"We have many children" warning signs

[_Simon]

Anyone else see these anywhere?
- Phillipsburg, NJ
- Stroudsburg, PA area

[Max Rockatansky]

I've never seen anything like that before and I can't even find any others on Yahoo images.  Both signs don't exactly look standardized, I'm guessing that they are neighborhoods?   Maybe it was housing association that put those up?

[_Simon]

There are/were about another 4 of these at least around Phillipsburg, Pohatcong, and Alpha.   I saw the white one in the poconos yesterday and wondered how widespread this text is.

[8.Lug]

Sounds like something from a church hymn or a bible verse - something along those lines. Are those areas highly religious?

[Max Rockatansky]

Sounds like something from a church hymn or a bible verse - something along those lines. Are those areas highly religious?

Or something you would see in the back window of a Hyundai Sonata.

[_Simon]

Sounds like something from a church hymn or a bible verse - something along those lines. Are those areas highly religious?

Are you serious?  "Please drive with care" in a bible verse?  No,  they're not religious areas,  they're just near parks.

[jakeroot]

Sounds like something from a church hymn or a bible verse - something along those lines. Are those areas highly religious?

Are you serious?  "Please drive with care" in a bible verse?  No,  they're not religious areas,  they're just near parks.

....

Did you forget what the sign said?

"We have many children but none to spare" is the line 8.Lug is thinking of.

It doesn't sound religious to me, but it does have a "think of the children" feel to it, and generally, religious people are more mindful of their kids, because they have more of them.

[_Simon]

It sounds like a forced rhyme.   I doubt it's religious in nature.  You can tell in the yellow sign was made by a sign shop that is set up to do regular warning signs, and they had to resort to smaller letters for the first part to fit it.   The second one looks like they just went to some consumer vinyl sign shop that did it on a computer in any old font they felt like, in any old color they felt like.

Also,  the yellow ones have been there since at least 1992.

[8.Lug]

Are you serious?  "Please drive with care" in a bible verse?  No,  they're not religious areas,  they're just near parks.

[Mr. Matté]

Alternatively as I always say when passing a similar sign (usually on a bike so soccer moms shut up): "I'd drive just as fast because I'd teach my kids not to play in the middle of a major (county) road especially one known for speeders.

[sparker]

The "drive like your kids live here" signs are all over the south end of San Jose (Willow Glen, Cambrian Park).  Some last for a long time, others (primarily on more arterial streets) get taken down quite quickly.  Willow Glen is a prime nesting place for "helicopter parents" -- who are more than likely responsible for the signage.  No snarky comments added -- so far!

[jeffandnicole]

Sounds like something from a church hymn or a bible verse - something along those lines. Are those areas highly religious?

Are you serious?  "Please drive with care" in a bible verse?  No,  they're not religious areas,  they're just near parks.

....

Did you forget what the sign said?

"We have many children but none to spare" is the line 8.Lug is thinking of.

It doesn't sound religious to me, but it does have a "think of the children" feel to it

Agree.

, and generally, religious people are more mindful of their kids, because they have more of them.

It's clearly not a religious sign.  There's no "Amen" supplemental plate, as required in the book of MUTCD, Chapter 7, Verse 21.

[kphoger]

I'm religious, and a student of the bible. This whole conversation is really weird. But I'll go with it...

I'm imagining the text would be part of an Old Testament narrative, perhaps very early on in Israel's history or even before Israel developed into an identifiable people group.

Now there was a famine in the land, and Laban journeyed to the plains of Elnath-raha-loi (that is called Rechev). There he came before Adek, king of the Derrizites. And Nadab said to the king, "O mighty lord, as you know, there has been a famine in the land of my people, and many have died. I entreat you that we might dwell in your land, that our people may live." The king answered him, "Your grandfather Nahor was kind to our people when we sought mercy in the hills of Naretet, and so I gladly grant you your request. You and all your people may dwell in safety here, and I will ensure they are well fed and well clothed. However, I make one demand of you, as a token of your allegiance. Give me two of your sons, offspring of your own seed, that we might pass them through the fire on the heights of Nachthul." To this Nadab replied, "My lord, we have many children but none to spare." ...
(Jubilees 29:31—37)

[english si]

Now there was a famine in the land, and Nadab journeyed to the plains of Elnath-raha-loi (that is called Rechev). There be came before Adek, king of the Derrizites. And Nadab said to the king, "O mighty lord, as you know, there has been a famine in the land of my people, and many have died. I entreat you that we might dwell in your land, that our people may live." The king answered him, "Your grandfather Arath was kind to our people when we sought mercy in the hills of Naretet, and so I gladly grant you your request. You and all your people may dwell in safety here, and I will ensure they are well fed and well clothed. However, I make one demand of you, as a token of your allegiance. Give me two of your sons, offspring of your own seed, that we might pass them through the fire on the heights of Nachthul." To this Nadab replied, "My lord, we have many children but none to spare." ... (Genesis 52:20-27)

That's better fake-Bible than the professionals made/make!



My only gripe is 'Genesis 52' - it's clearly not Egypt (which is where Genesis ends at chapter 50 and where the story is picked up again some time later in Exodus - for the uninitiated). It does read, outside of the content, like Genesis (though perhaps more like Kings) - my gripe is that it's a different story to Joseph and his technicolor enslavement during a famine that the back end of Genesis tells - Arath's kindness would have appeared earlier, etc, etc. The book of Hezekiah is well used as a place for this sort of thing.

[kphoger]

My only gripe is 'Genesis 52' - it's clearly not Egypt (which is where Genesis ends at chapter 50 and where the story is picked up again some time later in Exodus - for the uninitiated). It does read, outside of the content, like Genesis (though perhaps more like Kings) - my gripe is that it's a different story to Joseph and his technicolor enslavement during a famine that the back end of Genesis tells - Arath's kindness would have appeared earlier, etc, etc. The book of Hezekiah is well used as a place for this sort of thing.

It was early in the morning, so I didn't want to have to do this, but...

I have now updated the text to be more historically appropriate.

Now there was a famine in the land, and Laban journeyed to the plains of Elnath-raha-loi (that is called Rechev). There he came before Adek, king of the Derrizites. And Nadab said to the king, 'O mighty lord, as you know, there has been a famine in the land of my people, and many have died. I entreat you that we might dwell in your land, that our people may live.' The king answered him, 'Your grandfather Nahor was kind to our people when we sought mercy in the hills of Naretet, and so I gladly grant you your request. You and all your people may dwell in safety here, and I will ensure they are well fed and well clothed. However, I make one demand of you, as a token of your allegiance. Give me two of your sons, offspring of your own seed, that we might pass them through the fire on the heights of Nachthul.' To this Nadab replied, 'My lord, we have many children but none to spare.' ...
(Jubilees 29:31—37)

[roadman]

The "drive like your kids live here" signs are all over the south end of San Jose (Willow Glen, Cambrian Park).  Some last for a long time, others (primarily on more arterial streets) get taken down quite quickly.  Willow Glen is a prime nesting place for "helicopter parents" -- who are more than likely responsible for the signage.  No snarky comments added -- so far!

Anyone who proposes installing such signs should be forced to read this first:  https://collaboration.fhwa.dot.gov/dot/fhwa/ops/Lists/aDiscussion/Flat.aspx?RootFolder=%2fdot%2ffhwa%2fops%2fLists%2faDiscussion%2fChildren%20at%20Play&FolderCTID=0x01200200DAB0F8B5C665694C9CB3130DAE871EC5

[jeffandnicole]

As long as the signs are posted on someone's lawn off the right-of-way, they're pretty much protected under free speech.

Personally, I'll like to follow behind those people and see if they drive on other roads like if their children lived there.

[roadman]

As long as the signs are posted on someone's lawn off the right-of-way, they're pretty much protected under free speech.

Personally, I'll like to follow behind those people and see if they drive on other roads like if their children lived there.

With respect, and IANAL, if they resemble official signs and are placed such that they can viewed by passing drivers, I doubt First Amendment protections would apply just because they are on private property.  As an example, would you allow someone to post a speed limit sign on their front lawn (outside of the highway ROW) and expect it to carry the weight of law?

[jeffandnicole]

As long as the signs are posted on someone's lawn off the right-of-way, they're pretty much protected under free speech.

Personally, I'll like to follow behind those people and see if they drive on other roads like if their children lived there.

With respect, and IANAL, if they resemble official signs and are placed such that they can viewed by passing drivers, I doubt First Amendment protections would apply just because they are on private property.  As an example, would you allow someone to post a speed limit sign on their front lawn (outside of the highway ROW) and expect it to carry the weight of law?

That's a humungous exaggeration of what's being discussed here.  A picture of a typical "Drive like your kids live here" sign has already been posted, which is what most people that have seen one have seen.  It's clearly not resembling an official sign.

[sparker]

The ones posted in San Jose, while maintaining the basic sign form from the picture, have generally been constructed of hardboard or metal -- and often posted on lampposts, corner street signs, and in rare instances directly beneath speed limit signs.  Since all of these are on city easement between street & sidewalk, one would think that the City of San Jose (quite a few in neighboring Campbell as well) might take exception -- and likely have done so along the more traveled arterials.

[dave19]

There used to be small homemade billboards (probably made of a sheet of plywood) outside of Williamsburg, PA that carried this same message around 15 to 20 years ago. They were eventually replaced with welcome signs made by a professional.

[kphoger]

As long as the signs are posted on someone's lawn off the right-of-way, they're pretty much protected under free speech.

Personally, I'll like to follow behind those people and see if they drive on other roads like if their children lived there.

With respect, and IANAL, if they resemble official signs and are placed such that they can viewed by passing drivers, I doubt First Amendment protections would apply just because they are on private property.  As an example, would you allow someone to post a speed limit sign on their front lawn (outside of the highway ROW) and expect it to carry the weight of law?

A warning sign is not regulatory.

[_Simon]

As long as the signs are posted on someone's lawn off the right-of-way, they're pretty much protected under free speech.

Personally, I'll like to follow behind those people and see if they drive on other roads like if their children lived there.

With respect, and IANAL, if they resemble official signs and are placed such that they can viewed by passing drivers, I doubt First Amendment protections would apply just because they are on private property.  As an example, would you allow someone to post a speed limit sign on their front lawn (outside of the highway ROW) and expect it to carry the weight of law?

That's a humungous exaggeration of what's being discussed here.  A picture of a typical "Drive like your kids live here" sign has already been posted, which is what most people that have seen one have seen.  It's clearly not resembling an official sign.

No one is going to go after regular-looking warning signs on private property unless they're causing a controversy.   Plenty of private businesses and larger private residences put up their own signage on their own property -- even regulatory.   Think about the stop signs,  ridiculously low speed limit signs,  and other warning signs you see in your typical Target or Wal-Mart parking lot,  or in small apartment complexes.   Official looking (and many times MUTCD-compliant) signage on private property is abundant.   What's not abundant is when you start getting into weird text and controversial regulation.   Most drivers are slightly aware that signage in parking lots is "not real" signage;  but police can always write you for careless driving or endangering safety,  even if you're on private property and the stop sign is written in crayon.   If it's commonplace for society to accept that you should be stopping there -- and you don't  -- you could be endangering safety.   So the point is really moot unless people start bitching to the municipality or county about it.

Edit:  And obviously if the private property is adjacent to a non-private road and you're creating confusion by creating contradictory speed limits,  or creating a safety hazard or distraction,  then obviously that could become an issue.   But I still doubt anyone is going to go after a home-grown warning sign unless its controversial or just plain wrong or confusing.   I've had enough discussions about ninja signing to know that if the signage is correct and proper it doesn't really matter who erected it.

[formulanone]

Anyone else see these anywhere?
- Phillipsburg, NJ

I think the 8000-pound limit is much more startling...granted, that's pretty much covers all cars and light trucks, but nothing bigger than an unladen Ford Excursion.

[_Simon]

I think the 8000-pound limit is much more startling...granted, that's pretty much covers all cars and light trucks, but nothing bigger than an unladen Ford Excursion.

The Phillipsburg-Easton free bridge limit is 3 tons.