DCist Headquarters has been abuzz this morning with accounts of District cops issuing tickets for jaywalking and other traffic violations. As part of a month-long campaign to promote pedestrian safety that began last week, police in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland warned both drivers and pedestrians that they’d be cracking down on bad behavior. Officers are apparently staying true to their word, and have been dealing out tickets like so many playing cards. Given that we reported a rash of jaywalking tickets this time last year, seems likely the nicer weather, much like a milkshake, brings all the MPD officers to the yard sidewalk.

DCist reader Karen tells us:

I saw a girl get ticketed for jaywalking this morning at 15th and Rhode Island (she crossed a 15th- a one-way street in the morning- about 5 seconds before the light actually turned red – no one was coming!). … they asked for her ID and I wondered what would happen if you said you didn’t have it on you… it’s not like you need it to walk to work…

And Washington Jen blogs:

This morning on my way to work, I witnessed something I don’t think I have ever witnessed before. I actually saw someone getting a ticket for jay walking! I didn’t actually witness the actual jay walking but I did end up on the same street corner as the girl getting the ticket and the female cop she was getting it from. This is the part of the conversation I came in on:

Girl on her way to work: I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was illegal!
Cop: Well, I think most people are aware that crossing the street without a cross walk is against the law. What do you think cross walks are for?
Girl: Well, it may be against the law but it never seems to be enforced. I see people do it all of the time…
Cop: I don’t know what to tell you, people speed all of the time too and not everyone gets caught either.

At this point I had to cross the street and since I am a perfectly, obedient person, I opted to cross at that time because the walk sign was flashing and I only had a whole 24 seconds to get across. Of course, I was positioned in the middle of the cross walk the whole entire way across.

We’re sure there are plenty more stories like these out there, and we’re wondering if the crackdown has affected drivers or pedestrians more. So if you’ve gotten a ticket or seen someone else getting one, let us know! And stay in those crosswalks!

Photo by KHT20