Jaywalking

Hola a todos,

Leyendo un texto de criminal law me encontré con el término "jaywalking". ¿Alguien sabe como se podría traducir al español?

¡Gracias!

Creo que es cruzar mal la calle, por el medio en vez de por la esquina.

¡Gracias, Salvadorm! Sí, me pregunto si hay un término equivalente en nuestra legislación.

Salvador está en lo cierto! es cruzar mal la calle, lo más "formal" que se me ví luego de una busqueda es .Imprudecia peatonal

El término "jaywalking" o "jaycrossing" proviene de cruzar las calles en diagonal por la mitad de la cuadra, y no por las esquinas como se debe hacer. Hace referencia a la vuelta que tiene la letra "J", de ahí su nombre.

Saludos!!

I can't help Ludmila with the Spanish legal term but jaywalking (which I understand is of U.S. origen) is a term used to describe the crossing of a street "against existing law or regulation", i.e., it is NOT jaywalking if there is no law against it. Moreover, jaywalking can occur any point on a street, including the corners, that might have a marked crosswalk if the pedestrian disobeys a "Don't Walk" or a red traffic light signal.

Here is an interesting link: Origin of the Term Jaywalking

According to this article:[I] Contrary to popular belief, the term jaywalking does not derive from the shape of the letter “J” (referencing the path a jaywalker might travel when crossing a road). Rather, it comes from the fact that “Jay” used to be a generic term for someone who was an idiot, dull, rube, unsophisticated, poor, or simpleton. More precisely, it was once a common term for “country bumpkins” or “hicks”, usually seen incorrectly as inherently stupid by “city” folk.

Thus, to “Jay walk” was to be stupid by crossing the street in an unsafe place or way, or some country person visiting the city who wasn’t used to the rules of the road for pedestrians in an urban environment, so would attempt to cross or walk in the streets anywhere. As it stated in the January 25, 1937 New York Times, “In many streets like Oxford Street, for instance, the jaywalker wanders complacently in the very middle of the roadway as if it was a country lane.”

My mistake then! Hats off to Vicente's great contribution! Ever since I've learned the term back in the '80s I was under the impression that it was because of the "j" letter. At least, I reckon it was an easy way to learn it! :)

Well, Gentle, we pretty much know all about it in English now but have we answered Ludmila's question yet? ;)

She asked for the "legal" term in Spanish. Surely there must be a Spanish term for illegally crossing the street?

That's true my friend! Sad to say I'm trying to go back to find a way that may have been used in my native country (where that is such an everyday "bad" habit!), but I can't come up with anything alike. I think that it's a cultural (localization) puzzle: in a place where that is seen as a regular "good" practice, you don't even stop to put a name on it. :rolleyes: