There's going to be a crackdown on jaywalking on the streets of Sydney - but in the article I read about it, they didn't quite say what "jaywalking" was or is. The only clue is that you need to go with the "go" or "green" or "little walking man". But can you cross while you're texting, or have both ears busy with music, or at places on the street where there aren't traffic lights or pedestrian crossing? The fine will be apparently be $56. I always thought that Jaywalking was something Americans did - and it seems we're not going to get an Australian word to cover whatever the behaviour is. According to the Wordbook dictionary by TranCreative LLC - including content from WordNet 3.0, Wiktionary.com and Wikipedia.com: to Jaywalk is to cross the road at a red light. It's ORIGIN: Jay + walk, jay in its obsolete form meaning a dull or ignorant person. Hmmm.
A quick visit to a couple of sites suggests that jaywalking can include staying on the road longer than is necessary to cross it. Hmmm ... again - although it's possible alcohol could be involved in these, and other, instances.
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Interestingly, a fellow street walker was 'booked' 3 months ago for jay walking. She crossed Elizabeth Street in the middle between King Street and Martin Place. The Policeman who booked her spotted her as he was driving by, while she was waiting, in the middle of the road, for a break in the traffic. She was told that she must cross at a pedestrian crossing and not where ever she feels like it. Hmmmm
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