Kids out to reward good motorists
By:Kailash Koushik
Positive Strokes campaign to reinforce positivetraffic behaviour on city roads
It is a hot day and you are at a junction. You are counting down the two minutes before the signal turns green. Suddenly, you see a motorist, without a helmet, drive up the footpath, pause near the junction and then hit the throttle to disappear into the horizon. Other motorists follow suit.
This behaviour is whatChildren’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA) wants to prevent. It seeks to create safety awareness by rewarding good traffic behaviour.
Positive Strokes is a campaign by CMCA in partnership with Bengaluru Traffic Police, which aims to inspire and motivate good traffic behaviour through positive reinforcement. There will be no training sessions or reprimands for traffic violators, but on the contrary, there will be rewards and appreciation for individuals who follow traffic rules.
“Positive Strokes applauds good road behaviour and encourages citizens to repeat such behaviours,” saidDr Manjunath Sadashiva , director, CMCA. The campaign is a behaviour change and community-oriented intervention, aiming to create users who comply with safety and road rules. “Young adults are growing up in a society where they see rampant traffic violations. For too long, good road users have suffered frustration and derision from those who don’t follow rules,” he added.
The fourth edition of Positive Strokes was organised on Saturday at three major traffic junctions of Forum Mall in Kormangala, Queen’s Statue Circle and the Town Hall. Along with CMCA and Bengaluru Traffic Police, the campaign had volunteers from participant organisations – Bosch, iGate, St Joseph’s College of Commerce and Bishop Cottons Women’s Christian College.
The volunteers identified and rewarded good road users in these junctions in an effort to influence other road users to follow the rules. In addition to giving away spot commendations at a traffic signal, a junction audit was conducted providing volunteers the opportunity to capture feedback about the junction. The audit gave specific actionable information that could help make the junction safer and more efficient.
“If more and more road users start showing positive traits on the road, others will follow their example. This is a unique initiative that seeks to engage the youth,” said the director of CMCA.
Prior to this, the Positive Strokes campaigns were held twice in 2013 and then in 2014. According to estimates, in all, they influenced more than 800 road users directly and 9,000 road users indirectly. However, it was only in their fourth edition this year that volunteers from participating organisations and institutions were also invited to monitor junctions. “Positive Strokes seeks to leave in its participants an increased sense of responsibility on the road and that change begins with the self,” added the director.
With recent campaigns like ‘Driving Me Crazy’ and the CMCA’s initiatives, we hope traffic etiquettes will be driven home among Bengalurueans.
Positive Strokes campaign to reinforce positive
It is a hot day and you are at a junction. You are counting down the two minutes before the signal turns green. Suddenly, you see a motorist, without a helmet, drive up the footpath, pause near the junction and then hit the throttle to disappear into the horizon. Other motorists follow suit.
This behaviour is what
Positive Strokes is a campaign by CMCA in partnership with Bengaluru Traffic Police, which aims to inspire and motivate good traffic behaviour through positive reinforcement. There will be no training sessions or reprimands for traffic violators, but on the contrary, there will be rewards and appreciation for individuals who follow traffic rules.
“Positive Strokes applauds good road behaviour and encourages citizens to repeat such behaviours,” said
The fourth edition of Positive Strokes was organised on Saturday at three major traffic junctions of Forum Mall in Kormangala, Queen’s Statue Circle and the Town Hall. Along with CMCA and Bengaluru Traffic Police, the campaign had volunteers from participant organisations – Bosch, iGate, St Joseph’s College of Commerce and Bishop Cottons Women’s Christian College.
The volunteers identified and rewarded good road users in these junctions in an effort to influence other road users to follow the rules. In addition to giving away spot commendations at a traffic signal, a junction audit was conducted providing volunteers the opportunity to capture feedback about the junction. The audit gave specific actionable information that could help make the junction safer and more efficient.
“If more and more road users start showing positive traits on the road, others will follow their example. This is a unique initiative that seeks to engage the youth,” said the director of CMCA.
Prior to this, the Positive Strokes campaigns were held twice in 2013 and then in 2014. According to estimates, in all, they influenced more than 800 road users directly and 9,000 road users indirectly. However, it was only in their fourth edition this year that volunteers from participating organisations and institutions were also invited to monitor junctions. “Positive Strokes seeks to leave in its participants an increased sense of responsibility on the road and that change begins with the self,” added the director.
With recent campaigns like ‘Driving Me Crazy’ and the CMCA’s initiatives, we hope traffic etiquettes will be driven home among Bengalurueans.
