Mimes direct traffic in Latin America
October 11, 2011
Traffic is a major problem in many Latin American cities, and government officials have decided to try a new approach to solving the problem - mimes. Venezuela is the latest country to hire and train mimes to help keep the peace on the roads, following Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala and other nations, according to The Global Post.
"Many times, the mimes can achieve what traffic police cannot achieve using warning and sanctions in their efforts to maintain control," the president of Jose Angel Lamas Foundation, Alex Ojeda, told the AP. "Mimes, on the contrary, often achieve the same objective by employing artistic and peaceful actions."
The organization is responsible for training the traffic mimes, who don bright, hard-to-miss outfits and the traditional white gloves and face paint while working to keep streets safe. The news source reports that so far the mimes have been extremely effective, and many motorists and pedestrians are not only acting safer, but enjoying the free entertainment as well.
People can use phone cards to make calls to Brazil and other Latin American countries so they can ask their friends and families if they've yet to encounter any mimes in their travels.