PUBLIC MARKS with tags lang:en & objectif-respect.org

RATP, the Parisian transit authority, is running a massive be fuckin' nice campaign. The latter is crammed with documentaries, little "fun" activities like a quiz on the rules of the subway and a "guess why this is annoying" game and a virtual pair of glasses that allow one to see the cost of subway damage (ripped seats, engraved windows, graffiti). Gallic shrug notwithstanding, the website is worth a good rooting around, if only to ponder the hours and hours of flash animation someone put in in an effort to make people nicer.

Paris transit has a campaign that includes posters on bus shelters to encourage a little more...politesse.

A city where there are no elevators or escalators into most metro stations, and where a current "respect" campaign pictures as public enemy number one a mother trying to get onto the metro with a baby stroller. How dare she? (The mayor is a confirmed bachelor.)

Their site is chock full of entertaining (even for folks who don't speak French) videos, cartoons, and interactive elements.

The French, it seems, are rude. Even to one another. Being chic, they have turned to the Internet to solve this problem and, as a result, providing us with today's HotSpot.

The RATP has started a campaign to try to get Parisians to respect each other when riding the métro, including avoiding the noisy, smelly pitfalls of eating a hamburger, not jumping the turnstiles, talking too loud or swearing, having inane, annoying cell phone ring-tones (yeah!), and not putting your stinky feet on the seats.

As usual, the French approach is nothing short of original -create a website illustrating the effects of bad behaviour and to encourage all-round respect in public transport

The RATP has produced clips featuring passengers, psychologists and staff who explain their problems. Unpleasant incidents, we are told, are usually the result of "a chain of misunderstandings". The transport bosses have also ranked acts of uncivic behaviour and they want passengers to join in an internet debate -- on five set themes no less. The idea is to come up with ideas for improving the transport experience.

Et pendant de temps là, en Angleterre ....

Internet can do a lot when it comes to social and citizen responsibility, and the new website launched in France by RATP (public transportation company in Paris) is one of the best examples I've ever seen.

Parisist is looking forward to the results of RATP's new campaign [fr], "L'Homo Modernus." Hopefully it will remind riders that a more civilized Metro ride is good for everyone.

To combat some bad behaviour (insults towards the Metro personnel, graffiti, riding without paying...) the RATP (Régie Autonome des transports parisiens - the Paris transport authority) has just launched a communications campain.