From Miles per hour to Smiles per hour !

Manytimes on my way to office I have noticed this signboard .Only last week I was so much intrigued to know what is this all about !
I found out that it is a initiative by our city council (City of Port Philip Council) in Melbourne.
Few years ago from a survey of several localities the council realised that the residents felt that their neighbourhoods are not friendly and there is a lack of bonding.
They then decided that the best way to change this was to make people smile at their neighbours and passers-by. Thus was born the Smiles per Hour project.
A 'Smile Spy' community volunteer walks on a defined section of the street (averaging 400m) for a 15-minute period keeping their faces up and their expression open. In that time everyone who passes them on their side of the street is counted. People who smile, nod, or make any kind of positive greeting are counted separately. These two numbers are converted into a percentage, and this becomes the Smiles Per Hour rating for that section of street.

I found it really fascinating ! A simple way to influence a friendly neighbourhood.
A smile can conquer many things !
Unfortunately our locality has poor Smiles per hour rating..Need to do my bit to improve it.Next time if you see me smiling at passers by , you know the reason :-) !