The CTA Wants You To Be Nicer, Launches Manners Campaign
By Jim Bochnowski in News on May 27, 2015 6:00PM
Picture via CTA
The CTA is finally taking a stand against poor public transportation etiquette and has launched a campaign to change passenger behavior on subways and buses. If you regularly ride the CTA and have to re-explain the rules of "Walk Left, Stand Right" on the daily, you can probably agree it's about time.
According to Graham Garfield, General Manager of Customer Information for the CTA, “The overwhelming majority of CTA customers are considerate of their fellow passengers. However, based on feedback we’ve received from passengers, we believe this public-service campaign will help improve the transit experience by continuing the dialogue about courtesy among our customers. We hope it will encourage customers to think more about courteous behavior on CTA trains and buses."
According to a press release, the campaign covers "a wide range of discourteous passenger behaviors, from littering and eating on trains to not using all available doors on an arriving train." Time will tell if this mild scolding will encourage customers to start caring more about their fellow passengers. It isn't that difficult to mind your own business and not get in anyone's way, but in case we forgot how here's where CTA comes in to tell us heathens how to act (with our own liner note interpretations of course):
Picture via CTA
Pick up after yourself! You shouldn't be bringing garbage on the subway anyway. If you want to eat, maybe do so before or after hopping on the train car so we don't have to smell your disgusting food.
Picture via CTA
This feels like a no brainer, but yes some people still need to be told not to stand directly in front of open doors on the subway. The same people who will eventually cry foul that the doors almost closed in on them, if karma works at all.
Picture via CTA
Please stop bringing your 1980s stereo systems on the subway. It. Is. 2015. It's called a personal player.
Picture via CTA
Did you know the CTA has one of the best kept secrets in the world? Here's the reveal: The middle of the train car is always open! It's incredible! And now all you people know about it.
Picture via CTA
Why do people always block escalators, especially when you're in a hurry? This phenomenon should be studied. Here's an idea, leave space for people who want to walk!
This is just a few of the CTA's new ads, you can see the whole set here. As the Chicago Tribune points out, though, they specifically do not include a warning against "manspreading," where guys legs' take up entirely too much space on a subway car. Which brings to mind, what other courtesy notes should the CTA have included?