Listen to your feelings.

In New York, public transportation's response to the Bush Administration's candy-colored alert status code has been to tell bus and subway riders "if you see something, say something." (The MTA says that the slogan originated in 1993, which could be the case since the first WTC bombing happened, but it seems like the ad campaign only really ramped up after 2001.)

Since I'm out here in California, the following signs jumped out at me for the contrast that they prove to the See/Say slogan.

This first one is from the BART system. (Bay Area Rapid Transit is the closest thing to New York City's subways.)

Things I thought when I say this PSA: dude looks like the bag really smells something fierce; the wording's kinda similar to See/Say; are they trying to appeal to latent Jedi or closeted mutants with that "Trust your instincts" line? Really, it's the instincts line that mosts gets me because with the quantity and quality of the Bay Area's crazy-ass street people, it's just seems like that phrase would encourage them to act all kinds of fool. "Well, Mr. BART tole me to trust muh instincts so I'ma pee on your leg."


This other sign can be seen on the CalTrain system, kind of like NYC's Long Island Rail Road. (Forgive the janky camphone shot, I only noticed it as I was getting off on the wrong stop of the train.)

It's got a pleading "we kinda don't know what we're doing" subtext to it that they're trying to disguise as some "we hereby deputize you" tomfoolery. I love how this one doesn't really invoke the spectre of any real threat, too.

Maybe it's because the messaging in the NYC one is so direct, but the CalTrain and BART PSAs seem to stoke the kind of vague, wanton paranoia that characterizes much of America's mindset after 9/11.