Technically, taking a shortcut across Abby Way would require trespassing on private property (the verge), followed by jaywalking.
around here the verge is “always” part of the legal highway property
I understand that jaywalking is a completely foreign concept in some countries.
how many countries are there that have this concept? From a European perspective, apart from motorways, it is indeed a very foreign concept, and I would be astonished if the situation was different in Africa or central Asia.
Usually you can cross the street anywhere, maybe not in theory if there are signed crossings in the proximity (like 100m), depending on the jurisdiction