Underpinned by what-works-on-animals-will-probably-work-on-humans logic, a new anti-jaywalking scheme in central China will spray pedestrians with water if they try to cross the road without waiting for the green light.
Perhaps less controversial than hitting people with rolled-up newspapers, the new system, according to reports, is being tested by authorities in Daye city, Hubei province, who plan to rig-up several major intersections with sensor-equipped, water-squirting devices that spring into action if a pedestrian prematurely parts from the sidewalk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACYvrf9HRiY
For added effect, the technology will also play a recorded message while using cameras and facial recognition technology to identify offenders and shame them by showing their picture on large screens in public areas.
“Please do not cross the street, crossing is dangerous,” the pre-recorded message will say, according to the Beijing News.
Speaking about the project, developed with a 1.3 million yuan (US$207,000) budget, one local official told Beijing News they would use warm, clean water to avoid the risk of people getting sick.
“The internal temperature of the bollards is set at 26 degrees Celsius, and workers will fill them up with clean water every day, so there is no need to worry about pollution or catching a cold,” he said, according to the site, which was also cited by the SCMP.
