The City of Los Angeles is increasingly becoming a more walkable city. But as pedestrian foot traffic increases, so too do exorbitant jaywalking tickets which can run you a hefty $200. Now some Los Angeles city council members want to do away with that catch-22.
Councilman Mike Bonin introduced a motion Friday aimed at re-examining the Los Angeles Police Department’s so-called “crosswalk stings,” which have led to a surge in the number of people cited for pedestrian violations. In particular, Bonin wants to know why officers have been issuing tickets to people who begin crossing the street once the signal countdown begins—a practice that seems unfair, at best.
“It defies common sense to ticket someone who is entering a crosswalk as the countdown begins when they still have time to cross the street safely without disrupting traffic,” Bonin said in a statement. “We need to be and we will be a Vision Zero city, and pedestrian safety is paramount. But if we are going to be doing ‘crosswalk stings,’ I want to be sure we are focusing on busting drivers who don’t yield to people in the crosswalk.”
The proliferation of jaywalking citations, Bonin notes, is liable to discourage walking at a time when the city is trying to encourage more people to get out of their cars. The motion, which is also being backed by Council Member Jose Huizar, calls on the LAPD to report to the city council regarding the reasons for increased targeting of pedestrians. It has also raised pertinent questions over whether these stings are focusing on certain neighborhoods.
Read more about the motion here.