By ANGELA GREGORY
Street theatre is being used to crack down on illegal jay-walking in Auckland's central business district.
Performers are warning pedestrians not to cross streets within 20m of traffic lights and to obey the crossing signals.
The Auckland City Council is driving the programme and warns that pedestrians walking on
the wild side will be in for a shock.
The "Big Red Man" will give them a "ticket" for illegally crossing the road.
The ticket, which is a pamphlet, explains safety and legal rules which apply to pedestrians.
Those who play it safe will be rewarded with lollies, pens or notepads by the "Big Green Man".
The council wants to reverse an increase in pedestrian-related accidents in the CBD.
In the past five years 211, pedestrians have been injured, five fatally.
The month-long campaign is targeting six major intersections.
The council's road safety co-ordinator, Raewyn Fairley, said more than half the pedestrian crashes were happening when people tried to cross the road between intersections.
"Pedestrians have to remember it is illegal to cross the road within 20m of a crossing."
The jay-walking crackdown was clearly wasted on many yesterday.
Thelma Albert, 18, complied at the Queen-Victoria Sts intersection, but admitted when stopped by the Herald that she usually liked to "take on the traffic" as it gave her an adrenalin rush.
"I jay-walk all the time. I get a thrill out of it ... I'm awesome on roads."
But the hospitality student said she watched out for her safety.
A cycle courier, who did not want to be named, said he often broke the rules but only within the bounds of reasonable safety.
Consultant John Holt said he had worked in Queen St for 10 years and never known about the 20m rule. He would not cross a road close to the intersection as he found it a pain when people did that when he was driving.
"When I see people cross right in front of me I think 'tosser'."
Tourist Charles Cotton said he saw no reason not to take advantage of a gap in traffic.
"What's the big problem in crossing a street when you know it is safe?"
He said that in his home city of Los Angeles the authorities were constantly trying to crack down on jay-walking but with little success.
