Ukraine: Kiev poster campaign seeks better metro manners

The artists say they want men to be more considerate on public transport

An art group in Kiev is campaigning for better manners on public transport through a series of posters which they're sharing on social media.

The group's main focus seems to be persuading men to give up their seats to women, using posters which parody the sort of notices seen in metro carriages, the Nash Kiev news website reports. One poster shows a group of hip young men studiously avoiding the eye of a bag-laden woman. Another shows the reverse - three women gazing adoringly at a man who stands while they sit comfortably. "Let us all revive the little traditions that we somehow lost on the road to civilisation," the artists say in a statement.

There was public consternation in the Ukrainian capital recently over photos of a male bus passenger failing to give up his seat to a little girl who was standing right next to him. Ukrainian men do often cede their places on public transport, and many social media users have reacted positively to the poster campaign.

Kiev's men can apparently look forward to being admired by grateful women

Not everyone is impressed with the chivalrous sentiment, though. "There's a thin line before you cross into sexism," writes one female Facebook user, saying seats should go to the pregnant, infirm or elderly rather than all women. Others point out it isn't just men who need to be considerate. "Young women are quite capable of pretending not to see an old lady who needs their seat," one person says. And another notes tartly that when she was pregnant, men would always give up their seat, "only for some young madam to plonk herself down in my place".

Next story: Canadians warned not to flush 'invasive' goldfish

Use #NewsfromElsewhere to stay up-to-date with our reports via Twitter.