Brazilians take to Eu Twitto to dodge drink driving patrols
Microblogging site Twitter has found itself playing host to an unlikely battle of wits between police and residents of Rio de Janeiro following the launch of a drink driving campaign, Operation Lei Seca, or “dry law”.
It has seen 170,000 drunken residents sign up to a Twitter page, LeiSecaRJ, in order to share intelligence on which roads are harbouring late night police patrols.
Wise to the practice however the authorities have taken to logging themselves – in order to set up shop elsewhere.
Bruno Pontes, organiser of the feed, said: “When the operations started, people were warning each other on their individual Twitter accounts. We just put all these warnings in one place. It was already a spontaneous popular movement, we are just supervising it.
“The problem with the Lei Seca operations is they aren't being used for the purpose for which they were intended. It's used to create revenue for the state.”
The zero tolerance Dry Law came into effect in March 2009 and carries penalties of suspension, fines and vehicle confiscation for any driver found to be in breach of alcohol limits when breathalysed.
The campaign has resulted in 5,000 fewer people injured or killed on the city’s roads each year.