Comments on: Why did the Brit cross the road? The murky rules of jaywalking https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/ Sharing the world with you Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:30:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21991 Andy Jarosz Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:06:30 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21991 Thanks Cedric. Don't know if the Chinese or the British influence is responsible for this - but yes, the lights act as a useful advisory but that's all :-) Thanks Cedric. Don’t know if the Chinese or the British influence is responsible for this – but yes, the lights act as a useful advisory but that’s all :-)

]]> By: Cedric https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21957 Cedric Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:32:23 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21957 Funny observation. Also had to observe people's crossing habits in Hong Kong when I went there. I followed suit when I realized that they didn't really follow the traffic lights in deciding whether to cross or not. :D Funny observation. Also had to observe people’s crossing habits in Hong Kong when I went there. I followed suit when I realized that they didn’t really follow the traffic lights in deciding whether to cross or not. :D

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21952 Andy Jarosz Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:51:11 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21952 Sounds like you'll be ok with the rules in Singapore Farnoosh - it's us Brits that need worry most! In our defence I think our traffic management systems are so badly thought out that if on a long walk through London you stopped at every red light and waited you could easily add half an hour to your journey, not just a few seconds. Perhaps it's set up with non-compliance in mind... Sounds like you’ll be ok with the rules in Singapore Farnoosh – it’s us Brits that need worry most! In our defence I think our traffic management systems are so badly thought out that if on a long walk through London you stopped at every red light and waited you could easily add half an hour to your journey, not just a few seconds. Perhaps it’s set up with non-compliance in mind…

]]> By: Shane https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21937 Shane Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:58:54 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21937 As a Londoner I tend to step in the road whenever I feel like it. The traffic is usually going so slowly that being hit by a car would result in little more than a small bruise. As a Londoner I tend to step in the road whenever I feel like it. The traffic is usually going so slowly that being hit by a car would result in little more than a small bruise.

]]> By: Farnoosh https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21297 Farnoosh Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:55:25 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21297 Holy cow, ,thank you for telling me about Singapore's rules - I'll be there in a few days. Toronto seems to be very much following the walk-now, stop-now, follow the signs process which I do like. I don't really care for the crazy jaywalkers and in fact, in Zurich, if a car hits you when you are jaywalking, it's your own fault....now that seems to me fair and square. :)! Wait for the green light. What do you lose, 3 seconds? :)! Holy cow, ,thank you for telling me about Singapore’s rules – I’ll be there in a few days. Toronto seems to be very much following the walk-now, stop-now, follow the signs process which I do like. I don’t really care for the crazy jaywalkers and in fact, in Zurich, if a car hits you when you are jaywalking, it’s your own fault….now that seems to me fair and square. :) ! Wait for the green light. What do you lose, 3 seconds? :) !

]]> By: Andy Hayes | Dream Travel Jobs https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21233 Andy Hayes | Dream Travel Jobs Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:38:22 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21233 Agree, agree, agree. As you know, here in the UK it is like a sport to see who can dart across the road fast enough. The only penalty seems to be getting hit by a car. It's maddening to go abroad and just stand there. But yes, it's often the rules. I tend to just do what everyone else does. Strength in numbers. Agree, agree, agree. As you know, here in the UK it is like a sport to see who can dart across the road fast enough. The only penalty seems to be getting hit by a car.

It’s maddening to go abroad and just stand there. But yes, it’s often the rules. I tend to just do what everyone else does. Strength in numbers.

]]> By: Ted Nelson https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21230 Ted Nelson Thu, 16 Sep 2010 20:29:15 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21230 Interesting point as I never even thought about the differences in the way we cross the road and the way it varies from one place to the next. Here in Chicago it is a lot like New York and many cross wherever they feel like it. Interesting point as I never even thought about the differences in the way we cross the road and the way it varies from one place to the next. Here in Chicago it is a lot like New York and many cross wherever they feel like it.

]]> By: Natalia https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21143 Natalia Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:35:26 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21143 So true! We are trying hard to teach our son to cross when the sign is green, but living in the UK he just sees everyone else ignoring it, so it is so hard. And traffic management is so bad here, that it seems to take forever for the pedestrian light to go green ... My husband was told off by an old lady in Austria for crossing before the pedestrian light went green. He was nearly killed by a car when he did wait for the light to go green at a crossing in Italy, and a driver blithely ignored the pedestrian crossing. So as you say, it can be a good idea to try and figure out what the local rules are (though that is not always easy). So true! We are trying hard to teach our son to cross when the sign is green, but living in the UK he just sees everyone else ignoring it, so it is so hard. And traffic management is so bad here, that it seems to take forever for the pedestrian light to go green …

My husband was told off by an old lady in Austria for crossing before the pedestrian light went green. He was nearly killed by a car when he did wait for the light to go green at a crossing in Italy, and a driver blithely ignored the pedestrian crossing. So as you say, it can be a good idea to try and figure out what the local rules are (though that is not always easy).

]]> By: Andy Jarosz https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21127 Andy Jarosz Thu, 16 Sep 2010 07:22:42 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21127 I guess that as long as drivers and pedestrians know what's expected of them, the system wil work (in its own way). I do find the wait excruciating on an empty street - but then again if we're in the same situation in a car we never question the need to obey the lights... Thanks to all for the comments I guess that as long as drivers and pedestrians know what’s expected of them, the system wil work (in its own way). I do find the wait excruciating on an empty street – but then again if we’re in the same situation in a car we never question the need to obey the lights…
Thanks to all for the comments

]]> By: Adventure King https://www.501places.com/2010/09/why-did-the-brit-cross-the-road-the-murky-world-of-jaywalking/#comment-21033 Adventure King Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:03:05 +0000 https://www.501places.com/?p=3708#comment-21033 It's a window into the attitude of the people I suppose. Having almost been run down in Spain and France I agree that you need to see what the locals do. I remember after arriving in Vancouver, I was waiting on the pavement of a residential road, and a car stopped to let me cross... I was just confused! I looked at the driver and he waved me across, so I hesitantly crossed the road, with a wonky grin on my face. It took me days to adjust. It’s a window into the attitude of the people I suppose. Having almost been run down in Spain and France I agree that you need to see what the locals do.

I remember after arriving in Vancouver, I was waiting on the pavement of a residential road, and a car stopped to let me cross… I was just confused! I looked at the driver and he waved me across, so I hesitantly crossed the road, with a wonky grin on my face. It took me days to adjust.

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