Has anyone ever been stopped in Canada for jaywalking? I was thinking the other day about the time I nearly got stopped by the cops in Hawaii for jaywalking, but pretended I didn't understand and walked away

I did a google and according to wikipedia, it's also an offence in Canada?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaywalking

Seems a pretty odd rule to me that you can't cross a road where there's no traffic, just because there's not a crossing to do so? OK, so makes sense not to do it on a motorway etc, but on a normal street? The one in Hawaii had no traffic at all at that point....

Surely if you're stupid enough to cross dangerously, then it's your fault if you're on the receiving end of an SUV?

It's definitely the law here too ..... people ignoring it are frequently mown down by the C-train!!

Traffic in Fredericton stops if you stand by the kerb. Honest they stop and wave you across!

I'd rather get a ticket.

So, if a car stopped and let you cross, the cops could then stop you and give you a fine How messed up is that?

just increased to $250 on the spot fine in AB, take it from me, people are keen to give it out, be careful.

In Montreal, jaywalking is not a crime; it's a death sentence. If you cross the street on a red - be prepared to dive away from accelerating cars, buses, bikes, semi-trailer trucks and police cruisers. Crosswalks are basically street signs that say "speed up to 110 km/h." EVERYBODY in YUL speeds up when a ped tries to cross (especially when the ped has right-of-way); it's actually part of the driving test. They train you using human-shaped road cones. I once saw a gaggle of casino-bound upstate New-York geriatrics mercilessly slaughtered by a city of Montreal snow-plough. Come to think of it, they were on the sidewalk when he mowed them down . . .

In BC pedestrians have right of way, so they walk out in front of vehicles all over the place. If you hit them it is likely your fault, however what puzzles me is if they are committing an offence by jaywalking how can it be my fault?

I have yet to put this theory to the test!

Having lived in Vancouver, Toronto and now Wasaga Beach - I can absolutely concur that pedestrians have the right of way in Vancouver. People do stop for them and unlike Montreal, they don't try to run them over. Toronto is a bit between Montreal and Vancouver - it is basically - watch yourself! I don't know of anyone getting a ticket for jay walking but it is a known law. Canada does have a lot of laws!

Jaywalking laws are mostly intended for really busy downtown type streets. It's not aimed at people crossing the street in a quieter residential neighbourhood when only a few cars come past etc. It is to stop people crossing dangerously in busy traffic to reduce casualties and accidents and so forth.
In Toronto it's not actually true that pedestrians have right of way, even at a crossing (one with flashing X not at traffic lights) cars don't have to stop until you are actually on the cross walk, if you are at the kerb they can keep going.
They did a crackdown recently in Toronto on jaywalking as there had been a lot of pedestrians accidents, not sure how many people they charged but it was kind of mocked by all the newspapers ertc. It is a $50 fine or something like that. I don't think they enforce it really unless you are clearly doing something dangerous. In a lot of US cities though it is taken very seriously and they will arrest you for doing it.

that may be so, but i can assure you it is enforced rigorously around here, no matter what time or where. my wife around 2mths ago crossed the road with her english friend, at around 2am after leaving a nearby bar. it is a small village type centre, deserted at this time. they had a good look and then skipped across the road giggling like girls do. the mountie of course appears and stops them. my wife though, well briefed, showed a bit of breast, fluttered her eyelids and put on the accent. he let her go.

I think we're getting the jaywalking & pedestrian's rights to cross a little mixed up here. Jaywalking is crossing the street in between an intersection or crosswalk - like halfway between the lights, or crossing at an intersection when you have the red hand. A pedestrian has the "right to cross" if standing at the corner of the pavement (sidewalk) in order to cross to the opposite corner. It is, in effect, an extension of the pavement (sidewalk) and so vehicles must stop to allow the person to cross the road. I've seen it so many times, cars having to stop abruptly to allow pedestrians to cross - and you really have to drive super alert in residential zones as most kids are taught in schools to stand on the kerb corner, hold out their arm at a right angle and cross when the vehicle stops for them.

nope, she ran brazenly across the street nowhere near a cross walk, as a lot of people tend to do, because its a pain in the arse having to walk to the corner.

Oh I totally agree it's a stupid law, especially at night on a deserted street, but if she'd have walked to the nearest crosswalk/traffic lights to cross, THEN the bobby wouldn't have pulled her up about it. Hey, I'm no angel - I jaywalk all the time - and if I get pulled myself, I'm just going to do the "Oh I'm sorry officer, I'm English you see, fresh off the boat, and I didn't realise it was an offence" That is, unless I'm unlucky enough to get pulled over by you lol

you will never ever got stopped by me for this rubbish mate i can assure you of that. i am trying to train them up one at a time, but convincing them there are good guys and bad guys is difficult, its like real life super troopers.