I remember in NJ USA as a kid being told that cars didn’t have to stop at zebra crossings. I don’t know if it was true, I wasn’t skeptically investigating things when I was 7.

The best I could find was this blog talking about how the rules say they should stop, but they frequently don’t: https://www.expataussieinnj.com/understanding-road-rules-for-pedestrians-in-nj/

So maybe the rules are one way, but the locals don’t follow it so you can’t treat the rule as being in place.