what´s jaywalking?

Jaywalking is a term used to describe when a pedestrian crosses the street without regard to traffic statutes. In common use, the term generally refers to someone crossing a major street outside of a designated crosswalk or intersection, in jurisdictions where this is illegal.

Almost all urban areas in the United States and Canada require pedestrians to cross at crosswalks or intersections and to obey pedestrian traffic signals. Jaywalking is considered an infraction or a misdemeanor in some locations. It typically carries a warning or modest fine or not more than one week in prison. In some areas (like New York City), although still illegal, jaywalking is so common that it is generally considered harmless, and police only detain jaywalkers if it is done dangerously or disruptively.
Penalties for jaywalking vary by municipality. For example, in Tempe, AZ, as of June 2006 jaywalking carried fines up to $118. A sampling of other U.S. cities found maximum fines ranging from $57 to $750. In Brisbane, Australia, fines of up to $A200 can apply, although very few people have ever received fines that high. In a recent blitz[2] jaywalkers were fined $30.
In Singapore, first offenders face a fine of S$500 (US$285) and three months of jail. Repeat offenders can be fined for up to $2000 fine or six months in jail.
In Taiwan administered by the Republic of China, Article 78 of the Act Governing the Punishment of Violation of Road traffic Regulations (zh:道路交通管理處罰條例) administratively fines jaywalkers 300 new Taiwan dollars since 1 July 2006.