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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Jaywalking While Black

From Governing " Studies in a number of states have shown that when a pedestrian does get a ticket for crossing in the wrong place, it is disproportionately likely to be a person of color. This is not a small disproportion. A study in 2019 in New York City found that Blacks and Hispanics had been getting 90 percent of the tickets for "illegal or unsafe" crossing, even though they comprised just a bare majority of the city's population. Earlier research in Florida reported that minorities in Jacksonville received three times as many pedestrian tickets as white people did."

This is just more evidence of the subtle bias that exists against persons of color. 

17 comments:

Ray Nemeth Sr said...

So, this is a flawed assumption. Maybe there are more Blacks walking in these cities, maybe they DO tend to jay-walk more. Maybe you should go sit on busy city street corner and count the number and race of the offenders. These false assumptions are not based on any scientific analysis.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, do your own study mid-afternoon on Linden Street in Allentown. You’ll find the number of jaywalkers similar except no one gets a ticket.

Anonymous said...

I'm reading that a man of color whose nom de rap is Li'l Wayne will be pardoned today. Despite the scurrilous charges, the president who shall not be named has released more people of color and fought for exactly the criminal justice reforms that would end their targeting and incarceration. VP-elect Harris bragged of locking 'em up, before she joked about smoking a little weed - a charge she used prolifically as a prosecutor. She was prosecuting under the 1994 crime bill that President-elect Biden co-sponsored. President Obama didn't release or pardon a single one. I hope we get the same flip-flop from Democrats that they twisted their backs doing after opposing the Civil Rights Act. They've been on the wrong side of racial issues at every historic moment in US history - until they flip each time. Let's hope they change their tune on locking up black men.

Anonymous said...

100% of the people who saunter out into the street in the middle of the block, walking at a snail's pace and sneering at me when I am forced to quickly stop the car, are people of color.
Coincidence? I think not.

Anonymous said...

"This is just more evidence of the subtle bias that exists against persons of color."

Is it possible that due to cultural differences, persons of color are more more likely to disregard lawful crossing of a street? You can't just dismiss this possibility in favor of your own theory that the Police are biased. You could at present your opinion without without stating it as a fact.

I had a mom and a dad who taught me to obey the law and we would never be allowed to just walk or run across a busy street with no concern for traffic or safety. I love how the Police are constantly criticized for enforcing the law and it always comes down to accusations of racism. Its such a tiring refrain.

Anonymous said...

Maybe police are just trying to protect a vulnerable population.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6939a7.htm

Anonymous said...

Cue whiny Caucasian grievance in 3, 2, 1...

Bernie O'Hare said...

All the goofy explanations I've received for this goofy bias, both implicit and expliocit, explain why only 13 black state legislators are Republican.

peterjcochran said...

My kid told me , when he was in Romania the “street dogs” wait for lights at crossing and for traffic to stop. So I looked it up ,it’s on YouTube now. The dogs figured out to survive as the bumb ones apparently get run over. 🐕🐕🚙

Anonymous said...

Look at our vice president. Look at our previous president. If we are all so rascist how did they get in office? Not everything is about race

Anonymous said...

Absolutely knew there'd be 4-5 knuckleheads attempting to rationalize and spin the simple FACT that people of color are statistically more likely to be ticketed.

LOL- "Cultural Differences" White people are good - others are bad...

Anonymous said...

Isn't the problem easily resolved by not jaywalking. My "but Johnny did it and did not get yelled at" did not count with my Mom. Would it be better that there were no laws then no one can say they were unfairly picked on. Maybe if more people of color jaywalk perhaps we should have a special class to "help" learn not to jaywalk. Maybe we need constant monitoring by cameras where ever we are and then no exceptions allowed. Then the world will be "fair". I have friends that "know somebody" and they are let go with a warning and I get cited. Remember, the world is not a just place, it is JUST a place.

Peterjcochran said...

The way you handle this is if someone jaywalking you look like your not seeing them they see you driving not paying attention then they move faster.

Anonymous said...

This has to take the cake as the silliest use of statistics amongst many examples. It proves nothing. Statistics can be used to prove any pointless point of view. You topped yourself on this one O'Hare. Is it conceivable that people of color as a proportion of their urban population jaywalk more than other ethnic groups? It is possible. Or is it a vast right wing conspiracy to ticket people of color.

This is one of your worse posts. That is saying a lot!

James Neara said...

Almost as tiring a refrain as folks espousing their virtuous moms and dad, who did such a marvelous job parenting.

Anonymous said...

Be really easy to put cameras on a street to observe for jaywalkers and see how many are stopped and how many are not. Knowing their race might be a bit difficult but could be potentially doable. What time of day does it occur? Did it occur while a policeman was observing?

Raw date would be best. Count all observed cases for numerator and calculate the person of color vs total.

Anonymous said...

Cultural differences?! Black people more inclined to disobey the law need on our cultural upbringing? Wow. Just come out and say that you're racist (face palm)