Phones Goose Transit Gropers

Commuters tired of being groped on Japan's crowded trains are fighting back with their cell phones. The popular application flashes increasingly angry messages on the phone's screen for the offending feeler-upper. Messages range from "Excuse me, did you just grope me?" to "Shall we head to the police?" The idea is to shoo wandering hands without risking a public scene.

The application, "Anti-Groping Appli," is free, reports the AP. "I first downloaded this as a joke," says a web expert, "but I think it could be a lifesaver if I get groped." According to police, 1,853 people were arrested in Tokyo for groping in 2005. But experts say that number could be deceptively small because of underreporting. (More Japan stories.)