He’ll pay you to hang up the cell

Some even tried to slip him some cash, mistaking him for a homeless man.

Given the number of people who ignored or missed his “Bucks for Hang-ups’’ message during a recent afternoon rush hour in Dorchester, it would be easy to dismiss Jeff Larson’s efforts as an act of futility.

But the Arlington activist, who has spent the past week offering money to drivers throughout the area in exchange for them hanging up their cellphones, insists that his efforts bolster a broader campaign to raise consciousness about the dangers of distracted driving. He hopes one day people will look at talking on cellphones while driving the way many now view the ubiquity of smoking decades ago.

“We just want to get people to think about what they’re doing when they’re behind the wheel,’’ said Larson, president of Safe Roads Alliance, a nonprofit group in Boston. “People need to be aware that talking on the phone is a distraction, and it’s dangerous.’’

But raising consciousness on a street corner isn’t so easy. Some have given Larson what he calls the “bad hand signal,’’ or middle finger, and others are convinced that he’s either panhandling or working for a cult.

“I’ve been trying to wear a suit and tie, so people don’t think I’m begging for money,’’ he said. “I think most people think I’m homeless anyway.’’

He carries two signs he has attached to opposite sides of a piece of cardboard, both adorned with his “Bucks-for-Hang-ups’’ logo. On one side, the sign urges, “Please, please, please, hang up and drive.’’ On the other side, the bold black letters read, “I’ll give you $1 if you hang up that call.’’

Larson has set aside about $500 for his campaign, and he estimates that he has given away about $100 over the past week. But most people either refuse the cash, or drive off before he can give it to them.

He also hands out fliers that offer suggestions about using cellphones on the road, as well as statistics about the dangers. For those who insist on chatting while driving, the flyer recommends they keep their calls short, hang up in heavy traffic or bad weather, use speed dialing, pull over if it’s important, or ask a passenger to take the call.

It warns drivers that they’re four times more likely to crash if they use a cellphone while driving and that cellphone use contributes to 636,000 crashes and 2,600 deaths a year, at a cost of $43 billion, according to the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis.

“We’re just at the point where something has to change,’’ Larson said. “People just don’t drive well.’’

As he sought drivers’ attention this week near the Columbia Road exit off Interstate 93 South, Larson didn’t waste his time haranguing the suited men and women driving BMWs or Audis. “They don’t have time for me,’’ he said. “I get the best reception, surprisingly, from guys driving cabs.’’

A few cabdrivers honked in support, though they kept talking on their phones.

Sean Carey idled at the light and was chatting on his iPhone when he caught a glimpse of Larson’s sign. He was one of the few who smiled and decided to hang up, or at least put his phone down.

“I got a ticket in Manhattan for talking on my phone,’’ said Carey, 29, of Boston, who declined to take the dollar. “I really need to get one of those Bluetooth devices.’’

Another driver at the light looked quizzically at Larson and then ended his call. “I couldn’t care less about what he’s doing,’’ said the man, who declined to give his name but did accept the dollar.

As the sun dropped over the horizon, Larson still had a clump of cash, and as more people refused his money, he began dropping bills with fliers into open windows.

Larson said he plans to take his campaign to Washington next week, when US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a summit on distracted driving.

“We just want drivers to be more aware,’’ he said.

David Abel can be reached at dabel@globe.com.