D.C.'s List Of Don'ts Grating on Some Nerves

"It's changing," he said. "Everything was kind of loose. But now it is less the District of Columbia and more of an American city. People with power and influence come here, and now they are changing things."

But Mendelson said jaywalking is dangerous as well as illegal. He said the city is joining in a regional educational effort about pedestrian safety in reaction to a number of deaths. Each year in the District, pedestrians account for an average of 14 fatalities and nearly 800 injuries, according to the city's Department of Transportation. Eight pedestrians have been killed this year.

Mendelson, chairman of the council's judiciary committee and a sponsor of the proposed smoking ban, said the city also has repealed rules that don't make sense, such as requiring permits for restaurants that put lighted candles on tables.

Those who study such things say the District's recently imposed restrictions and crackdowns are part of a trend of looking to government not just to protect life and liberty but to enforce society's rules of behavior.

"People are promiscuous about giving up other people's rights," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former police officer and prosecutor who is a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "Individually, it's hard to argue against these laws. The problem is when you aggregate it. It's a creeping sort of thing."

This uneasiness could be felt during a 12-hour D.C. Council hearing nearly three weeks ago on the proposed smoking ban. Proponents cited dozens of studies showing how dangerous smoking is and how a ban would protect workers. Opponents waved other studies showing how a ban would ruin the city's bar and restaurant industry.

But between the lines, the debate was about freedom: the freedom to light up a cigarette in their favorite bar vs. the freedom to enjoy a drink or a meal without inhaling a stranger's smoke.

"In reaction to the lawlessness of the past, there is a sense that any expression of spontaneity has been wiped out," said Joel Kotkin, author of "The City: A Global History." "You don't want people smoking crack on K Street, but you have to wonder at what point do you feel like you're in Disneyland."