Jerry Seinfeld ... OWNS TMZ PHOTOG

Jerry Seinfeld's new nickname should be "The Bus" ... 'cause he took our photog TO SCHOOL in the middle of the street in NYC yesterday.

Seinfeld -- sporting a helmet for safety -- was riding his bike in Manhattan when our guy tried to ask a bunch of questions ... and they just didn't work.

So Jerry ... being Jerry ... called our guy out on the crappy Q&A ... and gave the photog a brief tutorial on what kind of topics he SHOULD HAVE been asking about ... like pterodactyls and faux-hawks.