Short Stuff: Jaywalking

# Summary

This Stuff You Should Know episode explores the surprisingly dark history of jaywalking, revealing how the automobile industry essentially invented the concept in the 1920s to shame pedestrians and reclaim city streets for cars. The hosts discuss how wealthy early drivers clashed with pedestrians who had traditionally owned the roads, leading to a coordinated propaganda campaign by the auto industry that included rigged newspaper articles and public shaming to criminalize crossing where you want. They also cover the modern legal patchwork of jaywalking laws across the country and highlight the serious safety disparities, including how jaywalking citations are disproportionately enforced against people of color despite equal violations.