Jaywalking

[Load Toad]

Not much - I find Spanish or Russian to be OK.




When I was stopped I first claimed to be a visitor when the Traffic [email protected] asked me for my ID card, the [email protected] summoned over the Traffic cop and he asked me for my passport - at that point I pretended to not understand much English and the cop simply told me to not do it again and to be off.
Mrs got stopped - as she is Chinese and speaks a Cantopop but with an accent they thought she was a mainlander - started hassling her for her ID which she didn't have on her - started hassling her more for not having ID - then she calls the DH to bring down her ID card (so by now Mrs is speaking English to her maid) - at which point the cop apparently went all nicey nicey and let her go.

[Boro Boy]

...i think someone has already posted the best response if nabbed...keep walking, if the warden/whoever persists, become irate and start protesting loudly, and with a scowl...for some strange reason, they seem to be reluctant to pursue an angry gweilo...it worked for me last year...

[gilleshk]

A jaywalker caused a serious accident in the last couple of days as a vehicle swerved to avoid him and hit another one. Several people injured and no fatalities.

Bottom line is we can't complain about being nabbed for something we shouldn't do. Trying to find excuses is simply lame. I do it all the time, I go through red lights on my bike. I've actually been stopped once by a cop and I just said: Ok give me the ticket and he decided not to do it...

There are rules to follow, they are generally a good thing and when we choose to not follow them and get caught, we face the consequences and that's it...

[PDLM]

Know your laws as well - you can't cross against a "red man" controlled crossing, but you're fine to cross the road directly if you move more than 15 metres away from the crossing (provided there aren't any guard rails on the road).
Transport Department - No Crossing Zones

[Sigga]

A jaywalker caused a serious accident in the last couple of days as a vehicle swerved to avoid him and hit another one. Several people injured and no fatalities.

Bottom line is we can't complain about being nabbed for something we shouldn't do. Trying to find excuses is simply lame. I do it all the time, I go through red lights on my bike. I've actually been stopped once by a cop and I just said: Ok give me the ticket and he decided not to do it...

There are rules to follow, they are generally a good thing and when we choose to not follow them and get caught, we face the consequences and that's it...

IMO, the jaywalking laws are stupid, but then again many jaywalkers are pretty stupid too. I think the stupid/slow ones will probably get killed whatever the laws are.

[hullexile]

Know your laws as well - you can't cross against a "red man" controlled crossing, but you're fine to cross the road directly if you move more than 15 metres away from the crossing (provided there aren't any guard rails on the road).
Transport Department - No Crossing Zones

That can make it plain stupid at times. The main road near our flats is all railed off except three crossing places within a hundred yards of each other. One has lights the other two don't - so if you cross at the one with lights you are meant to wait for the green man, but at the other two you are fine. The only benefit of the green/red man in this case is to train your kids how to use them.

[Beanieskis]

What happens if you started to cross on green but don't make it because of the crowds or the fact you're old? Can they fine you then?

[Sigga]

What happens if you started to cross on green but don't make it because of the crowds or the fact you're old? Can they fine you then?

No, I think you just get run over!

[hong kong pearl]

A few years ago I jaywalked in Central outside Alexandra House without looking around and this cop asked me to step back onto the pavement. Then I looked up and there were about 20 cops standing right at that crossing! That was a good use of police resources ... Anyway, I said that I was a visitor in English, they asked for my ID and I gave them my British driving license. He wrote my name down on a scrap piece of paper (what for??) and then let me off.

I always look around now when I'm crossing ...

[bookblogger]

the really annoying thing about beinf fined in central is two-fold:
a) the green phases are really really short - especially during rush hours it's never enough

The one between Pedder Building and M&S is the worst of all... hundreds of pedestrians waiting at all times of day, and yet the cars get so much time to breeze through.