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112 Comments
- gratulor, on 09/29/2008, -3/+102Placing ads on Amber alert signs will be absolutely terrible. For one, if ads are placed on these signs, drivers are not going to pay attention to them when vital information is present. Also, it takes time to read text, as a result, drivers are going to be distracted and will probably slow down hence slowing traffic on busy California freeways.
- reyoo30309, on 09/29/2008, -1/+84ALERT: The hamburglar has been sighted in the area. Please visit your nearest McDonalds for more information.
- inactive, on 09/29/2008, -2/+79ALERT: Tom Smith age 12 kidnapped by sex offender Ryan Brothers.
This amber alert is brought to you by Trojan Condoms. - bixby1, on 09/29/2008, -4/+75Amber Alert: Hit and Run. 1997 White Jeep Cherokee. Damaged Fender.
Sponsored by Big Mike's Auto Body Repair. - BurningSand, on 09/29/2008, -3/+59Transforming a altruistic service into something commercial--how American.
- cledford, on 09/29/2008, -0/+53I feel like there is something wrong what that ...
- doiveo, on 09/30/2008, -2/+48banner blindness. Makes the whole thing pointless.
- noupsell, on 09/29/2008, -2/+39bad idea -- people learn to ignore ads likewise the ones obsessed with reading them will probably cause traffic accidents
- WiseWeasel, on 09/30/2008, -1/+37DRIVE FASTER, YOU'LL GET THERE SOONER
paid for by the California Bar Association and California Highway Patrol - lulzitsadigg, on 09/30/2008, -4/+40Do they accept ads in an ASCII format?
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………………………………………………………’’~-‘’_ , , ,,’,_/--‘ - vroom101, on 09/30/2008, -0/+34Foolish, Dumb. and Ridiculous! The whole point of an Amber Alert is to focus 100% attention on an individual(s)...ads are totally unwanted, totally unnecessary, and totally unneeded. Why do people insist on ruining good things in the name of making money? This proposal needs to be banished to deepest part of the Pacific Ocean posthaste!
Via the article "California considers selling ads on signs used for Amber Alerts" by Patrick McGreevy at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-signs24-20 ... (www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-signs24-2008sep24,0,1338214.story):
The idea for the signs came from Clear Channel Outdoor, a billboard company that potentially stands to gain from the proposal. The firm is a major donor to state politicians. The proposal has won at least tentative support from [California] state Sen. George Runner (R-Lancaster), who wrote the bill that created the Amber Alert system in California and is the author of numerous public safety measures. "I think it's a very fine idea," Runner said. "Whenever you start talking about advertising, you have to be very careful about how you go down that path. But it has the potential to provide tens of millions of dollars for highway repair." - doiveo, on 09/30/2008, -1/+33Fine, so long as I can get adblock plus for my windshield.
- inactive, on 09/29/2008, -18/+43Why not? Anything to reduce the deficit.
- SIRBERUS, on 09/30/2008, -0/+22Precisely as doiveo stated... the main thing that makes Amber Alert work is that you are driving down the road and the sign that is usually not lit up is feeding you information.
This causes many people to notice it, take it in, and--if they want--help out.
If you made it so there was always information up there, people will learn to ignore it, and less people will be available to want to help, or even know when it is time to help.
The only way it could work is if the ads were visually extremely different than the abduction info (like, different color, size, etc.) - b9gh47q, on 09/29/2008, -1/+18Well, that's safe...
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -1/+17DaMN! thats simply terrible! arnold, WTF!!
- gregkr, on 09/30/2008, -0/+15Next up... ads in schools.
- crazy4bass, on 09/30/2008, -0/+13Wonder who's brain fart that was?
- WiZZLa, on 09/30/2008, -0/+12Amber Alert: 24 hour FREE daycare service. KIDS of ALL AGES welcome. Call 209-PED-0-BRR
- lemercier, on 09/29/2008, -0/+12haha. hilarious and depressing at the same time.
- LonesomeFighter, on 09/30/2008, -0/+12which gets you to buy more which is taxed, so in the end, the roads get better maintenance. be patriotic and drive fast for better road conditions.
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -1/+13I think it would generate revenue, but it could also make people tune out the signs and ignore actual warnings.
- WiseWeasel, on 09/30/2008, -0/+10They already do that here in CA as well when there are no amber alerts. I would still find it jarring to see the signs say something like "TRY THE NEW WHOPPER" or something though...
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -0/+10Here in Texas (at least around Austin), if there's no Amber Alert, they'll post traffic conditions, weather warnings, and other things.
Currently, they've been saying not to travel to Houston (damaged from Ike), because there's limited fuel out there.
I don't see the problem with using these for other purposes. Otherwise it's just a big, blank box in the road. - theNazz, on 09/30/2008, -0/+9Followed by "Got Ticket? ... visit www.nopointsbygoingtodriverschool.com"
- satanguy, on 09/30/2008, -0/+9and hence defeat the purpose of the signs
- Jeepy, on 09/30/2008, -0/+8If you actually live in Los Angeles this isn't as "weird" as the article makes it out to be. Those signs on freeways are already used to give traffic updates and display ***** like "buckle up" and "Not speeding saves gas and lives". I guess it seems kind of twisted to people that don't drive here daily though.
Those signs are already on the freeways and already distracting so it wouldn't make much difference if they were upgraded. As far as being a dangerous distraction I think I speak for everyone when I say it's hard to get into a car accident going three miles per hour. - Iphis, on 09/30/2008, -0/+8Do they expect people to actually read these things after there are flashing banners up there all the time. It will make them into another billboard we all don't notice
- Shaman760, on 09/30/2008, -2/+9Legalize marijuana. That'll fix everything.
http://www.canorml.org/background/CA_legalization. ... - c3chris, on 09/30/2008, -1/+8Completely in agreement - Amber alert should be reserved for the reason we put it in place - FOR FINDING ABDUCTED CHILDREN. http://www.chp.ca.gov/amber/amber-en.html
I'm otherwise in line with most of Arnie's decisions, but this could be a bad one. Let's not taint such an important thing with ads of any kind. It makes people start ignoring the medium. - bananasluggy, on 09/30/2008, -2/+9So..."Amber Alert: Kidnapped Child: Red Chevy Pickup... This Amber Alert bought to you by: McDonald's. I'm lovin' it."
Wtf? - AFelsinger, on 09/29/2008, -1/+7hahaha, this would be amazing
- Sludgehammer, on 09/30/2008, -0/+6Just close your eyes until you've passed the ad. Problem solved.
- ak4444, on 09/30/2008, -0/+6Have you seen this girl?
Hooters next exit.
Yeah, problems may arise. - 2pac4life, on 09/30/2008, -0/+6I really think these signs need to be used only for emergency's if they start putting adds in them people will just ignore the sign completely even when it could be an amber alert.. and maybe that car with the child in it could of been in front of them or something.. any ways there is enough advertisement as it is any ways let just keep this free from it.
- tacobueno, on 09/30/2008, -0/+6The law banning texting has been passed, it just hasn't gone into effect yet...
So currently you can text but not talk. - psyjoniz, on 09/30/2008, -0/+5100% agree. all that will accomplish is get people used to ignoring those signs.
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -1/+6Does anybody read Amber Alerts, anyway?
- travmatron86, on 09/30/2008, -0/+5If people start seeing ***** ads on those signs, they'll start to ignore them altogether, rendering them useless in achieving their primary reason for existence, which is to provide drivers with pertinent information.
- Akairenn, on 09/30/2008, -0/+5I do, mostly because I rarely see those long black LED displays lit up with anything when driving.
Which, if ads were plastered all over them, I wouldn't bother - because hey, it's probably just another pointless ad. - newman8r, on 09/30/2008, -0/+4They want the winning bidder to replace the signs with new hi-def ones; right now they're just black and yellow. I think they're fine the way they are, not too distracting and they also give traffic info when there's not an amber alert.
I don't think ads on the actual road are necessary - billboards in LA are already pretty distracting. I don;t like to make slippery slope arguments, but this could really get out of hand.
I think there's a liability issue too - if I get in an accident because some douchebag was staring at a funny burger king ad I'm going to be pissed at him and the state. Couple this with the fact that they just banned cell phone use and are banning texting, if this goes through I call major BS - jakkyl, on 09/30/2008, -0/+4but he's right. We are broke. 5th largest or not we can't seem to balance a budget.....
- lilhelper, on 09/30/2008, -0/+3As a californian, I say no.
There are some things that businesses should not go to. - wibblewobble, on 09/30/2008, -0/+3Here in the UK advertising is banned at the side of motorways, recently there has been a spate of farmers renting motorway facing land to advertisers who park lorries with advertisements painted on the sides. Even these are pretty distracting, you don't need to take your eyes off the road for very long at 70mph to get into a bad situation. Video would be terribly distracting. Much worse than a static ad or a conversation on a phone. What next, Arnie's going to appear in one of the ads himself "I enjoyed that burger so much that 'i'll be back' for another."
- torgarman, on 09/30/2008, -1/+4Another bad idea from the Governator. Take it from a San Diegian, California drivers don't need anything else to distract them from driving. The highways here already feel like you're driving in Mexico.
- cmapes2, on 09/30/2008, -0/+3Uhh, yeah...
Lets ban cell phones without a hands free device but allow:
"...the winner would replace the state's old emergency message signs with new flashy video screens..."
Flashy video screens showing previews of next season's American Idol + Drivers = Accidents. - Mpwns, on 09/30/2008, -0/+3well played.
- skealoha86, on 09/30/2008, -1/+4There is something wrong with it. Driving past those signs during holidays and having them tell me to buckle my seatbelt pisses me off - they have high visibility and I'm wondering why my tax money went to a system that nags me about drunk driving, seat belts, and speeding. Advertisements are completely out of the question.
- diggenerate, on 09/30/2008, -1/+4Driving faster worsens fuel economy.
- inactive, on 09/30/2008, -0/+3"CHILD MISSING SEEN WEARING RED SHIRT AND EATING A DELICIOUS MCFLURRY"
"MCDONALDS NEXT EXIT. DRIVE SAFELY TO THE DRIVE-THOUGH. WE'RE OPEN LATE"
Legalize graffiti then if you are going to invade everyone's eyeballs. -
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