Rio Traffic Violators To Get Public Scolding
Rio motorists can expect not only a fine the next time they violate traffic laws but a public scolding as well.
Beginning Tuesday, a police in a pickup truck equipped with speakers will announce infractions before pulling over reckless drivers.
The speaker truck is part of an ongoing campaign by City Transit Secretary Paulo Afonso Cunha to “educate” Rio motorists.
Because of a lack of traffic cops, Rio’s estimated 1.2 million motorists rarely observe stop signs and often tailgate, speed recklessly, and turn sidewalks into parking lots.
In test runs, the public scolding campaign appears to be working.
Recently, the traffic truck pulled over Gilson Andrade for not using his seat belt.
“I thought it was a joke, but when I realized it was serious, I put the seat belt on because everybody was looking at me,” Andrade told O Globo newspaper. “It was embarrassing.”