The Business Behind Being Stuck #3: South America’s traffic light performers

Every morning millions of people buckle up to start the day completely jammed in rush hour. In South America, this huge urban challenge also created new opportunities for remarkable businesses to flourish. In big cities like Bogota, you can find many young men, claiming crowded junctions to create a unique public stage. They are called ‘traffic light performers’: skilled athletes who earn a living by entertaining grumpy drivers waiting at the traffic lights.

Nicolas’ amazing two-minute show.

When the traffic lights hit red, Nicolas quickly strings a wire between two lights on a crowded junction in Belo Horizonte. He waves to the drivers hidden away behind the steering wheels, to grasp their attention. In a perfectly timed performance, Nicolas builds up the tension until he manages to balance on the tightrope on one leg, while juggling clubs and holding up a ball with his foot. He kicks up the ball, catches it, jumps off the rope and bows to his crowd.

There is no audible nor visible applause, just the sound of engines and the sight of cars. Nicolas removes his hat, quickly walks through the line of cars and tries to get eye contact with the drivers. A window opens. Nicolas rushes towards the black car and offers his hat to accept the coins of the driver. Two cars further, another window opens. He receives money for his service and runs back to his stage. As he skilfully removes the wire, the traffic light switches back to green and cars begin to accelerate and drive off.

Nicolas performing at a crowded junction in the city center of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Nicolas looks in his hat and counts the money. He looks satisfied, it seems to have been a rewarding, two-minute show. He puts away the money in his bag, which he hung up on one of the traffic lights. When the lights switch back to red, Nicolas again quickly sets up his stage. A new crowd of morning drivers present themselves, ready to be entertained.

New business opportunities.

Belo Horizonte, Bogota, Santiago, Lima; everywhere in South America, mostly young men like Nicolas claim their junction to create a unique public stage. These extraordinary artists often perform at more ordinary places like public squares and pedestrian crossings. But the increasing number of cars and consequently the rise of traffic jams, provide new opportunities.

Nicolas and his colleagues in Belo Horizonte explain that this is a full-time job. They are proud and happy to earn a living by expressing their creativity every single day. Some people say that they can earn up to $100 on a good day but that on average traffic light performers make $30 a day.

It all depends on the performance. They only have two minutes to convince the crowd, with whom it is very hard to engage. “You have to give everything in those two minutes”, Nicolas explains. On the other hand, car drivers are often bored of being stuck in traffic for such a long time. Also, they own a car, so they have money. If a good show can cheer them up, it can easily result in a good financial compensation for this service.

The beautiful complexity of urban challenges.

Drinks, clothes, furniture or an evening meal: in South America, you can find anything you want without having to leave your car. The traffic light performers are a welcome addition to this huge field of illegal traffic trade.

They also show us the beautiful complexity of urban challenges. While traffic and congestion are huge problems for us urbanites and our cities, they also create unique and remarkable businesses, and provide for thousands of people an important source of income.