Civic courage on camera, elderly woman forces scooter rider off footpath in Kozhikode

Kozhikode: In a striking moment of civic courage, an elderly woman at Eranjippalam junction in Kozhikode city single-handedly stopped a traffic violation — and the internet took notice. The woman, believed to be in her early sixties, blocked a scooter rider who tried to dodge a traffic signal by driving along the footpath. Calm but determined, she stretched her legs to prevent him from passing and used her smartphone to photograph the vehicle’s number plate, demonstrating how digital literacy can empower ordinary citizens to uphold the law. The Motor Vehicles Department also shared the now-viral video on Facebook, seeking public help to identify the woman.

The video shows that traffic had built up at the busy junction, with buses, trucks and other vehicles waiting at the signal. Attempting to bypass the long queue, the middle-aged rider steered his scooter onto the pedestrian footpath and proceeded towards the junction. 

However, his shortcut was halted by the white-saree-clad woman with silver hair and a shoulder bag, who was walking along the same footpath. Without hesitation, she stepped in front of the scooter and firmly asked him to reverse. 

Even as the rider tried to squeeze through a narrow gap along the edge of the footpath, she reacted swiftly, stretching her legs to block his way. The brief standoff drew attention as the rider repeatedly attempted to move forward, but she refused to give way. 

When he still did not back off, the woman took out her smartphone and carefully captured images of the scooter’s registration number, apparently intending to report the violation to the authorities. Faced with no option, the rider eventually reversed the scooter and returned to the main road, rejoining the waiting vehicles.

 The video was recorded on Wednesday and shared on social media on Thursday by Aflu Stories, a popular vlogger. In his post, he noted that the woman appeared to be alone and that several other two-wheelers had already passed through the footpath before she intervened. After the rider retreated, the woman is seen noticing the camera and giving a thumbs-up gesture — a quiet but powerful moment that has since resonated widely online. 

Though her identity remains unknown, many on social media have praised her as a symbol of civic awareness and fearless public action.