Driving in India can be a real challenge which is probably why the car horn has become something like a surviving tool while in traffic. However, in Mumbai, honking has become such a problem, creating so much noise, that the police decided to calm things down by making drivers wait more in traffic. During this week’s #ThrowBrandThursday, we remind you of the times when impatient Mumbaikars were not disciplined in traffic, honked more, and thus waited more.
In a creative effort to solve the unnecessary honking habit, the Mumbai Traffic Police teamed up with FCB Interface and launched “The Punishing Signal” campaign, giving a lesson to reckless drivers who use their car horns to “speed things up” even when the traffic light is red.
“Mumbai is one of the noisiest cities in the world and a lot of this noise is at the traffic signals where Mumbaikars honk even when they see the signal is red,” Madhukar Pandey, Joint Police Commissioner (Traffic), said.
The initiative saw special decibel meters connected to traffic signals across the city. When the noise exceeded 85dB, the signal timer reset itself, making people spend some extra time for the light to turn green. The drivers tasted from their own medicine, being “punished” for their behavior in traffic. Luckily, they had the answer to get out of this situation right in front of them: “Honk More, Wait More.”
“Unfortunately, many Mumbaikars indulge in reckless honking. Honking causes noise pollution, hurts the eardrums, increases heart rate, creates traffic confusion, and causes stress,” adds Mr. Pandey.
The drivers’ reactions were captured by the police, using drone shots. Then, they posted the video on social media, which went viral. The short film welcomes viewers to the “honking capital of the world,” introducing us to a scene where drivers wait for the traffic light to turn green. As expected, people are using their car horns: “Maybe they think that by honking, they can make the signal turn green faster?” the narrator wonders. On the contrary, the honking forces them to wait longer at the signal.
Honking is an act of traffic indiscipline, according to Pandey. “This small experiment is one of many attempts by Mumbai Police to create better road discipline in Mumbai. Hopefully, it will encourage Mumbaikars to honk less, and create a noise-free and stress-free commute,” he said.
“We have been partnering with the Mumbai Police for many years now. This new initiative is a great creative solution for bringing awareness and a behavior change amongst the drivers in Mumbai,” Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman and CEO FCB Group, stated.
The idea was tested in some of the city’s most important junctions that are most prone to heavy traffic. TomTom traffic index ranked Mumbai as the second most congested city in the world in 2020, with people losing seven days and four hours when driving in rush hour over the year. So, if you don’t mind waiting, then feel free to honk, concludes the video.
Credits:
Client: Mumbai Traffic Police
Agency: FCB Interface