Fake Ads, Real Change: How a Curiously Clever Citizen Changed the TTC (probably)

New year, same violent TTC. Here’s how one clever citizen chose to protest it.

One of Aidan’s fake ads. Is security really a priority? // Photo by Daniel Jay/blogTO

It’s not news to anyone that lives in the city that there have been huge problems on the subway for years now. From stabbings to constant trespassers on tracks, and many others, that culminated in making the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) unsafe for many. As all of this is happening, riders are not only asking for action but demanding that something be done about it. Surprisingly, one regular rider finally did.

Riders on the Line 2 platform of the Bloor-Yonge station were surprised to find interesting—to say the least—“TTC” ads about being safe on tracks. The fake ads were so well made that many thought they were real. They were created by Aidan Samuels, a Toronto-based graphic designer who, like many other riders, was tired of feeling unsafe while using public transit.

The second fake ad. Is our security just up to us, or is it time for the TTC to act? // Photo by Daniel Jay/blogTO

Most people might assume that Aidan would not want his identity revealed, which was his plan. As he said on Reddit, “I wouldn't mind [avoiding] the fine as long as possible.” But, as the story developed, he had to reveal his identity to everyone surprised by the ads. 

As we chatted about the chaos that the public finds TTC now, Aidan told us why he decided to take action: “I, like many, have been getting increasingly frustrated and scared at the lack of action being taken to all the violence occurring on the transit system and beyond.”

Aidan’s goal was to call the TTC out for their lack of action over the growing violence.

“[I] couldn't do much in the big picture on my own,” he said, so he found a way to use his background in graphic design to create posters “that at first glance would blend in enough to stay up for a while, [and] on initial reading would make you think ‘that's an insensitive message from the TTC’ and upon closer inspection would reveal the message and sum up this feeling I and so many others have.”

This wasn’t Aidan’s first time protesting something that needed immediate change, though he wouldn’t define himself as an activist. “In high school, I made a bunch of little buttons/pins to call out our homophobic school principal,” he said.

In his opinion, the fake ads on the TTC were definitely a protest, and the public response couldn’t have been better. “From everything I've heard, my message was really received as I intended it to be across the board.”

Make it safe (again?). // Photo by Brian Carson

As to what he hopes will change, Aidan is optimistic after the response his fake ads generated. Just a few days after the ads went viral, the city announced that there would be more security guards on the TTC and community safety ambassadors to work with people experiencing homelessness. 

“It’s excellent to hear that this is finally all being taken seriously by the TTC & City and that the right supports are starting to be put into place,” Aidan said. “I can't say I think the posters played any large role in this, but I'd like to think the extra attention they brought contributed in some small way.”

For the near future, Aidan brought an idea that is becoming more popular in the city: gates between the platform and the train. 

“Not only would that stop pushings, but also falls and jumps. Security/cops won't actually stop anyone [from] being pushed, falling or jumping, but gates can. It’s something actionable, widely called for and would show that the city is listening and cares about the safety of its commuters.” Although that idea could solve many security incidents, according to government officials, it would be too expensive.

Aidan admits, however, that there are more permanent solutions, and we would need to solve the roots of the problem. Neither Aidan, myself, nor many of you reading this are equipped to deal with this.

“I’m a graphic designer,” Aidan said, “not an urban planner or social worker. But I do think it starts with compassion & help for marginalized individuals and not … spending years worth of their housing & care costs on a private security army to kick them out of parks, or suing the people who go out of their way to try to help them.”

While more police on the trains might help alleviate these problems, it will not fix their long-neglected causes: mental health and addiction, as noted by ex-Mayor John Tory.

 As we were wrapping up, I wondered what Aidan would suggest to commuters that want the TTC to change but don’t know what to do to combat feeling unsafe.

 “The power in numbers is not something to be underestimated,” he said. “Not only does a large group have collective power as a population, but the individuals involved have a diverse set of specialized skills.”

More specifically, he suggests using skills we might already have to demand change. “If you are (or are studying to become) an engineer, you could submit designs or mechanisms for platform gates. If you have experience in social work, you can use that knowledge to petition your local representatives with actionable plans.”

While safety on the TTC snowballed into a huge issue over time, small actions like Aidan’s show that change can actually happen. “This … shows those in charge that not only do the people want just something but that they know what they want.”

Example of having gates between platforms and trains in Sao Paulo, Brazil. // Photo by Clóvis Ferreira/Digna Imagem.