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* You may have noticed that IDOT has been putting clever messages on some of its electronic billboards lately…
We at IDOT hope you survived today without catching a case of the Mondays. pic.twitter.com/FA4EUc03X1
— IDOT (@IDOT_Illinois) February 25, 2019
* But then all of a sudden this billboard appeared all over the place. I saw it twice on Interstate 57 during the weekend…
Don't worry @IDOT_Illinois! I'm in the passenger seat. pic.twitter.com/Ssv5QgGsBV
— Veronica ☮💜🐬 (@veronicaeye) March 9, 2019
* I reached out to IDOT and received this reply from Jessie Decker…
Hi, Rich-
We’ve seen a recent increase in social media posts including pictures of our signs taken from the driver’s perspective. We love that people are interested in helping spread the word about safety on our roads. However, taking pictures while driving is obviously dangerous – and it’s also illegal to use a handheld device while driving.
We are finding new ways, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, to bring attention to serious issues. Anything we can do to get people to stop and consider NOT using their phones while behind the wheel is a message we support.
Thanks,
Jessie
* Not everyone is convinced, however…
Don't tell me how to live my life. pic.twitter.com/mWHt2mAqU1
— Gray Wolf (@GrayWuff) March 10, 2019
Hey @IDOT_Illinois, surely you can’t think this is actually a good strategy pic.twitter.com/h7gG92nsa1
— charlie (@dentalbreakdown) March 8, 2019
Thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:52 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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This is why we can’t have nice things.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:55 am
Frankly, I’m surprised they’re allowed to post these kinds of messages. The FHWA has strict guideline for messages on signs. But when your President tweets 24/7, I guess anything goes…
Comment by Because I said so... Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:57 am
Signs on the Expressway yesterday said “Drive like your family is in the car next to you.”
I had the incredible urge to shout “Stop fighting or I’m pulling this car over!” at everyone I passed.
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:57 am
I love it. Made my trips down I-39 less boring. I also remember seeing posts referencing Star Wars on/around May 5th, and it cracked me up for about ten minutes.
Comment by DuPage Guy Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:58 am
Correction, May 4th.
Comment by DuPage Guy Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:59 am
I suppose I can’t use my red swingline stapler while driving either.
Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:00 am
IDOT to Charlie: It is an excellent strategy, and stop calling me Shirley
Comment by Leslie Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:01 am
and we paid a million dollars per sign for this?
Comment by OutHereInTheMiddle Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:04 am
Too bad people are so dumb as to use their phones to take pictures and text while driving. I aplaud IDOT for the effort but until texting while driving is punished like drinking and driving the problem will persist. Distracted drivers are every bit as dangerous as drunk drivers and fatalities are on the rise due to distracted texting drivers.
Comment by Captain Obvious Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:05 am
Here’s one they can use, free of charge.
Expect to see “BUMP” signs. We only have enough for the signs…fixin em? Not so much.
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:06 am
Do they take suggestions?
Comment by a drop in Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:10 am
The hands-free/no texting law is such a sham. I mean seriously? Who here doesn’t encounter MOST people on their phones while driving. Every. Single. Day. It gets more blantant and abundant. Crazy times.
Comment by New Slang Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:10 am
I would prefer estimated travel times and accident/construction alerts (when necessary) be shown on the electronic billboards.
Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:12 am
These signs are fun and cute, but when you drive that route regularly you usually check it to see ETA to your destination. So when a cutesy message shows up between ETA times, you stare at it 2x as long taking eyes off the road. So in effect, IDOT is causing distraction. Just leave ETA times up there and stop with the cute messages. Warnings, amber alerts - cool - there’s a purpose to get behind, but even that…
Comment by Anon Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:12 am
These actually started last August. Since then I’ve taken three interstate road trips (last one end of February 2019) and noticed the same types of messages are being used in other states.
I don’t have a problem with them. They break the boredom of the road. They have clever reminder messages that stress safety issues.
Keep them coming guys.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:13 am
The “get off my lawn/different = bad” crowd tries to spoil everything fun.
Negativity is contagious. Do us all a favor and quarantine yourselves.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:13 am
I like this idea from IDOT. Unfortunately we are “smartphone-addicted” these day, so that eye catching messages might provide some help. Would be nice to see something similar applied to railroad trespassing and grade grade crossings.
Comment by Tomacci Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:15 am
My favorite tollway sign ever comes from Boston where a trend had developed to not bother using turn signals.
Various messages failed to have any effect until they posted this:
Use Ya’ Blinka’
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:17 am
I love that Lumbergh from Office Space is writing the copy for that first sign. Personally I think they’re great. And they always have a message between travel times so I have no problem with that.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:18 am
The humor is better than repeating the same bland message, and might be effective at reducing texting while driving. But the “Please stop taking pictures of this” is foolish.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:21 am
Thomas Paine - “I had the incredible urge to shout ‘Stop fighting or I’m pulling this car over!’ at everyone I passed.”
I second that (banned punctuation).
To a drop in- Yes they did take suggestions…
http://www.idot.illinois.gov/dms-contest
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:27 am
Honestly, these signs have been so good the last year or so. I’m not mad at all.
Comment by lakeside Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:31 am
I love funny signs. Bravo to the clever folks at IDOT.
Comment by Tom Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:34 am
Love ‘em ! All of ‘em !
Great way to cut through the clutter to deliver a life saving measure.
Comment by Minnie Pearl Jam Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:36 am
I get the concept of using humor to grab attention, but I think stressing the deadly consequences of texting and driving is more appropriate.
Making light of it reduces the seriousness of the problem. You don’t crack wise about drunk-driving.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:44 am
I’m fine with the signs. However I agree with the poster that said the law is a sham. Enforcement really needs to be stepped up. I’m a runner. I would guess that 7/10 times I’m close to being hit as a pedestrian, the driver is on their phone. Distracted driving is a real issue
Comment by Sox Fan Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:44 am
ISPs twitter and FB have also been on it lately.
ISP had more FB likes than both Gov. Rauner and Pritzker combined
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:47 am
I agree with the observations of previous posters. Half the time I go somewhere in town, even if it’s a 10 minute trip, I spot at least one distracted driver. You will see a driver up ahead of you weaving from one edge of the lane then back to the other several times and you know before you get up there that they are texting. Another common occurrence is when you are sitting at a traffic light and when the light changes there’s one car in front of you that won’t go when it’s their turn because they’re texting and as a result several people behind them have to sit thru the light twice. It really has a negative effect on commute time. My sister got rear ended last year while sitting at a traffic light by a distracted driver texting on her phone. The laws on driving while using your cell phone just aren’t being enforced. Kudos to IDOT for trying this.
Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 9:56 am
Here’s where the idea came from:
http://www.idot.illinois.gov/dms-contest
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:01 am
The IDOT can’t fix roads and spends money on these signs. No wonder the state is broke.
Comment by Collinsville Kevin Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:14 am
Collinsville Kevin- those signs are used for more than just this type of messaging. Amber and Silver Alerts, traffic reroutes due to construction, accidents, etc., and weather alerts. Frankly, I’m glad to have them downstate and not just on the Chicago area road systems.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:19 am
Sheesh. To the complainers about something creative and different: “Lighten up Francis.”
Comment by Tommydanger Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:28 am
@Anon221 — Thanks for posting that link — I was gonna urge Rich to dig a little deeper and find out who the brainchild is behind the messages. I was envisioning Shirley in accounting
Comment by Just Observing Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:30 am
I really don’t like these signs. They are distracting, and if we’re trying to stop distracted driving, why do that? (Fact is, when I saw that “don’t take pictures of this sign” sign, I figured that would just encourage the idiots.)
I’m with Leatherneck: I want to see travel times and accident/construction alerts.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:53 am
They’re really asking for it on this one. It’s like putting a sign on someone’s back saying “please don’t kick me!”
Comment by Boone's is Back Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 12:29 pm
This is really reassuring once you understand that idiots like those taking these pictures are included in the calculation of collision statistics.
They’re skewing the averages, which means my chance of getting in an accident is much lower than I’d previously believed.
Comment by statehoss Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 12:39 pm
==The IDOT can’t fix roads and spends money on these signs. No wonder the state is broke.==
Yes, I’d imagine the entire highway repair budget went to pay these copywriters.
Comment by LXB Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 1:46 pm
“The FHWA has strict guideline for messages on signs”
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Chapter 2L is the applicable guidance for changeable message signs. I am sure that IDOT knows this section very well and has discussed, if necessary, any message that is posted with the Illinois Division of the FHWA.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 2:03 pm
Government with a sense of humor. Keep it coming.
Comment by Mr. Chairman Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 2:07 pm
Next signs will read “This Sign Intentionally Blank” to appease those upset with IDOT’s sense of humor.
Comment by revvedup Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 4:11 pm
Some of these messages come from other states.
I liked Feb 14th’s: Don’t text — tell her you love her in person
Comment by Old illini Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 8:23 pm
It was very disconcerting to see the Office Space homage. The character who says that line is such a tool that I wondered how many people would do the exact opposite out of spite.
Comment by Odysseus Tuesday, Mar 12, 19 @ 10:11 pm