Metro Commissions New PSA
Advises "Help Them, Then Rob Them" to Riders

(Washington, DC) — A man attends a party, leaves, and drunkenly stumbles home. He enters the subway, falls from the platform, and knocks himself unconscious as he hits his head on the tracks below. A witness climbs down onto the track bed, but instead of dragging the man to safety, he steals his valuables, climbs back onto the platform, and leaves as he hears the oncoming train barreling through the tunnel. Hit by the train, the unconscious man survives, but not without significant injuries, one of which requires a partial amputation.

Another incident that Metro can be proud about? Not this time. The scenario described above recently played out at a subway stop in Sweden. However, Metro is apparently looking at the incident for ideas to use in future public service announcements (PSAs).

The PSA will urge would-be felonious Metro riders to first help their fellow passenger out of harm's way before taking their money, jewelry, clothing, and dignity.

"There's no need to add to Metro's body count," said a Metro spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, "so we're putting out this PSA to let people know that it's OK to pull someone off the tracks. It's OK to pull someone out of an elevator shaft. It's OK to pull someone from a burning train. Once they're safely on the platform, feel free to do what you need to do. But making sure they're safe first is simply common courtesy."