How do you feel about graffiti under bridges?

[ColossalBlocks]

I always wondered what the roadgeek community thought about graffiti under bridges, so what do you guys think?

[Scott5114]

I think it stinks. We never wanted it. It was not anything we thought was appropriate.

[Max Rockatansky]

Its unsightly and encourages people to commit crimes there. 

[jeffandnicole]

Agree with the above comments. Although I'm amazed at the quality of some of the artwork. And where they manage to get to sometimes.

[kalvado]

I have somewhat hard time believing graffiti can affect crime rates. More like area warrants one, it warrants the other as well.
Either way, if you cannot eliminate it - just lead.
How about some official competitions? Call it "decorative murals"  if that helps. Better than stupid bare concrete..

[plain]

I'm still tripping off of this.. the only thing even remotely close to this bridge is like Smallville USA


https://goo.gl/maps/28LWRtX73UT2

[1995hoo]

I have never understood vandalism nor the urge to vandalize things, and I regard graffiti as vandalism. If people want to paint things, they can paint their own stuff.

[kphoger]

I like the better ones.  Bridges, rail cars, ... 

[Max Rockatansky]

I like the better ones.  Bridges, rail cars, ...

Old sections of highway and ghost towns too:

https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/151828809@N08/32767931611/in/set-72157680322376015/

[sparker]

I like the better ones.  Bridges, rail cars, ... 

When I was commuting on I-10 between Redlands & Ontario every day, I'd pass scores of UP trains parked along the south side of the freeway waiting to enter the West Colton yard.  Most container trains didn't have much of a problem being "tagged", but manifest trains made up of boxcars, gondolas, and the like were rife with graffiti -- I'd estimate that well over half of the merchandise railcars had significant tagging (probably because they dwell at urban spurs for much of their time in use). 

Speaking of which, there's an urban legend that the infamous CRIPS gang based in L.A. got their name from an empty boxcar that had been sitting on a siding near Alameda Ave. south of downtown; disgruntled members of the "Bloods" who had decided to form their own rival gang met in this boxcar to avoid detection when organizing the new group; their internal ID code name was derived from the reporting letters on the car: CRIP (Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific, which was divvied up by UP and SP around 1980); it evolved into the permanent gang name.  Like I said, local urban legend, no more, no less!

[allniter89]

Pensacola FL has taken a "if you cant fight em join em" approach on the 17th Av bridge, known locally as the "Graffiti Bridge". This bridge is exempt from the vandalism law and nearly everyday something new is painted on the bridge. The history of the bridge can be found here https://thegraffitibridge.com/pages/about-us
The bridge even has a Facebook page. It is also covered on the Roadside America website.

[plain]

Pensacola FL has taken a "if you cant fight em join em" approach on the 17th Av bridge, known locally as the "Graffiti Bridge". This bridge is exempt from the vandalism law and nearly everyday something new is painted on the bridge. The history of the bridge can be found here https://thegraffitibridge.com/pages/about-us
The bridge even has a Facebook page. It is also covered on the Roadside America website.

Nice! This is actually a great policy. It probably cuts down on artists tagging other infrastructure in the area

[sparker]

Pensacola FL has taken a "if you cant fight em join em" approach on the 17th Av bridge, known locally as the "Graffiti Bridge". This bridge is exempt from the vandalism law and nearly everyday something new is painted on the bridge. The history of the bridge can be found here https://thegraffitibridge.com/pages/about-us
The bridge even has a Facebook page. It is also covered on the Roadside America website.

Nice! This is actually a great policy. It probably cuts down on artists tagging other infrastructure in the area

Occasionally Caltrans District 7 has, on occasion, taken much the same approach to the "101 Trench" between the 4-level/CA 110 and Alameda Avenue, letting local graffiti artists have at it on the concrete walls of the facility (with some level of content restriction).  Usually the artwork has lasted for a few months until "over-tagged" by subsequent "off-book" taggers, at which time the whole thing is washed or painted over.  After that sequence the walls stay officially bare (yeah, right!) until someone in city govt. presses D7 to do it all over again.  This process has gone on sporadically since the '80's -- and some of the "official" artistry has been quite stunning.   

[kphoger]

I like the better ones.  Bridges, rail cars, ... 

When I was commuting on I-10 between Redlands & Ontario every day, I'd pass scores of UP trains parked along the south side of the freeway waiting to enter the West Colton yard.  Most container trains didn't have much of a problem being "tagged", but manifest trains made up of boxcars, gondolas, and the like were rife with graffiti -- I'd estimate that well over half of the merchandise railcars had significant tagging (probably because they dwell at urban spurs for much of their time in use). 

Whenever I'm stuck waiting for a freight train to pass, you can bet I'm scanning all the cars to see if I can spot a Colossus of Roads moniker.

[cpzilliacus]

I always wondered what the roadgeek community thought about graffiti under bridges, so what do you guys think?

Vandalism of public property.  Illegal and needs to be painted-over with an appropriate neutral color as soon as possible.  Also frequently associated with gang activity.

[tribar]

It is unsightly and should be painted over. If someone is caught doing it, they should be arrested.

[6a]

If you're doing to do it, make it good.  This isn't good...

[Max Rockatansky]

If you're doing to do it, make it good.  This isn't good...

So was it a three way with the person taking the photo?  It almost reads like Pat did the deed with two people from the way that is written. 

[allniter89]

Big deal, I've done it under an overpass too but I didnt vandalize the property.
Regarding the Pensacola "graffiti bridge", 99.7% of the time the graffiti is not vulgar but when it is it's painted over very quickly by members of the community.  I'm not sure how widespread graffiti is elsewhere around the city I'm planning a ride around to check it out.