There comes a point where the government goes too far and people have to just stand up and say no. One of those situations is jaywalking laws. Gilroy is a little town 20 miles south of San Jose. It’s just 50k people and the main drag through downtown is Monterey st. This is one of the areas where they want to outlaw jaywalking.
The road is a little 2 lane road through the old downtown area. Traffic in the area is slow and the street isn’t very wide. But California governments have what I consider to be a toxic culture of wanting to pass more and more laws to manage every aspect of our daily lives. There is no reason for this law except it’s kind of a monkey see monkey do copy of jay walking laws in other California cities. If this were San Francisco I could understand it because they have a pedestrian culture there who is too stupid not to walk out in front of cars.
So – I think that Gilroy should direct it’s slim resources to filling pot holes and delivering city water which is in my view is the primary duty of government. I would rather see the city police focus on gang related problems and not busting people walking across the street. I also think that general oppression of freedom laws causes people to become more stupid and will result in lowering the IQ of the city. We citizens need to push back against this government culture and keep the focus on pot holes and not looking for new ways to keep the sheep in line.
Some day our children and grandchildren will look at this video and remember the time when someone could just walk across the street when they want to without California telling me I can’t.
It’s nothing more than a means of generating more $ for gubment. Do you really think they give a rat’s ass about whether you get hit by a car?
Most likely you are right but most progressives don’t want citizens making choices they can make for them.
“Most likely you are right but most progressives don’t want citizens making choices they can make for them.”
B.S. X 1000! Repukatans made a decision to go to war with fictitious evidence, down right lies and with no public interest!
Maybe if the Repukatans focused on sending in a Seal team(s) to kill Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden instead of blindingly bombing civilians, we would of never had a reason to go to war and to waste trillions of dollars and forcing IRAN to build nukes.
But of course I had no choice. The Repukatans made that choice for me, in the name of protecting me.
Repukatans? Really?
If you are referring to the war with Afghanistan are you claiming the twin towers didn’t go down or what?
If I recall correctly Hilary, Nancy, and Harry all voted for the same Iraq war. I didn’t buy the need for that one and have never approved of Congress giving a President the right to go to war without Congress declaring war.
Our peace prize winner on the other hand didn’t even bother with Congressional approval for his military actions in North Africa so at best both Parties are guilty.
I have a feeling that you are real strong on emotions and not so good with reality.
What the fuck is it with people on this board?
Why do they insist on misusing the word progressive?
What, they deliberately want to be American Taliban?
Is the space program so repellant to them? (We put men on the moon and we land space ships on Mars by making progress.)
Is the fact that we can build things that don’t immediately fall down, like many medieval churches did, so wrong?
You fucking pig-ignorant semi-simians troglodytes should be taken out and forced to live without the inventions of progress, like soap and clean water, like cotton clothing, like ammunition shells, like collapsible steering columns, like traffic lights and all the rest of progress.
Jaywalking is already illegal in Gilroy, see California Vehicle Code section 21955. They might just be upping the fines.
That’s what I thought.
Of course it’s just another excuse to raise revenue. Of course, around here, they could solve the deficit if they would just enforce two laws: the one against leaf blowers and the one against holding the cell phone use when driving. Give me a ticket book and I could write up $1000 worth every time I go out for a walk.
spsffan, good job, they spend all of their time trying to think up new laws, that already exist. When they don’t enforce the existing laws! Bravo, I’m sure spitting on the sidewalk or bouncing a basketball is in there too.
Rolls eyes. Teabaggers need to check their priorities off things to complain about.
What’s the next crisis after the imposing jaywalking regulation? Pooper scooper laws? Littering?
Oh, but this is NOT TeaParty complaint. (See the extremist Left poster). This is Progressives caught in their own scheme. They like to jaywalk – so no, no, no banning their pass time despite complete Constitutional right for the State and local Government to regulate it. Everyone is equal but Progressives are a bit more equal.
TeaParty type of issue such as ongoing CA SB249 that would violate Second Amendment is nowhere on Progressive complainers mind. Not 50000 but 15000000 people affected. Not convenience issue but Constitutional right… Yet triviality is the one Progressive nutters complain about.
Perkel? a Teabagger? seriously, are you a newbie to this blog?
Any chance to use the term even if it doesn’t come close to being accurate.
You must have had a brain aneurysm, because every city in America that is filing Bankruptcy or pulling this crap is run by Democrats and has been forever.
It’s important to have this law. The police need laws to enforce. Then we need more police to enforce the laws. And we need more taxes to pay the police, as well as their pensions. Then we need police to enforce the tax laws.
Well, there’s my proof right there.
Proof of what? That you are irrational? That the progressives will spend until the money is all gone? That you hate people that are more successful than you are? Just explain yourself.
Shop in downtown – risk getting a ticket
Drive to out-of-town mall – free parking + no ticket
Bye-bye downtown.
NO! Let them jaywalk. This will eventually reduce the population of morons. And Lord knows we could use fewer rebublicans! (that is correctly spelled BTW)
TWAT
Too bad FREEDOM to wear shoes is not part of the Bill of Rights, otherwise JAYWALKING could be right up there with the FREEDOM to be shot by a gun.
F*cking Retarded LIEberTARDians confusing anarchy with freedom. Anti-Democractic is what it is. LIEberTARDS want to IMPOSE their own notion of what is good vs bad compared to the MAJORITY WILL! Who is more the fascist?
Who is Perkel to tell the Majority of these Garlic Eaters they cannot have the laws they want? Hmmmm, occurs to me we could go for a two-fer here. What about the right to protect one’s self from JayWalkers and allow the Public to shoot them?
Perfect Justice–people with guns taking the initiative to enforce the law all for the public car driving safety. Especially come festival time, or most weekends when you can’t drive the speed limit thru the time. SPEED LIMIT???? What an assault on our personal FREEDOMS!! Why can’t I drive as fast as I think is safe???
Perkel—-is that squirrel of yours still alive, or has it died mysteriously??? Any rashes on your arms????
Just trying to understand the source of your post.
Nuts to all involved.
It’s about the money,show me the money and I’ll make a new law for it.When are people going to revolt,I sit here patiently and nothing happens.
I sit here patiently and nothing happens
That is the problem. 🙂
You don’t make any, uh, progress sitting on your thumbs and just waiting.
Almost all communities have jaywalking laws. The reason is not to raise revenue as they are rarely enforced. It’s due to the fact that most people are remarkably adept at doing stupid things like not looking while crossing the street.
P.S. If you add all the idiots walking around with plugs in their ears and face buried in the electronic device they are carrying, if the city did enforce it they could probably lower water and sewer rates and add two more officers and still have a surplus of funds..
You do need the excercise you mouth breather. Maybe if you were a big boy you could control your eating. Walk around fatty.
Nice to see even Perkel getting tired of nanny statism.
I’ve always subscribed to the burdened vessel rules of the road concept. Basically it’s this, if you get in the way of the burdened vessel, and you get run over, it’s no ones fault but your own.
Libertarianism…it’s not for pussies.
Can we draw to an inside straight and ask if you can stand your own ground in face of a burdened vessel and shoot the tires out to protect yourself?
…. you know… put yourself where you are afraid and incompetent to be, and protect yourself with a gun?
Every freak with their own opinion. How should society organize itself?
Natural selection, if you’re too stupid to get out of the way, you and your progeny will dead end, the gene pool then improves.
It is natural selection. In this hypothetical with the opposing forces of a burdened vehicle vs a loaded weapon. xxxx but we are off in cartoon land.
I’ll bet even without such a law that the jaywalker rarely wins any lawsuit when run over in traffic. I’m sure there are cases… always are. But generally, when you are hurt violating the law, you are own your own.
No swerving to hit jaywalkers allowed. Death Race 2000?
Oh this is good.
Burdened vessel rule? As in the bigger the ‘vessel’ the more implied burden and hence, make way?
This may work ok at the farm but in the urban areas? Not so well.
Then you have the right to Stand Your Ground against that UPS truck. OK by me.
As stated: every freak has his own opinion as to what “rule” would be the best one to apply- – – – but there can only be one rule. I don’t give a frick on most issues what your/my opinion is–once the majority will is expressed, why not go along?
Only a baby has to have their own way in things that are not central/key to one’s own satisfaction in life.
go down the list: gay marriage, jay walking, speed limits, metered parking==what is really KEY to your own happiness? Do you ever stop to think about that, to make that analysis, or do you just whine at every interference of your own personal preference?
Something to think about, if you ever do.
SOME jaywalking laws have a small comment..
“RESTRICTING TRAFFIC”
Under that woding, as long as there is NO TRAFFIC, you can get off..any cheap lawyer can debate it.
Excellent comment. Not all the laws are the same huh? Some try for a compromise recognizing conflicting interests….. thereby requiring all parties to exercise judgment ( and honesty?) …. what could go wrong?
Pressing the button to enable the “WALK” symbol at the crosswalk doesn’t “Restrict Traffic”?
I don’t get your point What. Traffic includes auto and pedestrian.
Whats your point?
On a tangent–I was thinking that ECA was referring to the idea you can walk freely where you want to if there is no traffic. Nothing to do with using Pedestrian crosswalk Lights.
Seems to me the legitimacy of one system over the other would come down to density and desired safety levels. But no matter what–one group/interest is advantaged over the other.
How to resolve? Whining is just plain self centered childish.
I have a crosswalk in my town that thanks to the ADA, allows enough time for a quadriplegic to drag themselves across six lanes sans wheelchair using only their lips. And then halfway through a parking lot before it times out.
gwaddam cripples.
They should just stay home and be quiet.
Speaking as one of the cripples: fuck you.
You can just drive 11 miles over the speed limit instead of your usual 10.
Must be a slow news day.
1. Another Mass Shooting to protect our gun ownership rights.
2. Romney lying about Obama’s “They didn’t build it” statement.
3. Top level Syrian officials leaving the Assad government.
4. Fish dying in Middle USA from rivers getting too hot.
5. Sugar is toxic causing much more than just diabetes.. like cancer.
6. Green energy breakthroughs in cheaper photo volataics to bring cost down ((Yes a repeat from every month for the last 20 years)).
7. Republican assault on voting rights of more likely democratic voters.
8. Romney lying (I’d say again but when does he ever tell the truth?) about Obama lawsuit to allow mail in voting.
…. lots more stuff, but likely more than 3 days old? My memory goes all foggy after confronting liebertardian views on jaywalking and democracy in action.
The future is so bright, I hope my kiddies get to see it.
1. Another Mass Shooting to protect our gun ownership rights.
Too bad Sikhs don’t conceal and carry to defend themselves. A knife in a gun fight is not a tactical advantage.
2. Romney lying about Obama’s “They didn’t build it” statement.
Politicians lie and spin the facts to their advantage on both sides of the fence. Get used to it.
#3 – Who cares?
#4 – What can anybody do about it?
5. Sugar is toxic causing much more than just diabetes.. like cancer.
I thought everybody knew this. Don’t consume sugar, especially high-fructose corn poison.
6. Green energy breakthroughs in cheaper photo volataics to bring cost down ((Yes a repeat from every month for the last 20 years)).
Hooray. When I win the lottery or become a multimillionaire movie actor I will invest in a solar solution.
7. Republican assault on voting rights of more likely democratic voters.
This is news?
8. Romney lying (I’d say again but when does he ever tell the truth?) about Obama lawsuit to allow mail in voting.
See #2
Libertarians don’t look to the government for solutions to problems. Yes, it is weird.
don’t look to the government for solutions to problems.
Might makes right, eh? In the absence of big brother (or let’s say a thoughful big brother, wishful thinking) what keeps the bullies from taking over?
Same as it ever was.
Same as it ever was.
There ya go. Survival of the fittest.
Life is a bitch and then you die.
Go with the flow. Learn and adapt.
Make the best of a bad situation.
When I was a young man San Diego instituted a ban on jaywalking and strong enforcement of traffic at interstections where a pedestrian in the cross walk had the right of way. It took a couple of years to do, but the lessons were learned. Jaywalking stopped and pedestrian crosswalks became safe zones.
I don’t know if it is still true. I hope it is.
Exactly what I’ve done. No parking tickets for me.
Government is stupid. It thinks the solution to the problem of sales tax on out of state purchases is to clamp down on internet sales. The real solution is to eliminate sales tax altogether; freeing local businesses to reduce their costs (d0n’t have to collect and pay this stupid consumption tax), making local businesses more price competitive and convenient. But no, grabernment sees the solution as taxing more.
I’m in favor of taxes being easy are reasonable.
Tickets, another form of tax, just drive people away… encourage them to stay at home and watch the world go by on their TV.
What? You don’t require the services that your sales taxes pay for?
Please list the services that your local government provides and a comment as to why you don’t need each one.
Libraries! Schools!
People don’t need to read*.
That’s what preachers/priests/rabbies/imams/shamans are for.
People read books and it gives them ideas.
Next thing you know they start asking questions.
Nothing good ever comes from people knowing how to read.
*) Does not apply to the 1% or to the oligarchy. They need to read in order know how to keep the rabble in its place.
I am sure many pedestrians are either delusional or medicated to the point where they lack judgement enough to walk safely. Let them pay.
So let me understand this — it’s OK for the goverment to tell you you must buy health insurance, but it’s not ok for them to tell you only to use cross walks?
Seems like some poeple are waking up…
For those that dont get it…
1. Until about 1940…Pedestrians had the RIGHT OF WAY on any street.
2. Look at the design of most Major Cities..They are NOT designed for a Walking human. Even if you have a bike..its NOT fun getting from 1 location to another, if there are Any major Roads/freeways/highways..and in those locations with Major roads…(if you are NOT in a car) you dont have any rights to CROSS that road.
Years ago I had a laugh having flown into LAX and gotten a nearby hotel room. Due to some construction of new access to the airport, it was impossible if not illegal to walk from the Hotel to “anywhere.” Easy to drive–could not walk. Haven’t been back to that exact location to see if that has changed but its another aspect of “free way”–free of traffic lights, and free of pedestrian traffic.
LA–built to be in bondage to the car.
Bless our oil companies and the monopolies they control.
Stop bickering!!
Funny.