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WATCH: Rat Tries to Go Down Escalator Wrong Way in Penn Station

Rats taking on giant dinner rolls and slices of pizza in the subway have become fodder for viral memes this year, but no New York City rodent has attempted such a feat as one undertaken at the height of Monday's morning rush at Penn Station. 

A video posted to YouTube shows a determined rat trying to make its way down the escalator — but going the wrong way — at the Seventh Avenue exit of the busy transit hub around 9 a.m.

People taking the escalator were lunging out of the way as they noticed the rat, according to NBC staffer Josh Kleinbaum, who saw it in action. A woman handing out copies of the Metro newspaper was urging passersby to step on the creature.

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Sam Mazur, who took the video, according to Gothamist, told the website the rat caused a bit of commotion. 

"But most people were more amused by it than anything," Mazur said. "It's not like New Yorkers haven't seen a rat before. Still, I'm glad I took the stairs."

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