Reckless crosswalk legalized in NYC – Telemundo New York (47)

NEW YORK – Jaywalking, that age-old practice of crossing the street outside an intersection or against a traffic light, is now legal in New York City.

Legislation approved by the City Council last month officially became law over the weekend after Mayor Eric Adams refused to act by signing or signing it. ban after 30 days.

Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse, a Brooklyn Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said Tuesday that the new law closes racial disparities in law enforcement, noting that more than 90% of the fines for jaywalking issued last year for black and Latino people.

“Let’s face it, all New Yorkers jaywalk. “People are just trying to get where they need to go,” he said in an emailed statement. “Laws that criminalize behavior common to everyday movement should not exist, especially when they disproportionately affect communities of color. “

The new law allows pedestrians to cross a street at any time, even outside a crosswalk. It also allows crossing traffic signs and specifically says that no longer violates the city’s administrative code.

But the new law also warns that pedestrians crossing an intersection do not have the right of way and must yield to other traffic that has the right of way.

Liz Garcia, a spokeswoman for Adams, declined to elaborate on the mayor’s decision to allow the bill to become law without his actions.

But he noted that the bill makes it clear that going over the light and in the middle of a block is a dangerous behavior. People can also still be held liable in civil actions for accidents caused by jaywalking, Garcia said.

“All road users are safer when everyone respects traffic rules,” he said in a statement. “We continue to encourage pedestrians to take advantage of established safety measures, such as daylighting, pedestrian islands and key pedestrian moments, by crossing at intersections with the walking signal.”

Other cities and states, from Denver and Kansas City, Missouri, to California, Nevada and Virginia, have decriminalized jaywalking in recent years, according to America Walks, a Seattle-based group that has to monitor the recommendations.

“Cities that really care about safety are focused on street design, speed and dangerously large vehicles,” said Mike McGinn, the group’s executive director, Tuesday. “Not on the laws against jaywalking. “

According to America Walks, the auto industry pushed for these laws in the 1930s as a way to keep people off the streets and make more room for vehicles.

The word “jaywalking” dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and has roots in Midwestern slang meaning “redneck” or “country bumpkin,” according to the creator of the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

In New York City, where conflicts between pedestrians and drivers are constant, the jaywalking law had been in place since 1958 and fined up to $250.

In the 1969 movie “Midnight Cowboy,” Dustin Hoffman shouts “I’m walking like this!” while his character is almost hit by a taxi while crossing the street in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, the Legal Aid Society said the legislation was long overdue. The nonprofit, which provides free legal representation to New Yorkers who can’t afford an attorney, said police for decades have used coercion as a reason to stop, question and search residents, especially those of color.

“With this legislation now codified, we hope that both the Adams Administration and the City Council will continue to repeal ordinances that do not serve the purpose of public safety and only serve to into the criminal justice system,” the group said in a statement.

Spokesmen for the police department did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment, and a spokesman for its largest union declined to comment.

But Narcisse said the officers he spoke with say their time could be better spent on other police work, rather than issuing tickets for jaywalking.

“No one has ever said, ‘I’m so glad they caught that jaywalker.’ By eliminating these penalties, we will allow our police officers to focus on matters that really matter,” he said.