Humorless Stiffs At US Highway Admin Are Banning Electric Road Signs That Make You Laugh

In two years, those funny and creative messages on electronic road signs that we've come to anticipate and love will be no more. Somebody at the high levels of the U.S. Federal Highway Administration apparently has lost their funny bone and has given states two years to comply to the ban. Talk about administrative priorities.

Long part of our landscape, but undeniable in their impact (for better or for worse), state digital street signs with humorous one-line quips like "Camp in the mountains not the left lane" (Nevada) or "If you miss your exit it's okay we made more up ahead" (Georgia) can break up some of the doldrums of long (or even short) commutes. Nearly every holiday, seasonal change, or even during the Covid social distancing phase ("Stay wicked fah apaht") sees creative messages that either serve as memorable safety reminders and/or de-stressors for commuters. 

However, last month the Federal Highway Administration released its latest edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways which essentially puts an end to that supposed lackadaisical practice. The 1,161-page document lists new rules that define how signs and other traffic control devices are regulated. Page 519 of the manual targets the misuse of the signage CMS (content management system), stating that references "such as those with popular culture references, unconventional sign legend syntax, or that are intended to be humorous, should not be used as they might be misunderstood or understood only by a limited segment of road users and require greater time to process and understand."

The rules stress that signs should be "simple, direct, brief, legible and clear" and should be used only to relay important weather, traffic, or accident information. Seatbelt reminders and warnings about impaired driving or speeding are allowed. How each state interprets the new regulations remains to be seen, of course. And who's to say what the fallout to this change might have? Many states have been able to involve their community in creating these messages through contests or public submissions. Removing this cooperative avenue may see an uptick in signage hacking once again.