I committed a crime this morning.

And I wasn't the only one. Dozens of people did the same thing. The State College water must be spreading a crime epidemic.

I, without a parking ticket or speeding violation, willingly and knowingly violated a state law because I knew I wouldn't get caught.

I jaywalked across both Beaver Avenue and College Avenue on my way to class, late as usual. Feeling the pressure to hurry my 10-minute walk to the Willard Building, I decided not to wait for the little white man to light up. Instead, I darted across both streets at the first possible second.

For anyone who has lived in this town knows, navigating the State College streets can be hazardous for pedestrians, bikers and motorists alike. Walkers have the right-of-way if you're walking. Drivers are clearly first if you're behind the wheel.

Jaywalking is simply a necessary part of travel in a town where thousands of students live off campus. I find it imperative to run across College Avenue at least twice a day in order to make it to Spanish class on time.

Fortunately for Penn State students, local and university police have chosen not to crack down on our lawlessness.

Students at Yale University have not been so lucky.

According to the Yale Daily News, police spent an entire day last week standing at the intersection of the town's main drag handing out "pink slips" to jaywalkers. Run across the street without being in the crosswalk? Get a scary piece of paper from an officer in blue.

Although no one was charged a fine for their moral lapse, many Yale students were annoyed by the system. Students said police would ignore jaywalkers if they were in a big enough group. So if you have to jaywalk in New Haven, Conn., make sure you have at least 20 of your buddies along for the ride.

State College has no special laws for jaywalking and police follow Pennsylvania laws, according to State College Cpt. Dana Leonard.

Vehicle code 75, which spells out vehicle-pedestrian laws, is a long list of specific situations that no one has ever memorized.

Leonard, a seasoned police officer, said he finds the code complicated.

One situation that applies specifically to Penn State?

"Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a crosswalk, at an intersection or any marked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway."

If we take out all of the legal jargon, we find that my little run across this street this morning while College Avenue traffic had a green light was illegal.

Another common occurrence in State College? "No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close as to constitute a hazard."

Who hasn't been driving and slammed on the brakes as a girl gabbing on her cell phone steps out into the street?

Leonard said police don't specifically track the number of jaywalkers, but State College has had 30 pedestrian/vehicle crashes in the past year -- a relatively low number for the amount of people who are walking and driving.

Fortunately for me and my fellow lawbreakers, State College police won't be handing out pink slips on street corners anytime soon.

The answer for who has the right of way may be spelled out in the vehicle code, but it certainly won't be answered in State College anytime soon.

Jessica Turnbull is a senior majoring in journalism and is The Daily Collegian's Friday columnist. Her e-mail address is jlt5044@psu.edu.