Students of SVS School of Architecture made vehicle users on Tiruchi Road in the city obey road rules in a different way. They blocked the road as the signal turned red and ensured that no vehicle crossed the white line at the Sungam, Ramanathapuram and Singanallur Junctions. They moved to the roadside only when the signal turned green.
As many as 144 students, including 82 girls, took part in the activity conducted from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. But, they gave way for vehicles to take a free left. Some motorists politely asked students to give way for them to jump the signal citing a case of emergency. “Is the emergency more important than your precious life?” students asked them with a smile.
“The response from vehicle users was amazing. Very few persons tend to skip signals and cross the white line. Others either followed the violators or were forced to follow them,” said Suresh Baskar, director of the institution.
He said that the activity was organised for the first time. “The response that we got from the police and the public has motivated us to carry out the activity during holidays and to extend the number of hours,” Mr. Baskar said.
One of the students, M. Madhan said that it was annoying to find people showing no interest in giving way to pedestrians. “Many vehicles covered pedestrian crossings. We had to ask those vehicles to go behind. Some showed us their angry face. But they obeyed,” he added.
The students also asked two-wheeler riders to wear helmets and four-wheeler drivers to wear seat belts. Awareness pamphlets were also distributed.
