WASHINGTON, DC – March 16: With the D.C. Metro closed, the normally crowded escalators were empty at the entrance to the Metro Center station during the morning rush hours on March 16, 2016 in Washington, DC. Metro’s General manager Paul Wiedefeld made the decision to close for 29 hours for a safety inspection after a recent fire. Metro makes approximately 725,000 trips per day in the D.C. Metro area. (Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images)
Does it drive you crazy when someone stands on the left side of an escalator? Maybe you just need to "live a little."
A new ad promoting "staycations" urges D.C. residents to imitate tourists and stand on the left side of Metro escalators.
"Stay left, stay relaxed, stay local, DC," the ad says.
The 30-second video published Tuesday morning on Destination DC's Twitter account starts with an agitated voice.
"Could you move to the side? Move on the side so people can go?" a man says.
We see a man standing on a Metro escalator, happily chatting with a woman on his right. Behind him is the agitated man. Behind the woman is an older man who stands directly behind her, also waiting but silent.
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"Escaleftor. Person who rides on the left side of the Metro escalator in Washington, DC," text on the screen says.
The text on-screen changes.
""Escaleftor. Guy who doesn't care it's common courtesy to walk left, stand right. SERIOUSLY, MAN!!!" it says.
Absorbed in conversation, the casual man drapes his left arm on the handrail.
Then the text on-screen changes a third time.
"Dude who is so relaxed, he loses all spatial awareness. MUST BE NICE," it says.
Then, the ad tells us who we're supposed to be rooting for: the "escaleftor."
"Don't Be That Guy," the ad says, with a red arrow pointing to the man who complained.
"Be An Escaleftor," it says, with an arrow pointing to the relaxed man.
Many Metro riders sided with the agitated man.
"I don't rush home after work because I'm not chill, I do it because I need to get to daycare before they start charging penalty fees," one person said on Reddit.
But Destination DC President and CEO Elliott Ferguson says the ad is simply "poking fun at something that gets us in a tizzy from time to time."
"Usually, those who don't know the etiquette are those that don't know the Washington area. So, it was just for us to have a little fun," Ferguson said.
The video is part of Destination DC's Stay Local DC campaign, which urges locals to explore the District instead of leaving town.
Ferguson said the premise of the "Escaleftor" ad is to get people throughout the region interested, and, hopefully, boost business in the city during a time of year when tourism slows down.
"Come to D.C. Check into a hotel," Ferguson said.
