If you want something done, do it yourself, might be the motto of the Mayor of Kilkenny, Mr John Bolger.
Mr Bolger, who completes his 47-day term of office on Monday, took to the streets with a loudhailer this week to exhort the drivers of Kilkenny to mend their ways and show more consideration for pedestrians and fellow motorists.
Declaring "Footpath and Road Safety Day", Mr Bolger said he wanted to highlight the breaches of good driving conduct which he witnesses daily in the city.
With his wife, Elaine, in the driver's seat, Mr Bolger travelled by car around the city on Thursday, providing a "running commentary" on commonplace failures to observe the basic rules of safety.
These included cars being parked on footpaths, forcing pedestrians on to the street; cyclists disregarding lights and "bombing along footpaths" and children sitting unsecured in the front seats of vehicles.
Also on hand was Mr Conor Lynch of the Kilkenny-based Young Irish Film-Makers, who recorded the evidence of inconsiderate and unsafe driving practices which Mr Bolger will be passing on to the Garda.
The mayor stressed, however, that the exercise was "a bit of fun" in spite of the serious purpose behind it. The Garda was being informed, not with a view to having people prosecuted, but so that drivers would be contacted and "courteously" informed of any transgression observed.
In addition, "blackspot" stickers were being applied to illegally or inconsiderately-parked vehicles warning their owners that the only way they could atone would be by making "a contribution to the mayor's traffic courtesy fund".
Mr Bolger said he had got a good reception from the public and had received "a letter of encouragement" from the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
Mr Bolger's term as mayor is one of the shortest on record anywhere. The independent councillor was elected to the post last month following the sudden death of his predecessor, Mr Tommy Delaney. He did not contest last week's election and is retiring after 25 years on Kilkenny Corporation.
Mr Bolger believes many people in Kilkenny use their cars unnecessarily, and to emphasise this he abandoned his own car and loudhailer yesterday afternoon to walk the streets accompanied by a neighbour, Ms Susan Boyle, and her two children. This was partly to establish how difficult it is to get around the streets with a child's buggy and in order to hear the views of local people.
