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I have seen many people doing it. I moved here from CA a while ago. I am trying to teach my older kid not to cross street till seeing the crossing sign. She always asks me why other people do not wait and just cross whenever.
It's not legal, but it's one of those those laws that cops put in their backpocket.. meaning that no one is going to say anything if you do. Just to clarify, crossing on a red is NOT jaywalking.. which is what it seems like your post is talking about. Most of us, myself included, will just cross the street whenever no cars are coming.. jaywalking is walking into the middle of the street, and waiting there while you don't have the right of way.
It's not legal, but it's one of those those laws that cops put in their backpocket.. meaning that no one is going to say anything if you do. Just to clarify, crossing on a red is NOT jaywalking.. which is what it seems like your post is talking about. Most of us, myself included, will just cross the street whenever no cars are coming.. jaywalking is walking into the middle of the street, and waiting there while you don't have the right of way.
My friend who moved from NY to CA got a jaywalking ticket in his first week moving there.
I have seen numerous people cross the street like this in front of cops, with cops, near cops.. and a ticket has never been handed out. I guess it's possible to get a ticket, but you'd have to get "that one cop".
i also thought jaywalking was if you cross the street but not at a signal - but i guess it makes sense it if includes crossing at a signal which is red for pedestrians
In california, crossing on a red IS jaywalking. But I can tell you that I moved to NYC from california and I have walked on a red in front of numerous cops. You will look weird and get hassled by the hop on hop off tour bus guys if you DON'T follow the crowd and cross on the red. I think it's a lost cause to tell someone to wait for the walk sign in manhattan.
It's illegal, but luckily the one time the city tried to enforce it, they happened to nab a law student who was working for a notorious legal gadfly, so they dropped it like a hot potato.
If it's any consolation, when I'm at a curb and see a parent standing there patiently holding a child's hand, I wait, too.
I have seen many people doing it. I moved here from CA a while ago. I am trying to teach my older kid not to cross street till seeing the crossing sign. She always asks me why other people do not wait and just cross whenever.
I think you're going to be getting this question quite a bit:
Mom (or Dad), why do we have to wait til the subway riders exit the train before getting on when everyone else is pushing their way in?
Mom, why do I have to find a trash can to put my trash in when I see trash all over the street?
Why can't I use swear words when all the other people are swearing?
Why are cars illegally parked, running red lights, speeding up at yellow lights, swerving in and out of traffic and tailgating when you're not supposed to do those things?
etc.
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