Jaywalking in the 'hood

[Anonymous]

Have you ever noticed when you're driving through a not-so-great neighborhood how many people will just cross the street wherever, often walking right in front of moving cars? Most of us probably jaywalk or cross against the light when no cars are coming, but that's not what I'm talking about. When I drive through certain low-income neighborhoods in Baltimore and DC, I feel like I'm constantly trying to avoid running someone over. What is up with that?

[Anonymous]

There have been studies on this. Basically in poor neighborhoods, you often don't have frequent crosswalks, so people have to jaywalk to get to the store, bus stops, etc.

[Anonymous]

I live in a nice neighborhood in Vienna, and it's the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Funny, I feel that way about driving through downtown Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Yes, and also at 16th and K. And at Wisconsin and Q. And at Connecticut and and R. I could go on...

[Anonymous]

My supposition is that more people rely on buses, which come less frequently in some neighborhoods. If you see your once-an-hour bus coming, you're not going to wait for the light or get to a crosswalk.

That, and a general disdain for rules. Like with littering.

[Anonymous]

I always thought it was because more people are just hanging out in the street doing nothing in those places. No one working = more people out in the streets = more jaywalking.

[Anonymous]

I see it in Vienna on Maple all the time so it is not just in the hood. I find on lower income streets there is rarely a button to press for crossing which means people cross in between parked cars, etc...

[Anonymous]

This thread has the potential to get really ugly and I hope it doesn't. I've encountered this so much. I think there are a few things going on:

1. There is a general feeling of lawlessness in the 'hood that is pervasive - like, the rules don't apply here - both in terms of enforcement of things like jaywalking and protection of the people there.
2. People there feel invisible and marginalized, and walking in front of someone's car is a tiny way of exerting some power and control
3. Sadly, some of the people do not protect themselves because there is too much going on.
4. Yes, some people are just loitering, hanging out, and don't have anywhere to be or go.
5. A lot of the people doing this are children (even if they're teenagers, they are still children), the children are often unsupervised or undersupervised, parents are struggling so hard to put food on the table or manage addiction, or deal with the problems that have been heaped upon them that they don't have time to make sure their kids aren't getting into trouble / in danger.

I grew up in subsidized housing and do not remember it this being a pattern back then. I think the jaywalking is a modern 'hood thing.

[Anonymous]

In [PC redaction] neighborhoods, jaywalking is a fuck-you. Ever notice how some individuals slow down as they cross illegally in front of you? In [PC redaction] areas, they're hurrying to get somewhere, like maybe a second job.

[Anonymous]

Actually, re: littering, it is more prevalent in low income neighborhoods due to a simple lack of public trash cans. The next time you are in, for instance, old town Alexandria...note how clean it is, and how many public trashcans. Then go to del ray ( the non gentrified part) and note the difference. I know this as a former resident of a low income neighborhood. I got tired of trash in my yard and after bitching to a few neighbors learned that there used to be public trashcans in said neighborhood at every bus stop, on many street corners, etc. But people put so much trash in the cans that they were always overflowing with trash people clearly should have put in their trash at home, dumpster in apartment complex, etc. The county got tired of paying it's employees to always pick up people's trash so removed the trashcans. As to why people didn't use trash service at home, I don't know why...unnecessary expense or laziness are two opinions I heard.

As a side note, I highly encourage all white liberal yuppies (like myself I will admit) to expose yourself to situations and places and people that give you a world view outside of one in which only poor people jaywalk and someone who can't feed their kids gives a shit if it's organic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In [PC redaction] neighborhoods, jaywalking is a fuck-you. Ever notice how some individuals slow down as they cross illegally in front of you? In [PC redaction] areas, they're hurrying to get somewhere, like maybe a second job.

You mean to assert their power? I read about a study that said something like people in job positions that are not highly respected such as service positions are more likely to be rude? to customers as a way of making up for those feelings.

[Anonymous]

Ever notice when you're walking in ANY neighborhood, and you have a walk signal or are in the crosswalk, drivers in cars nearly mow you over anyway? Ever notice how they stop ON the white lines so you and other pedestrians have to walk in the street, or when you're in the crosswalk and they're just DYING to make their turn, how they nearly plow over you? What is up with that?

[Anonymous]

"2. People there feel invisible and marginalized, and walking in front of someone's car is a tiny way of exerting some power and control"


Way to the extreme but many serial killers have the need to control and often feel like they have little control in their real lives. They say as society becomes more equalized we will see more women and minority serial killers.

[Anonymous]

Another more likely reason why jaywalking isn't seen by some demographics as the serious offense it clearly should be...it's all relative. My neighbors smoke weed all day long, my uncle sells a little every now and then, I'm driving without a license bc I can't afford to take off work to go to the DMV, and my 3 cousins are in jail for violent crimes. Jaywalking...are you kidding me? Cops have better things to do than ticket me for jaywalking and I have other shit to deal with. I'm crossing thefucking street when I need to, not walking 3 blocks out of my way to a crosswalk.