The Chainlink

NYC has some new street signs hoping to catch people's eye... and they are written as short haikus.

I really like this one:

car stops near bike lane

cyclist entering raffle

unwanted door prize

I enjoyed hear this story and thought it was worth sharing.

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/03/143053082/haiku-traffic-signs-bring-p...

Anyone got a good traffic/bike related haiku? Maybe we could post some around town, too.

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Yeah, some are pretty good, but some are awful. What's this one supposed to mean:

She walks like beauty/ in the night. Maybe that's why/ drivers can't see her.

So pedestrians have the responsibility to wear reflective clothing? Or not "walk like beauty"? What??

Yeah, there are certainly some ones that are a bit out there. I just like the idea of changing up the means of the message. It seems like (at the very least) a good way to start a conversation.

Unless the people who thought this up know something I don't, this seems like it has more business being relegated to internet forums than to actually be out in the streets trying to promote a message.  Cute, but ineffective.  

I don't think it is saying that exactly.  I take it as more, keep in mind if you wear dark clothing others can't see you and not to do stupid things like jay walk in the middle of a street where there are no street lights and a high probablilty of not being seen.

Michelle Stenzel said:

Yeah, some are pretty good, but some are awful. What's this one supposed to mean:

She walks like beauty/ in the night. Maybe that's why/ drivers can't see her.

So pedestrians have the responsibility to wear reflective clothing? Or not "walk like beauty"? What??

Beer and bikes are buds

but be careful while riding

so you don't fall off

Ok so not exactly promoting safe riding but good advice on boozy rides :)  

At the risk of stating the obvious, you get that it's a joke about Byron, right?

Anyway, it made me smile. Hopefully it does the same for some motorists and helps them to remember there's pedestrians out there.  That's more than most public service campaigns manage to do.  

Michelle Stenzel said:

Yeah, some are pretty good, but some are awful. What's this one supposed to mean:

She walks like beauty/ in the night. Maybe that's why/ drivers can't see her.

So pedestrians have the responsibility to wear reflective clothing? Or not "walk like beauty"? What??

I doubt that's stating the obvious.  The Byron reference probably goes by 99% of the people reading the sign.

David said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, you get that it's a joke about Byron, right?

Anyway, it made me smile. Hopefully it does the same for some motorists and helps them to remember there's pedestrians out there.  That's more than most public service campaigns manage to do.  

Michelle Stenzel said:

Yeah, some are pretty good, but some are awful. What's this one supposed to mean:

She walks like beauty/ in the night. Maybe that's why/ drivers can't see her.

So pedestrians have the responsibility to wear reflective clothing? Or not "walk like beauty"? What??

No, I didn't know the reference, but have found it, thanks. Here's the original poem, or part:

 

She walks like beauty in the night,
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright,
Meet in her aspect and her eyes. – Lord Byron

 

On the same site where I found the Byron, here's another quote that could be used for haiku fodder:

 

We are all born mad. Some remain so. – Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

 

We are all born mad / Some remain so and thus choose / to blow through red lights.


David said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, you get that it's a joke about Byron, right?

Anyway, it made me smile. Hopefully it does the same for some motorists and helps them to remember there's pedestrians out there.  That's more than most public service campaigns manage to do.  

Michelle Stenzel said:

Yeah, some are pretty good, but some are awful. What's this one supposed to mean:

She walks like beauty/ in the night. Maybe that's why/ drivers can't see her.

So pedestrians have the responsibility to wear reflective clothing? Or not "walk like beauty"? What??

I loved The Holy Grail but have only ever seen little snippets of Bryon, so the reference was lost on me as well.

Additionally, if you have to split a sentence in the middle to compose a haiku, you've failed.

S said:

I doubt that's stating the obvious.  The Byron reference probably goes by 99% of the people reading the sign.

David said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, you get that it's a joke about Byron, right?

Anyway, it made me smile. Hopefully it does the same for some motorists and helps them to remember there's pedestrians out there.  That's more than most public service campaigns manage to do.  

Michelle Stenzel said:

Yeah, some are pretty good, but some are awful. What's this one supposed to mean:

She walks like beauty/ in the night. Maybe that's why/ drivers can't see her.

So pedestrians have the responsibility to wear reflective clothing? Or not "walk like beauty"? What??

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