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Arts & Entertainment

Manspreading Hitler: Subway Etiquette Posters From Around The World


By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 15, 2016

Modified Mar 15, 2016


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Japan, 1976

 

Courtesy of the Transit Museum

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By

Jen Carlson

Published Mar 15, 2016

Modified Mar 15, 2016


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The Transit Museum has just opened their latest exhibit, "Transit Etiquette or: How I Learned To Stop Spitting and Step Aside in 25 Languages," and it features some fantastic manspreading (and other subway etiquette) campaigns dating back to 1940s NYC, 1970s Japan, and 1980s London.

"Given the nature of urban mass transit—small spaces shared with perfect strangers and everyone in a rush—it is no surprise that transit agencies have from their very beginnings encouraged passengers to be safe, clean, and well-behaved," they announced ahead of the exhibit. And yet here we are, still fighting against manspreaders, pole huggers, and those truly awful humans who clip their nails inside of a subway car.

Click through for a look at how other cities have tried to stop the 'spread, and then some, over the years—Japan even used Hitler character!—and check out the exhibit, which runs through July 10th at the New York Transit Museum’s Gallery Annex and Store at Grand Central (more info here).

Meanwhile, in Brussels, what happened that this warranted its own poster?

brusselswhat16.jpg
Brussels, 2015. (Courtesy of the Transit Museum)

Tagged

manspreading

subway etiquette

transit museum


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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