General
kerb crawler
What does kerb crawler mean?
A client who cruises red-light streets in a car at walking pace, sizing up workers through the passenger window before pulling over to negotiate. Mostly British usage; the activity itself, 'kerb crawling', is a specific criminal offence in UK law.
"The council put in those concrete planters specifically to stop kerb crawlers doing loops round the block."
Origin
British English, mid-1970s. The offence was formalised in the UK Sexual Offences Act 1985, which made soliciting from a vehicle in a street or public place a crime.
Frequently asked questions
What does kerb crawler mean?
A kerb crawler is a driver who trawls the streets looking to solicit a sex worker from behind the wheel.
How do you use kerb crawler in a sentence?
For example: "The area got a reputation because of kerb crawlers circling at night."
Is kerb crawler an offensive term?
It's a derogatory and often criminal label — kerb crawling is an offence in many places — so it's used disapprovingly.
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