For the second week in a row, I came across a colorful yellow sign hanging from a random street pole. I noticed it out of the corner of my eye and stopped briefly to read its message. On it, I found an eerie haiku:
A sudden car door,
Cyclist’s story rewritten
Fractured narrative
The poem didn’t sit well with me because I am a biker. I know from first hand experience that street safety is a huge concern for a lot of people sharing the road. One time, for example, I saw a woman burst into tears after hitting a passing cyclist with the door of her car as she was trying to exit the vehicle.
That is why the “Curbside Haiku” project was launched back in 2011. It is a Department of Transportation (DOT) safety education and public art campaign designed by artist John Morse to raise awareness about the street safety.
There are 12 different designs, each featuring a “Curbside Haiku” that focuses on a specific mode of transportation. They mimic the style of traditional street safety signs and can be found in more than 140 locations citywide. Moreover, they are hung at eye level, near high-crash locations in order to effectively deliver the message.
