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Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 11:33 am
by my5cents
There are so many comments about jaywalkers doing this and jaywalkers doing that. I suspect 95% of the cases refered to as "jaywalking" aren't jaywalking.

JAYWALKING is basically crossing the street near a location that has a traffic light.

If there is a traffic light within a block you have to walk over to the light and cross there.

Also what do you call it when a pedestrian crosses the street at an intersection controled by a traffic light, but does so against the red light. Jaywalking ? No, that a pedestrian disobeying a traffic control device. The slang is "ped red".

That is illegal in Kelowna

From the City of Kelowna "Traffic Bylaw 8120" -

    8.2 Roadways

    8.2.1 Obey traffic control devices. Pedestrians must not cross a roadway in contravention
    of a traffic control device.

Of course what is missing, is the jaywalking offence, which means a pedestrian can, instead of disobeying the red traffic light, walk 10 feet (or 1 or that matter) away from the intersection and cross there. That's why any city with traffic lights, needs a jaywalking offence in their bylaws.

Crossing at the Casino isn't jaywalking even if Kelowna had a jaywalking bylaw.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 1:12 pm
by CrystalCity
Fancy wrote:This is Kelowna - I was assuming you were speaking locally.

Kelowna has urbam planners? Actually Richard Florida has come and spoken in Kelowna...back in 2010 for UBCO if I remember correctly

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 1:37 pm
by Fancy
CrystalCity wrote:Kelowna has urbam planners? Actually Richard Florida has come and spoken in Kelowna...back in 2010 for UBCO if I remember correctly
Which is irrelevant to jaywalking in Kelowna. I suspect officials aren't crazy about the idea since more crosswalks and lights have been installed.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 3:08 pm
by CrystalCity
I would say installing more lights and crosswalks are to be a visual signal to drivers to pay more attention, not because they have any against jaywalkers.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 3:10 pm
by Fancy
It was because pedestrians wanted to cross safely.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 3:11 pm
by Fancy
Simple definitions though it was stated earlier:

jay walking n. walking across a street outside of marked cross-walks and not at a corner, and/or against a signal light. If there is vehicle traffic or clear markings of a place to cross, this is a traffic misdemeanor subject to fine, and may be (but not conclusively) contributory negligence in the event of injury to the jay walker by a vehicle.


to cross a street carelessly or in an illegal manner so as to be endangered by traffic


This isn't just about pedestrians or walking.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 4:07 pm
by John500
Interesting to see a bridge that crosses 97 hardly being used. Interesting to see the ugly concrete barriers at Orchard park on 97. Maybe that bridge should have been build where the concrete bariers are. I can see no other reason these barriers be put there to stop people crossing 97. Next solution by some city engineer is to have concrete barriers on all of 97 thru town.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 4:26 pm
by JayByrd
As stated above, it is illegal for a pedestrian to cross a road in contravention of a traffic signal in Kelowna. I have seen someone ticketed for this, and the fine, at least at that time, was $100.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 4:54 pm
by my5cents
JayByrd wrote:As stated above, it is illegal for a pedestrian to cross a road in contravention of a traffic signal in Kelowna. I have seen someone ticketed for this, and the fine, at least at that time, was $100.

Ironically if that person had moved outside of the crosswalk at that same locate, no offence.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 9:12 pm
by PDT
When I was a kid, we were told to look both ways before crossing a street. These days it seems people don't care for personal safety and cross the street whenever they feel like it and if it just so happens they get hit (and survive) they can sue.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 18th, 2013, 10:16 pm
by Ken7
Many Cities have a Jaywalking By-law.

In short you must use a marked crosswalk or cross at an intersection.

It would appear that Kelowna Bylaw Manager is a little SR and never considered having the By-law enacted.

I guess they didn't have one in Prince George, so why would you have on in Kelowna, even though there was the incident where the pedestrian was run down while Jaywalking.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 19th, 2013, 8:53 am
by crookedmember
Yeah, but people get run down in crosswalks, also. Jaywalking just requires a little common sense.

Drivers not stopping at crosswalks is probably a bigger problem than jaywalking.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 19th, 2013, 11:11 am
by Ken7
crookedmember wrote:Yeah, but people get run down in crosswalks, also. Jaywalking just requires a little common sense.

Drivers not stopping at crosswalks is probably a bigger problem than jaywalking.



Most drivers.. slow and look when approaching crosswalks or intersections when they see people. When they step out from wherever it's like bowling.

It makes sense, although sadly there is little common sense in this City!

It's all about me here.

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 19th, 2013, 11:44 am
by Lady tehMa
Jaywalking. Illegal? No. Foolish? OFTEN. :runforlife:

Re: Jaywalking Not Illegal in Kelowna

Posted: Jan 19th, 2013, 7:09 pm
by 60-YEARS-in-Ktown
A pedestrian never jaywalking,is much like a cyclist never riding on a sidewalk..

.So I am asking how many on here that have commented that cycling on sidewalk is illegal, that have never jaywalked..raise your hands..