Interesting Facts

According to a survey by YouGov, 47% of British adults say they often don’t even bother to find a designated crossing when they need to cross the road. (You might think this is jaywalking, but it's not illegal in the UK. I always say, "the crossings are there for me, I am not there for the crossings".) Source

People in Fort Lee who are caught texting on their mobile phones while walking face being fined  $85 (£53). (In the last month-and-a-half, at least 117 tickets have been issued for jaywalking.  That's $9,945.00.  Nice work if you can get it.)

The term "jaywalking", which means crossing the road or walking along the street without regard for approaching traffic, came from the US slang "jay", a term popular in the early 20th Century which means a rustic newcomer unfamiliar with city ways. (It is not actually illegal to jaywalk in the UK, but if you do you are violating the Highway Code and you are liable for any resulting accident.)