Thursday’s Headlines: A Huge DOT Win Edition

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We were going to complain today about the Department of Transportation’s latest version of its “Truck Smart” ad campaign and its tagline, “Size matters.”

“Gross,” we were going to say. “Talking about trucks with a penis joke. That’s so primitive! Ew, OMG!”

We were going to opine about how trotting out some old schmaltz is not suitable for a topic as important as truck safety. And the DOT does a great job of reminding truckers to check their blind spots, to look for pedestrians and cyclists, to give plenty of space when passing, to drive safely and to stay on truck routes. So we were going to say this is no laughing matter.

But you know us, before we reconsidered, we were planning to scour the internet for other uses of the time-worn genital pun so we could compare DOT to DrPenis.com or the personal injury firm of Morgan & Morgan or the Renuance Cosmetic Surgery Center, which created an international incident when it posted “Size Matters” on a billboard with a takeout coffee cup labeled “B” and a larger one labeled “D,” in case you missed the joke.

But we refrained from doing all those things because we found ourselves spending most of the day actually talking about the DOT “Truck Smart” campaign and realized we couldn’t say anything bad about it for one simple reason: The entire point of an ad campaign is to get people talking — and the DOT clearly achieved that goal!

So, indeed, size does matter — in this case, the magnitude of DOT’s messaging. Big props to all!

In other news from a slow day:

• First, it’s time to honor yesterday’s donors to our annual December fundraising drive. Thanks, Jennifer! Thanks, Alex! Thanks, Wil! Thanks, Reed! Thanks, Beth! Thanks, Chris! (A special shout out to Chris, who took full advantage of our “novelty placard” donation category. Get yours today!)
• We liked the Daily News’s editorial supporting all-year outdoor dining.
• The Daily News got a second day out of the MTA’s plans for post-MetroCard bus fare evasion enforcement. And the Times got a story out of subway fare evasion.
• Andy Byford knows it: The fate of Penn Station lies in what happens to Madison Square Garden, the 800-pound gorilla sitting on top of it. (Chelsea News)
• The Post is continuing its war on congestion pricing as it nears its first anniversary on Jan. 5. First, there was the obligatory, “drivers hate it!” story. Then there was the predictable editorial based on that story. Then there was the story about how businesses are passing the toll along to their customers, which is, um, what businesses do with all their costs.
• Glass half-full edition: President Trump moved on Wednesday to allow more gas-guzzling cars into the U.S. fleet (NY Times), but at the same time, challenged Detroit to make those “very small and really cute” cars that he’s seen in Asia (or perhaps in a Streetsblog video?). You gotta see this:

• People are often saying that we over-react to the recklessness of car drivers, but is it too much to ask that they don’t hit us when we are standing right in front of them?

• From the assignment desk: The DOT will show off the new Audubon Avenue Plaza (Audubon Avenue between 165th and 166th streets in Washington Heights) today at 10 a.m.
• Finally, it’s a bit too early for Banner Day at Citi Field, but a little bird tells us that someone wants something to be noticed: