STOP (Signs With A Difference--Taken Down After 7 Months)

[orleans]

from oak lawn illinois:











http://cbs2chicago.com/slideshows/Oak.Lawn.stop.20.316221.html?rid=0

"OAK LAWN, Ill — A big red sign that says "Stop" sometimes isn't enough to get everyone to stop. Maybe a laugh will get their attention.

"This Chicago suburb has installed second stop signs beneath the regular ones at 50 intersections with messages, including "WHOAAA" or "Stop ... and smell the roses."

""I thought it might make people smile and take notice," Mayor Dave Heilmann said as he launched the campaign Friday. "You've got people on their cell phones, their BlackBerries and iPods while driving. Those are all distractions. Hopefully, when they see a sign they're not expecting it might make them stop.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298599,00.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Lawn,_Illinois

"In mid 2007 Oak Lawn began hanging some humorous additions to the city stop signs in an attempt to have drivers obey the signs. The signs were the idea of the city President, and local residents are encouraged to submit their own ideas. Found throughout the city, the signs garnished attention with the press.

"The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and IDOT voiced their concerns about the use of these nonconforming stop signs and as such the Village removed them in April of 2008. Initially the mayor refused to remove the signs, but IDOT threatened to withold millions of dollars in funding for infrastructure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Lawn,_Illinois

IDOT fails to see humor in Oak Lawn's quirky stop-sign campaign
State agency cites federal regulations in ordering halt to anti-speeding messages

The snide and comical remarks in octagonal shapes under stop signs in Oak Lawn were supposed to be a funny way to get motorists to halt and pay attention instead of flying through intersections, Mayor Dave Heilmann said.

But some seven months after the signs went up, the laughter has stopped. Heilmann had to remove the signs after the Illinois Department of Transportation determined they violate the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, he said. If he didn't, the village risked losing federally funded projects, IDOT officials said in a letter.

"I thought that was a very harsh response to an effort to promote safety," Heilmann said. "I truly believe the signs were making an impact. They were around schools and heavily trafficked areas. The community loved them, and we heard from all over the country about how thinking outside the box was a good way to reinforce the message that people need to stop."

Heilmann launched his public safety campaign to cut down on speeding through stop signs in September. He added slogans such as "and smell the roses" and "means that you aren't moving" to 50 stop signs.

At the time, Heilmann said he thought the remarks would get motorists to pause, if for nothing else, to read the phrases.

He was sure the quirky signs would help, but residents who had complained for years about drivers not obeying signs had mixed opinions.

There are no statistics on how many drivers fail to stop in Oak Lawn. And though police officers sometimes monitor troublesome intersections, they can't watch them at all times to enforce safety laws, Heilmann said.

When he got the letter from IDOT on April 17, he ordered the signs removed.

"I don't want to fight with anybody," he said. "I wanted to send a good message and have a good public safety campaign."

Still, Heilmann said he was disappointed that he had to junk $1,700 worth of signs.

"I think government needs to take itself less seriously," he said. "We have to take the work seriously, but it's OK to smile and to be creative in enforcing a serious message."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-not-funny_01may01,0,177113.story

[Mojorabbit]

1. Conform or be cast out. nt

[Cerridwen]

2. IDOT? How about IDiOT.

Geez, humor not allowed when demanding compliance to the law. What a miserable way to go through life.

[MADem]

3. BEAT me to it! Exactly--IDIOTS. If you can make people comply with the law by amusing them,

that "lesson" is gonna stick. What jerks.

[Cerridwen]

4. It reminded me of a "gimmick" used in the public urinals around Amsterdam

You can see it at this link. Rather than putting up signs reminding the guys to aim better and keep the place clean, they decided to use a "human-friendly" idea that did what no amount of signage had been able to.

I shudder to think what the IDiOT urinals look like.

:evilgrin:

[MADem]

6. HA! That's the real reason Jeff Goldblum got so exorcised in that FLY movie!! NT

[Exultant Democracy]

5. I personally see the value in uniform traffic control devices I think IDOT made the right call.

[Selatius]

7. If they put traffic cameras at every stop sign, I guarantee the problem will disappear.

Of course, that would open a whole new can of worms. Like, if somebody got murdered at the intersection, it would be caught on film. That seems reasonable enough to use as evidence in court, but what if they use the cameras to catalog every driver's face and put it into a database?

[Jack_DeLeon]

15. or people would make the cameras disappear...

over in england I hear they have a fondness of putting old tires around them and lighting them on fire.

If started going that draconian with cameras I would have no problem with anyone doing that at all.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

8. There's more to the story than just IDOT.

I think this "controversy" was caused by the ruling coalition on the Village Board of which the
Mayor Dave Heilman has a majority and Mr. Gerry Hurckes, Trustee of the 1st District, who is also the Chicago Chief of Staff for Cong. Dan Lipinski(DINO)of the 3rd CD of Illinois.

To put it bluntly Heilman and Hurckes can't stand each other. The Village Board actually had to hire a lobbyist in Washington DC, so the Village could get more $$$$ from them. Hurckes says he has brought money into the Village but everyone knows this is BS.

To be quite honest, I think Hurckes let the cat out of the bag about the signs just to embarass Heilman and Co. I can't stand either Hurckes or Heilman. They're both assholes.

[Cerridwen]

9. Wonderful. /sarcasm

An interesting idea succumbs to a political pissing contest.

[HughMoran]

10. IDiOTic

stupid shit government got nothing better to do

[Ichingcarpenter]

11. Waste of money but I like this one.....

[orleans]

16. great stop sign! n/t

[Buns_of_Fire]

12. IDOT did what it probably felt it had to do to keep Uncle Sugar happy.

Heilmann had to remove the signs after the Illinois Department of Transportation determined they violate the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, he said. If he didn't, the village risked losing federally funded projects, IDOT officials said in a letter.

I've worked for a county government, and you'd be amazed how quickly the little itty-bitty sweat balls pop out on their foreheads when someone says, "This might put your federal funding in jeopardy."

That said, I still think someone is in dire need of an enema.

[ZombieHorde]

13. They threatened to pull Montanas funding too,

if we did not reinstate our high way speed limits. We conformed of course.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Oh good grief

What's next? Fire hydrants?

That's the fad here.