Subtle reprimands feel good

The New York City Department of Transportation commissioned artist John Morse to create Haiku caution and manner signs. 200 of these were placed around the city and in attempt to make distracted pedestrians, cyclists and drivers more sensitive to their whereabouts and encourage them to share the street.

A sudden car door,
Cyclist’s story rewritten.
Fractured narrative

Aggressive driver.
Aggressive pedestrian.
Two crash test dummies.

Car stops near bike lane
Cyclist entering raffle
Unwanted door prize

Cyclist writes screenplay
Plot features bike lane drama
How pedestrian

Oncoming cars rush
Each a 3-ton bullet.
And you, flesh and bone.

She walks in beauty
Like the night. Maybe that’s why
Drivers can’t see her.

Cars crossing sidewalk:
Worst New York City hotspot
To run into friends
All original art by John Morse via laughingsquid

Pictures catch one’s attention much better than words. Tokyo had this figured out a while back. Here is some similar manner art that was hanging in the subways of Tokyo in the 70’s and 80’s.

Don’t throw chewing gum on the platform. (September 1976)Even Superman is no match for chewing gum discarded on the train platform.

Isami-ashi: Wait behind the white line (May 1979)

Don’t forget your umbrella (June 1977)

Shimatta (March 1977) Don’t get your shoulder bags caught in the train doors.

Coughing on the platform (January 1979)Modeled after the paintings of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, this poster titled “Hōmu de Concon” (coughing on the platform) urges people only to smoke on the platform during designated smoking hours.

Umbrellas left behind in the subway (June 1976)”Kaerazaru kasa” (umbrella of no return) is a play on “Kaerazaru Kawa,” the Japanese title for “River of No Return,” the 1954 movie starring Monroe.

You’ve had too much to drink (October 1976)
The text, loosely translated, reads: “I look like Santa because you’ve had too much to drink. It’s only October. If you drink, be considerate of the other passengers.”
All subway posters via pinktentacle

About these ads