The Grim Reaper is prowling through Pittsburgh, but the scary masked figure is not looking to claim lives but to save them by raising awareness of distracted walking and driving.
The "Look Alive" campaign that put the Grim Reaper – who is actually a local improve actor – out on the street is part of an effort by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the Port Authority of Alleghany County, the Alleghany County Health Department, and Bike Pittsburgh, WTAE-TV reported.
The witty Grim Reaper tossed out funny, but death-related one-liners at pedestrians on their smartphones or distracted in other ways as he cross their paths Tuesday, the station reported.
"You tweet, you're going to be flat in the street, is what I'm saying," the actor said, according to WTAE-TV. "You're making my job too easy. Are you flirting with me? ….I'm going to see you in a little bit, Mr. Got His Head In His Cellphone. …That's all right. Check your Facebook –you'll be face-planting pretty soon."
While the character, who was joined by zombies downtown, can be creepy, Pittsburgh officials said they hope they are able to use humor to get the message across about distracted walking and driving, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"It's a lesson to all of us — safety first," Allegheny County executive Rich Fitzgerald, told the Post-Gazette, who admitted he was guilty of distracted walking with his cell phone. "It's really important that people are looking at their surroundings."
The Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety told the newspaper that the city had 297 pedestrian accidents last year and Pittsburgh is on a similar pace this year. Downtown Pittsburgh had more than double the amount of pedestrian accidents than any other neighborhood, 39, followed by East Liberty and North Oakland with 18 each in 2015.
Social media comments about the Grim Reapers efforts to scare walkers straight were mixed.
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