Crossing Kissimmee streets illegally (Jaywalking)? You'll face a fine.

[Terminator]

KISSIMMEE - A handful of people are gathered at a busy Kissimmee intersection waiting to cross the street. When the traffic seems to have cleared, the group ventures into the street, even though the crossing signal still shows a flashing red hand.

"There were no cars coming, so I went," said Gonzalo Pena, right after crossing John Young Parkway with a friend at Vine Street.

The flashing red hand didn't stop Pena because he saw "no harm" in his way.

It was hardly an isolated incident. Jaywalking, Kissimmee police say, is responsible for most of the 220 pedestrian-involved accidents it has handled in the past five years. To curb the trend, they began this week stepping up enforcement by patrolling jaywalking hot spots through the city.

"People don't jaywalk in New York because they know they'll get a fine," said Michael Carter, a Kissimmee police traffic-homicide investigator in charge of the enforcement initiative.

"We want Kissimmee to be known for that too. If you jaywalk, you will get a fine."

For the first two weeks of the enforcement campaign, which began Monday, Kissimmee police are issuing warnings. After that, violators will get a $49.50 fine.

"We're not looking to hit citizens in their wallets," Carter said. "We're looking to save lives."

Nine of the 220 pedestrian-involved collisions have resulted in fatalities.

But every accident costs thousands of taxpayer dollars for emergency services including ambulances, rescue helicopters, crime-scene investigators and others.

"If the pedestrian doesn't have insurance, which is often the case, the taxpayer pays, too," Carter said.

Too many pedestrians "have gotten away from the basics," he said. They're not using crosswalks, or when at the crosswalks -- like Pena -- they're not waiting for the signal to proceed.

"They honestly do not know what the red hand means," Carter said. "Just this morning I asked a guy and he said: 'Huh?' "

The problem is compounded by the distractions of modern life: iPods, cell phones, portable video games. One of the pedestrians killed last year was on his cell phone. Another one had on headphones.

Kissimmee police might have an uphill battle before the no-jaywalking message sinks in.

Pena said that getting a ticket might deter him from jaywalking but added that he doesn't see what the big fuss is about.

"If there are no cars coming, what's the big deal?" he said.

[OfficerResource.com]

I love playing frogger. If you have an intersection to where you can see oncoming traffic I would cross when I get a chance.

[Jenna]

Depends on the circumstances....

[Five-0]

Yes if:

1. Officers are backed. No BS complaints because people disagree.
2. No crazy fine for two reasons. Officers will not write it, and the public will see it as a money issue. For example no seat belt in AL is $10. It is not even worth fighting.

[Motorwaycop]

I'm guessing with all the tourists, especially Brits, many put themselves at risk.

don't forget we have a tendency to look the wrong way because we drive on the correct side of the road and we're not expecting some foreigner to come at us on the wrong side!

[Five-0]

On the other hand......isn't this one of those self correcting problems. If you do it one too many times you might find yourself never doing this or anything else again.

[ChesCopPodz]

We have jaywalking laws. I don't write for it, but it's a good reason to stop someone and find out if they have warrants, which a lot do.

[Captain America]

I'm guessing with all the tourists, especially Brits, many put themselves at risk.

don't forget we have a tendency to look the wrong way because we drive on the correct side of the road and we're not expecting some foreigner to come at us on the wrong side!

Road kill.

[TXCharlie]

I've tried crossing a busy Dallas city street against the light before - It's pretty scary how fast cars doing 40 MPH can come out of nowhere in just a few seconds (especially those turning from the intersecting street) - but I still even see people crossing 6 lanes of Interstate highway.

Like Five-O says, self-correcting problem, and it helps keep Careflite pilots employed

[Billy Mack]

If it's causing a problem, then officers should enforce it, and agencies should make it a priority.

[Star Man]

Yes if:

1. Officers are backed. No BS complaints because people disagree.
2. No crazy fine for two reasons. Officers will not write it, and the public will see it as a money issue. For example no seat belt in AL is $10. It is not even worth fighting.

Geeez,,thats a good price..... non moving violations in FL just went up Feb 1st to $101.00 (that is seatbelts, equipment violations like tail light out etc, or something stupid like not having your DL on you at the time of the stop).

[Five-0]

Wow, 101 bucks for a tail light. I issue 48 hour fix it tickets. The ticket is dismissed if the equipment is fixed within 48 hours, and the ticket is signed on the back by any LEO attesting to the fix. I would have a hard time writing a $101 ticket for no seat belt. The fine is next to nothing so officers will write it in AL.

[Cidp24]

They were doing that in Waikiki when I went a couple of years ago. They actually had UC officers standing around on corners because jaywalking was causing so many ped accidents.

Side note - anyone know the origin of the term "Jaywalking". I'm curious.

Edit to answer my own question:

The complete Oxford English Dictionary traces the word jaywalker back to 1917 and labels it 'originally US'. There is a cross-reference to the word jay, which has a number of slang senses. The relevant one is 'a stupid or dull person, a simpleton. Also (as adjective) dull, unsophisticated; inferior, poor'. This is labelled 'US colloquial', and there is evidence of use from 1900. So persons who stupidly ignored traffic regulations were given (in Boston, it seems) this compact name.

[121Traffic]

I've never written anyone a jaywalking ticket. It's never been a priority where I work.

That being said, I contact shitbags ALL THE TIME for crossing outside of a crosswalk. It is great PC to bump a banger up and ruin his day.