Jaywalking in Almaty is illegal and certainly discouraged. Many cars will not even slow down if they see a pedestrian jaywalking in front of them, but honk instead.
Walking around Almaty is a very prevalent form of transportation, which is reflected in the city's greenness. Trees line the sidewalks, providing both shade from the heat of the sun and shelter from the pouring rain. These canopies protect pedestrians from the two major types of weather. Transportation in Almaty also has a clear adverse effect on the environment. There is considerable air pollution in the city, which even as a Los Angeles native strikes me as heavy pollution. It only takes a bus or old car to pass by, followed by a cloud of exhaust fumes, to understand where a large part of the pollution is coming from.
