“Don’t Be A Jerk” Campaign to Feature Celebrities

The New York City Department of Transportation recently launched its “Don’t Be a Jerk” campaign to promote bicycle safety, according to MyFOXNY.com.  The campaign, accompanied by a video message, features celebrities in a humorous fashion.

Some of the celebrities featured in the campaign video include Mario Batali, John Leguizamo and Paulina Porizkova.  The performers in the video urge both cyclists and pedestrians to obey rules and use caution as much as possible.  They remind cyclists to always yield to pedestrians, ride along with the direction of traffic and to ride on the street as opposed to the sidewalk.

Commuter cycling in New York City has increased 262% from 2000 to 2010, according to the Department on Transportation, making bicycle safety more important than ever.

“As our streets have become safer and as more New Yorkers take to two wheels, bike riders need to adopt a street code,” said Commissioner Sadik-Khan. “A nice way to put it is that we all simply need to look out for one another.  To put it a little more bluntly, don’t be a jerk.  It’s a simple, direct message with a wink for bicyclists to follow the rules and help make our streets safer for everyone on them.”