Did you know Traffic lights In LA PAZ, Bolivia, are more of a loose suggestion than a strict requirement, and street signs are followed only as long as someone is there to report any infractions.
Yet despite this nonchalant attitude toward the foundations of the road, the amount of traffic incidents within the city has been consistently on the decline, because of a gaggle of plush, fun-loving zebras. The zebras, or “Cebritas”, are inspired by Colombia’s “traffic mimes,” a gaggle of ordinary citizens dressed up as street mimes using humour to interact with the public toward better behaviour.
Within the early 2000s, when La Paz’s road safety hit the bottom, the Govt. deployed 24 “zebras” in an exceedingly last try and create safer roads for its citizens. The great samaritans dressed as zebras playfully encourage drivers to follow traffic laws and be careful with pedestrians.
They chose the zebra for its likeness to the striped pedestrian crossings and since it added a touch of humour to an otherwise serious subject. Yet others will add dramatic flair to their performance by throwing themselves onto the hood of any car that has inched its way just a small amount too far over a crosswalk.
They need also recently become a part of a range of other public services projects, illustrating the extensiveness of their role. additionally to their traffic duties, the cebritas visit schools and hospitals and appear in parades and on television.
A project called Zebra for each day lets tourists and locals alike dress up like zebras and find a taste of the experience. In December, the cebritas won the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation, which recognizes cities and regions with innovative approaches to improving public life.
