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Heed These Vintage Subway Etiquette Signs
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 10, 2013
Modified Dec 10, 2013
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 10, 2013
Modified Dec 10, 2013
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via Reddit
The nostalgia trains are back for the holidays, and with them are some vintage ads, including this one which instructs straphangers on how to handle commuters with poor subway etiquette. Specifically: the door blocker.
According to an old Subway Art Blog post, "The Subway Sun was a series of public service ads that ran from the 1940s to the 1960s. Frederick G. Cooper was the original cartoonist behind the series, and in 1946 his protégée Amelia Opdyke Jones or 'Oppy' took over and continued to design them for the next 20 years. The term 'litterbug' is said to have originated from Oppy’s posters."
via Forgotten-NY
When the posters were on exhibit at the Transit Museum in the 1990s, the NY Times noted that another of Oppy's works was: ''Quarantine the Gumbug,'' from 1948, while others read: "Suppose you were old?," "Politeness promotes popularity," "We can't print words that fit people who spit," and the aforementioned "litterbug" sign, amongst others.
via Forgotten-NY
Maybe it's time to bring these back—though now we've added some new ways to offend our fellow straphangers, with unspeakable acts of poor subway etiquette. Truly horrifying things that no words, images, or cute graphic art could ever cover... though "Seriously Self-Important New York Businesswoman With Banana Peel" would work nicely.
Tagged
etiquette
subway etiquette
vintage
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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