Don't Be That Guy: Metro Launches Etiquette Campaign

LOS ANGELES, CA — Metropolis has Superman. Gotham Has Batman. And now Los Angeles has Super Kind, the legging clad vigilante bent on battling the scourge of bad manners.

In a bid to remind riders to mind their manners, Metro launched an etiquette campaign Tuesday to raise public awareness about proper behavior while riding its buses and trains.

The Metro Manners campaign uses anime characters and focuses on what the agency said are some of the most common etiquette problems on the transportation system, including seat-hogging, blocking aisles and eating and drinking while riding. In a series of videos posted to Youtube, manners maven Super Kind takes on that guy who hogs two seats, blocks the aisle, and messily scarfs down food.

"Metro belongs to all of us, and that means being considerate of one another when we ride," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, chair of the Metro Board. "The Metro Manners campaign promotes courtesy and respectful behavior on our transit lines -- and will help us ensure that everyone can enjoy their trip."

Metro teamed with the creative production studio Lord Danger and director Mike Diva to develop the campaign, which features actress and YouTube star Anna Akana as Super Kind, Metro's official protector of the agency's Customer Code of Conduct, who battles a monster named Rude Dude who frequently violates Metro's etiquette rules.

"We all share the ride on Metro, so each one of us has a stake in using the system responsibly," Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington said. "We all play a role in creating a better rider experience for all our customers."