Jaywalk, It's Safer

I often cross illegally in the middle of a block rather than at the crosswalk, and I do it for safety reasons.

At the crosswalk, cars approach from four different directions, and then take one of three actions: turn left, go straight, or turn right. That’s 12 common movement patterns you, as a crosser, need to be aware of.

In the middle of the block, there are only two: straight in one direction or straight in the other.

The car that hits you is the one you don’t expect. And 12 movement patterns leaves a lot to be unexpected.

Crossing in the middle of a block has the added benefit of making the pedestrian more alert. When you know you don’t have a crosswalk, you learn to watch the cars carefully. At an intersection, it’s easy to go on auto-pilot and walk without looking. I’ve personally seen more than on accident that happened this way.

On a related note, when I do cross at the light, I’m not looking at the light. I’m looking at the cars. I will not step in front of a car unless it has stopped or is clearly slowing to a stop. I don’t care if I have right-of-way. I don’t want to be right and dead. But, yeah, I cross on red when no cars are in sight.

Lucky for me, jaywalking in California was largely decriminalized by the 2023 Freedom to Walk Act. But I’d do it either way.

Be safe!