People v. Hawkins

A pedestrian who finds himself on his way across a street when the traffic signal changes from “Go” to “Stop” may be impelled by his common sense to retrace his steps to the safety of the nearest curb, but he is not compelled by the law to do so; by continuing on his journey to the opposite curb he may be guilty of negligence, but not of a crime.

The charge upon which the defendant was convicted was that he “being a pedestrian crossing the roadway of Hill Street... at an intersection where traffic was then and there controlled by a traffic control signal device and by police officers, did…