In the land of the free and home of the brave it is illegal to cross a road, as a historian (who while British has been in America long enough to know better) recently discovered at the American History Association conference. As the police officer himself said:
I told him, it’s gonna be awful silly if I have to take you to jail for jaywalking.
More details at the History News Network.
(UPDATED to reflect the fact he is British, which may explain his attitude. But still.)