this post was submitted on 06 Sep 2025
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[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You are framing the situation such that the jaywalker is endangering themselves and other road users by ignoring the rules of the road that keep everyone safe. "Jaywalking" does not refer to pedestrians as a whole, only the people committing the act of jaywalking.

This is simply miskaken. At the time the term was invented, the streets were for pedestrians. There were natually no laws or norms saying people shouldnt walk in the street. Car companies waged a campaign to kick pedestrians out. If we can't agree on this basic fact, I am not sure how to continue the discussion.

References: https://www.vox.com/2015/1/15/7551873/jaywalking-history

https://www.salon.com/2015/08/20/the_secret_history_of_jaywalking_the_disturbing_reason_it_was_outlawed_and_why_we_should_lift_the_ban/

https://missedhistory.com/1800/lobbying-trick-blamed-pedestrians-inventing-jaywalking/

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/03/13/the-classist-racist-history-of-jaywalking/

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26073797

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There were natually no laws or norms saying people shouldnt walk in the street

There aren't any today either. But there are regulations about where and when people should walk in the street. Violations of these regulations (not literally just moving your feet back and forth) are known as jaywalking.

[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There are laws. They are called the right of way. I will not argue further with someone who is unable to incorporate new information.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago

There are laws

Now you're doing that strawman thing again. No one said there were no laws. What I said is that there are no laws saying that people cannot walk in the street.

They are called the right of way.

Yes, exactly. Jaywalking is the act of ignoring the right of way. Thank you for clarifying that.

I will not argue further with someone who is unable to incorporate new information.

Please, by all means, stop arguing.