Manuka Oval crossing on Canberra Av and the Narrabundah College/St Benny’s crossing on Jerrabomberra Av.

On a similar note, what about bikes on Lady Denman where they cross to get to Belco/Lake GB path? When I cross there on my bike I:
(1) Look for cars and if I can cross safely without making the traffic stop, I don’t press the button and just go across. But, if there is a lot of traffic, I
(2) Press the button and (always) WAIT till it is safe to cross (little green man).
Is this OK? I ask as very often when I cross safely WITHOUT pressing the button, I get beeped/abused by drivers going by 5 seconds after i’ve crossed because I DIDN’T press the button and make them stop. I’m guessing they thought I pressed the button and went anyway? I feel like yelling back “But I didn’t press the button!” but they’d never hear…
Anyway, should I press the button and wait every time (the letter of the law), or continue with my current method? (I hate the idea of me contributing to the driver vs cyclist hatred out there – i’m trying to make it easier on both sides by not pressing the button and stopping any traffic if I don’t need to)

jadie360 said :

Little Red Man
There was a little red man who lived in a little red house on a little redstreet in a little red town. Now this little red man wanted to take alittle red shower so he put his little red towel on the little red towelrack. Just as he was about to get in, the little red doorbell rang.So he put his little red towel around his little red waist and went to thelittle red door. He opened the little red door and there stood a woman.Just then a big gust of wind came and blew the little red towel away. Thewoman screamed, ran accross the road and got hit by a car.The moral of the story?Never run accross the road when the little red man is flashing.

http://jokes.contentavailable.com/i/Miscellaneous/Little_Red_Man/13467/

lol

But getting to the other side before the little red man stops flashing should really be an official olympic event, I reckon!

The police do occasional enforcement at the next intersection up. That said, I have no issues with someone crossing against the pedestrian lights, if they do it safely as diehiphopdie says.

diehiphopdie said :

I’m a regular ‘jaywalker’. I don’t believe that I should be holding up traffic to cross the road because I’m waiting for a little light to say what I can or can not do. A car will hurt me. A car will kill me. That’s why I cross the road according to what traffic is on it’s way. Not because the green light says I’m allowed to cross.

I cross the exact intersection pictured above many times a week and I rarely wait for the lights. At any intersection I always look first though at all corners and carefully consider my options with regards to the traffic and how the lights are set up. I make sure that A. I’m not going to get hit and B. No one has to alter their speed or lane choice because of me.

What peaves me off is some of the halfwits that follow me, 10 seconds later but without checking for cars themselves. I constantly see cars having to break for them. If they’d like to commit suicide then that’s up to them but I don’t think some poor bugger in a car should have to spend every Thursday afternoon for the rest of their lives seeing a shrink in order to deal with the fact they’ve killed someone.

Unfortunately there’s quite a lot of stupid people out there. Just like the girl I heard behind me one day telling her friend “they wont hit us”. I really wanted to turn around and tell her how stupid she was and that she was crossing a busy road where the cars currently had the right of way. There’s far more obstacles for the driver than just having to look out for idiots like her.

Two more things that annoy the hell out of me are:
A. as a driver, I hate it when I have to stop at the lights because a road crossing pedestrian has pressed the button when the traffic other than me is non existant and:

B. as a pedestrian when agro tossers speed up to scare people crossing the road who would otherwise have had plenty of time to safely do so without interrupting the car.

That’s my 2 cents.

Your two cents should be worth fifty or so thousand dollars. Very good writing.

Erg0 said :

They used to do a blitz on jaywalking every so often in Perth, giving out fines at a couple of the more busy intersections in the city for a few days in a row. Once it got in the paper and on the news (disgruntled lawbreaker: “don’t the police have better things to do?”, etc) there was a noticeable decrease in the number of people crossing against the lights. Having a couple of cops issuing fines along that road for a day or two would easily pay for itself.

Failing that, I propose a camera-based solution.

Get bent, the only camera based solution that would work would be if the pedestrian who is jaywalking gets hit by a car, had to pay for the damage to the car. Or the family of the deceased jay walker did.

Little Red Man
There was a little red man who lived in a little red house on a little redstreet in a little red town. Now this little red man wanted to take alittle red shower so he put his little red towel on the little red towelrack. Just as he was about to get in, the little red doorbell rang.So he put his little red towel around his little red waist and went to thelittle red door. He opened the little red door and there stood a woman.Just then a big gust of wind came and blew the little red towel away. Thewoman screamed, ran accross the road and got hit by a car.The moral of the story?Never run accross the road when the little red man is flashing.

http://jokes.contentavailable.com/i/Miscellaneous/Little_Red_Man/13467/

pptvb said :

I saw a funny thing a few weeks ago.
I was waiting at the crossing on Marcus-Clarke St, near the IGA, when a bloke walked across the crossing, against the signal.
The police officer waiting next to me made (told) him to go back & wait for the little green man signal.
This bloke was not happy, as he was 3/4 of the way across, but complied.
Just as he got back, the lights changed! I laughed & the cop was smiling about it.
So I guess it is enforced occasionally!

I dislike useless laws, especially if they come with a fine. But this copper did it well.

Queen_of_the_Bun said :

Having said that, I’m a big fan of pedestrians who cross safely without pushing the button when there’s no oncoming traffic. Not a big fan (and I try not to do it myself) of people who push the button then cross anyway, meaning that by the times the lights change there’s no-one waiting to cross the road. Main offenders are at the Manuka Oval crossing on Canberra Av and the Narrabundah College/St Benny’s crossing on Jerrabomberra Av.

+1 for the Manuka Oval crossing, I always practise ethical jaywalking there.

p1 said :

Is that the charge for walking while smoking a joint?

That’s j-burner walking, and it’s a whole different offence.

I know that corner well. I drive through it most days. I like to slow down there to avoid the idiots, but I got outvoted by the members of my car pool so now we’re supposed to accelerate and steer into the lane the pedestrians are walking into. Still as the driver I have exercised my right of veto, and simply used the horn to alert the idiots (on the road not in the car) of my approaching presence. I was thinking of using my power of veto to stop the people in my car pool to stop carrying water balloons to bomb said pedestrians, but I think that might be beyond my power.
The number of customs employees that illegally cross the pedestrian crossing at the corner of Corranderrk St and Constitution Ave really pisses me off though. They just ignore the no walk sign in the afternoon. I’ve twice come so close to hitting one that it caused me severe pain from my seat belt and from thinking of tire wear. For crap’s sake customs people, if you’re going to ignore the no walk sign, at least look over your left shoulder for cars turning right and KEEP looking as you cross.

The worst I’ve seen was a young couple, him carrying a toddler, her pushing a stroller, who crossed Northbourne right on the curve at the law courts. Cars actually had to stop for them. Fair enough to risk your own life but your kids?

Having said that, I’m a big fan of pedestrians who cross safely without pushing the button when there’s no oncoming traffic. Not a big fan (and I try not to do it myself) of people who push the button then cross anyway, meaning that by the times the lights change there’s no-one waiting to cross the road. Main offenders are at the Manuka Oval crossing on Canberra Av and the Narrabundah College/St Benny’s crossing on Jerrabomberra Av.

Rollersk8r said :

The answer is yes, jay walking fines exist and I’ve seen police issue them, although it doesn’t happen often. A few years ago someone got hit by a car on Northbourne and I could see the police handing out fines from my office window (for an hour so after the accident).

LOL and didn’t that cause a uproar, the usual cries of “haven’t they got anything else better to do” and the other chestnut “go after some real criminals”.

What I especially hate is the pedestrians that pause at the lights, press the button 40 trillion times, then walk anyways, to just have traffic stop for no pedestrians when the little green man shows up ……..

sepi said :

The problem is the ridiculous amount of time it takes to cross northbourne with the lights.

Unless you walk super fast, and start right at the start of the green light you cna’t get across in one set of green lights and have to stand around in the middle for ages. It seems like 10 minutes to get across there.

Walk super fast, then – that’s what I used to do when I crossed Northbourne every morning. Sometimes I even employed a light jog if I wasn’t waiting when the lights changed.

I have no particular problem with people crossing against the lights when the road is actually clear, but if you’re darting across in the face of 60 km/h oncoming traffic then you’re just being impatient.

The answer is yes, jay walking fines exist and I’ve seen police issue them, although it doesn’t happen often. A few years ago someone got hit by a car on Northbourne and I could see the police handing out fines from my office window (for an hour so after the accident).

I’m a regular ‘jaywalker’. I don’t believe that I should be holding up traffic to cross the road because I’m waiting for a little light to say what I can or can not do. A car will hurt me. A car will kill me. That’s why I cross the road according to what traffic is on it’s way. Not because the green light says I’m allowed to cross.

I cross the exact intersection pictured above many times a week and I rarely wait for the lights. At any intersection I always look first though at all corners and carefully consider my options with regards to the traffic and how the lights are set up. I make sure that A. I’m not going to get hit and B. No one has to alter their speed or lane choice because of me.

What peaves me off is some of the halfwits that follow me, 10 seconds later but without checking for cars themselves. I constantly see cars having to break for them. If they’d like to commit suicide then that’s up to them but I don’t think some poor bugger in a car should have to spend every Thursday afternoon for the rest of their lives seeing a shrink in order to deal with the fact they’ve killed someone.

Unfortunately there’s quite a lot of stupid people out there. Just like the girl I heard behind me one day telling her friend “they wont hit us”. I really wanted to turn around and tell her how stupid she was and that she was crossing a busy road where the cars currently had the right of way. There’s far more obstacles for the driver than just having to look out for idiots like her.

Two more things that annoy the hell out of me are:
A. as a driver, I hate it when I have to stop at the lights because a road crossing pedestrian has pressed the button when the traffic other than me is non existant and:

B. as a pedestrian when agro tossers speed up to scare people crossing the road who would otherwise have had plenty of time to safely do so without interrupting the car.

That’s my 2 cents.

The problem is the ridiculous amount of time it takes to cross northbourne with the lights.

Unless you walk super fast, and start right at the start of the green light you cna’t get across in one set of green lights and have to stand around in the middle for ages. It seems like 10 minutes to get across there.

I walk into the City this way almost every day, and I’ve seen a stack of people almost cleaned up at those intersections. A lot of the time, you’ll see people cross against the signal, with plenty of time to get across safely, but then someone who’s not really paying any attention seems to think that means they can go too, and set out to cross without really looking.

Some of the worst are what I assume are international students from the ANU. I’ve seen so many groups strolling across those intersections, completely oblivious to the fact there’s cars heading straight for them. As for policing though…I once saw two girls cross there, actually forcing a police van to stop as they strolled straight in front of it – and the police did absolutely nothing.

It does somewhat annoy me when I’m driving through there, though usually taking the foot of the accelarator for a couple of seconds is enough to avoid them.

But when I’m a pedestrian walking through Civic, I actually find it really exciting that everyone ignores the rules. It’s so un-Canberran! It reminds me of exciting/chaotic overseas places.

Is that the charge for walking while smoking a joint?

They used to do a blitz on jaywalking every so often in Perth, giving out fines at a couple of the more busy intersections in the city for a few days in a row. Once it got in the paper and on the news (disgruntled lawbreaker: “don’t the police have better things to do?”, etc) there was a noticeable decrease in the number of people crossing against the lights. Having a couple of cops issuing fines along that road for a day or two would easily pay for itself.

Failing that, I propose a camera-based solution.

There are a number of traffic infringement fines for pedestrians crossing when the walk signal is red, crossing ino the path of a vehicle etc. They’re all a $67 fine.

People don’t like to wait it seems. Even in the main street of Gungahlin where there is a pedestrian crossing, I still see people jaywalking particularly around the bus stops.

I’ve got a Jay Walking fine in NSW before. (Crossing the road while the man was green, but I was about 3 meters outside the walking area, the cop was being a prick…. and we may have been laughing at the same cop giving another friend a ticket for no helmet while riding… about 11 years ago now)

I’m the only person I know to ever get a fine for crossing the road. 🙁

I got a ‘warning’ for Jay Walking once in the ACT, but never seen or heard of it being enforced here.

I saw a funny thing a few weeks ago.
I was waiting at the crossing on Marcus-Clarke St, near the IGA, when a bloke walked across the crossing, against the signal.
The police officer waiting next to me made (told) him to go back & wait for the little green man signal.
This bloke was not happy, as he was 3/4 of the way across, but complied.
Just as he got back, the lights changed! I laughed & the cop was smiling about it.
So I guess it is enforced occasionally!

Not sure about the enforcement of this – but I can say that I have nearly had a few as bonnet ornaments quite a few times. There seems to be some arogance with these people walking in front of cars, knowing in the back of their minds that the cars have to stop (after all, who will win in any court proceedings but the pedestrian!).

More enforcement I say!