Feds are banning humorous electronic messages on highways

[VoidCat]

@Quintessence. Said

Then it shows the picture. They posted that picture to add context that those the type of signs the article is talking about

What they wrote was actually helpful cuz i did not know what the article meant by electronic signs

 

[VoidCat]

The OP is messages, not signs. They aren't banning signs, they're banning mesaages.

Yeah and Quint wasnt saying that those signs themselves are banned. They were talking about what kind of signs the humorous messages are banned on...

Reread what they wrote.

 

[VoidCat]

@Shadow Wolf

The article is talking about messages on a certain type of sign. Not all humorous messages otherwise humorous billboards would be banned. Quint was pointing out what kind of sign. If you read farther you'll see they also explain what those signs are used for.

 

[Stevicus]

I really don't understand why this story is news.

According to the article:

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has given states two years to implement all the changes outlined in its new 1,100-page manual released last month, including rules that spells out how signs and other traffic control devices are regulated.

So, that's the "news" part, that they have two years to implement the changes in the new manual which was released last month. If all these rules had already been in place since 2009, then that begs the question as to why they waited this long to enforce it.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

According to the article:



So, that's the "news" part, that they have two years to implement the changes in the new manual which was released last month. If all these rules had already been in place since 2009, then that begs the question as to why they waited this long to enforce it.

But the FHWA has been enforcing it. As much as the MUTCD can be enforced, anyhow.

There are lots of major changes with this new edition of the MUTCD (e.g. some major differences in how speed limits are set), but this change... it isn't really a change. Like I said, it's really just getting the 2021 ruling into the manual itself.

The 2 year thing is getting misrepresented, too. It isn't like the FHWA has said that DOTs can do cutesy messages for 2 years and then there will be a crackdown. There's a 2-year transition period for the whole manual; DOTs can still follow the old manual for 2 years and still be considered compliant, mainly so that projects that are in design or construction don't suddenly have to get re-designed to meet the new standard.

The news stories on this seem to be based on some fundamental misunderstandings.

For a story about the substantial changes in the new MUTCD, I'd suggest this article instead: Feds, Advocates Talk About What's In The New MUTCD (And What Isn't)! — Streetsblog USA

 

[☆Dreamwind☆]

Well that sucks. I mean as long as important warnings are also presented on the signs, why should it matter if someone slips in a silly joke now and then? Some people have no sense of humor.

 

[Viker]

Maybe not directly but it is a stepping stone.

Of course just look at the man responsible and yes he's a Democrat.

I expect a lot of signs now using the word "obey" and "you will comply".

The People's Republic of New York has a ton of those.

What have you got against stop and yield signs?

 

[Brickjectivity]

No joke: Feds discourage humorous electronic messages on highways

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has given states two years to implement the changes.

apnews.com

I've seen these signs, and I can't say they're all that distractive. Not as much as some of the billboards and other roadside distractions. What difference does it make how funny they are? Are boring messages less of a distraction?

Do these electronic message signs bother you? If you could put the messages on there to send a message to your fellow drivers, what would you put?

I have a lot of ideas about why this silencing of humor has happened, but I don't really know. I'd like to say its just passive aggressive behavior, but I don't think it is. Sadly it is a government road, so responsibility comes before jollity.

(For those who have never heard the term 'jollity', I have a lot more words you've never heard.)

 

[Revoltingest]

Well that sucks. I mean as long as important warnings are also presented on the signs, why should it matter if someone slips in a silly joke now and then? Some people have no sense of humor.

The reason is that there are so many signs that
one can experience overload. I have at times.
Adding superfluous messages into the mix not only
exacerbates the overload problem, it could also
lead to paying less attention to such signs when
the actually have an important message.

It's analogous to designing airplanes for easy
yet competent cockpit management. Anything
extraneous poses a danger, & has resulted in
errors & crashes. Current design expertise has
come at great cost in lives.

It would be different if funny signs were billboards
set farther from the road. Drivers are accustomed
to easily ignoring those.

 

[Stevicus]

I have a lot of ideas about why this silencing of humor has happened, but I don't really know. I'd like to say its just passive aggressive behavior, but I don't think it is. Sadly it is a government road, so responsibility comes before jollity.

(For those who have never heard the term 'jollity', I have a lot more words you've never heard.)

 

[Brickjectivity]

My least favorite road signs are the ones that take you off of the interstate only to send you 10 miles away, to get to a restaurant that really shouldn't be more than 1/2 mile from the sign. Also gas station signs do this. Sometimes a teenager is running on fumes, sees a sign for a gas station and turns off and then runs out of gas five miles from the interstate. Happens.