PSAs on VMSs Good or Bad?

[Mergingtraffic]

In my state, CT, the DOT said they would never sell advertisements on the VMSs.  Their reasoning was if there are advertisements on there, drivers would not read it and therefore miss important messages such as "road closed," "accident ahead" etc.
I totally agree with it. 

Now, the DOT does put up PSA (public service announcements) several times a year.  Such as "Click it or ticket" or "Drive Sober Get Pulled Over" or :Work Zone Safety Week."   There have been drunk driving messages on the VMSs the past week and I got to tell ya, I tuned out.  I didn't read them b/c I figured they all said the same thing.  However, one didn't, it said "Delay, Exits 14-16" which is pretty useful but I almost didn't read it b/c I thought it would be a PSA like the others.

SO PSAs on VMSs...too much or right on??

[Brandon]

Bad, IMHO, if that's all they use the VMSs for.  I'd rather see the PSA alternate with delays and travel times.

[Duke87]

Ideally, they should be left blank unless there is a message currently relevant to traffic conditions ahead. This way drivers unambiguously know "signs's on, important message".

Even travel times dilute the importance of the VMS if they're always there. A message explicitly or implicitly saying "no traffic problems" isn't necessary. If a DOT wants to do travel times they should erect a dedicated sign for it.


Now, none of this affects me personally since I always compulsively read every sign no matter what. But normal drivers do not.

[Brian556]

Bad idea. Message boards should only be used for important traffic info.

Two of the local cities like to use them for other purposes, such as water restrictions, and "LOCK, TAKE, HIDE" for the holidays at shopping areas.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Ontario seems to have two scenarios:

In large cities, you'll usually see traffic-related messages (HWY 401 EAST EXPRESS AND COLLECTORS MOVING SLOWLY BEYOND NEXT TRANSFER), or they just use them as advance signs for exits. (HWY 404 - 3 KM)

Outside of large cities, there are messages for inclement weather conditions (SLIPPERY ROADS POSSIBLE - DRIVE WITH CARE / ROUTES GLISSANTES POSSIBLES - CONDUISEZ AVEC PRUDENCE) or construction (ROAD WORK AHEAD / TRAVAUX ROUTIERS, UNEVEN PAVEMENT x KM / CHAUSSÉE INÉGALE x KM). At other times, they display PSAs. (CLICK IT IT'S THE LAW / BOUCLEZ-LA C'EST LA LOI, YOU DRINK YOU DRIVE YOU LOSE / TU BOIS TU CONDUIS TU PERDS, among other messages.)

Québec seems to use them mostly for traffic conditions or accidents (TUNNEL VILLE-MARIE CIRCULATION FLUIDE, AUT DÉCARIE VOIE DROITE BLOQUÉE) and perhaps construction, and turns them off otherwise. However, the Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Corporation does display PSAs on their VMSes.

I think all of them will display amber alerts when effective.

I agree on the argument that drivers might stop reading VMSes if PSAs are displayed too often.

[1995hoo]

Here in the DC area they often put up things like "REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY" with a phone number. Total waste of those signs. VDOT recently started displaying the travel times in a manner similar to what Florida does (e.g., "Route 123/12 MILES/15 MINUTES") and I find that useful, but when Maryland started doing it a year or two earlier people complained–apparently some of the stupies out there would slow down to read the signs. Asinine behavior, but I don't think that's a reason not to run the travel times.

One PSA I do wish they'd run on the signs is "HEADLIGHTS ON IN THE RAIN [or SNOW]: IT'S THE LAW." I hate it the way there are so many invisible cars on the road around here in bad weather.

[myosh_tino]

California's been doing this for a number of years now, especially in the S.F. Bay Area and especially around this time of year.  Popular ones have been "Click It or Ticket" and "Report Drunk Drivers Call 911".  The VMSes have also been used to alert motorists to new driving laws like our cell phone and texting laws, "Wipers On, Headlights On" and the "Move Over for Construction/Emergency vehicles" laws.  In the Bay Area, blank VMSes will display the PSA-type messages.  VMSes that display travel times will only display travel times.

[Takumi]

The only one I've seen around here is in a heavily commercialized area, and usually has drunk driving PSAs ("You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" for example) but occasionally has announcements for police-run public gatherings.

[hobsini2]

Some none travel time/congestion PSAs i have see in Chicagoland:
You Drink You Drive You Lose
Click It or Ticket
Trucks Take Longer To Brake, Don't Cut Off
New one on  I-55 - Driving On Bus Lane Shoulder Is A Ticket Violation (IDOT is allowing PACE Buses to use the Left Shoulder in Rush Hour)

I have (in all the times driving there) never seen anything near Milwaukee on I-94, I-43, and I-894 other than travel times, amber alerts and accident reports.

[Brandon]

Some none travel time/congestion PSAs i have see in Chicagoland:
You Drink You Drive You Lose
Click It or Ticket
Trucks Take Longer To Brake, Don't Cut Off
New one on  I-55 - Driving On Bus Lane Shoulder Is A Ticket Violation (IDOT is allowing PACE Buses to use the Left Shoulder in Rush Hour)

I have (in all the times driving there) never seen anything near Milwaukee on I-94, I-43, and I-894 other than travel times, amber alerts and accident reports.

On the other had, the tollway has been using them to remind people to update their I-Pass information and about the increase in tolls tomorrow.

[realjd]

Florida is fond of "DUI - Decide before you drive". Note that they don't tell you not to, only that you should make the choice in advance!

They also will often put up "For traveler info dial 511". They usually have drive times though.

[bugo]

They should use them to convey weather bulletins.

[hobsini2]

They should use them to convey weather bulletins.

I agree. Esp Whiteout conditions in say the Dakotas.

[SP Cook]

Ideally, they should be left blank unless there is a message currently relevant to traffic conditions ahead. This way drivers unambiguously know "signs's on, important message".

Agree 100%.  These signs are rare and new in my area and every time they are lit up some idiot slams on his brakes.  Since the 22nd they have had the standard drunk driving preaching.

BTW, I personally find drunk driving ads in any form insulting.  If fascism has a religion it is in worship of the police.

[roadfro]

I am also not a fan of the public service announcements on VMSs. I understand the reasoning but don't agree with it, as I do not believe the signs should be used for non-traffic related messages (Amber alerts are okay though).

NDOT has been displaying these messages on VMSs up in northern Nevada in the absence of any real important message. Last night, there was one on I-80 WB in Fernley, NV with a message related to distracted driving... yeah, your message just distracted me for no good reason. The sign in the opposite direction read "Make it a safe and happy new year"--that's not at all necessary!

In southern Nevada/Las Vegas, NDOT turns the sign messages over to FAST which operates the freeway ITS infrastructure including VMS signs. They typically show only travel times or pertinent traffic information on the signs, and otherwise leave the signs blank when there is nothing to display.

[Takumi]

I once saw one on the Capital Beltway about a suspicious activities hotline...the rest of them had travel times.

[KEVIN_224]

CT was still showing some of those messages on New Years day along I-84. In fairness, Massachusetts was doing pretty much the same thing along I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike), reminding drivers about "OUI can lead to arrest." I think "DWI" would be known by more people.

[CL]

Utah only uses its VMSs for travel time information and air pollution advisories when not used for emergency purposes. The air pollution messages always say something along the lines of, "Poor air quality Mon-Wed; Drive less, Travel wise." I don't think that's a bad thing.

[bugo]

BTW, I personally find drunk driving ads in any form insulting.  If fascism has a religion it is in worship of the police.

I hate those anti-drunk driving ads.  They are threatening viewers.  They are threatening everybody regardless of whether they drink and drive or not.  They threaten me even though I rarely drink, and I certainly don't drive drunk.  They are insulting and offensive.  They make me want to rebel against them and get totally sloshed and ram a school bus.  I hate it when my own government spends my tax money to threaten me for something that I haven't yet done and something that I have no plans on doing.  Fuck the police.
Post Merge: January 04, 2012, 02:45:10 AM

BTW, I personally find drunk driving ads in any form insulting.  If fascism has a religion it is in worship of the police.

If this were Facebook, I would like this post.  FTP.

[codyg1985]

They should use them to convey weather bulletins.

Tornado or Severe Thunderstorm Warnings would be especially nice. Some of the National Weather Service forecasting offices will put mile markers affected on a major interstate if a warning affects it. Birmingham, AL (BMX) WFO does this.

As for the original topic, I don't agree with PSA's on VMS signs. It dilutes the meaning of the sign when it is used for something more serious or useful.

[kphoger]

In the L.A. area they've been known to say 'R U O K'.
(We'll see how many Steve Martin fans are on here)

[architect77]

Somewhat related is that here in Atlanta, Billboard companies recently announced a pact with Georgia to run amber alerts and weather emergency and maybe public safety announced on Metro Atlanta's digital billboards.

[brownpelican]

I've seen LaDOTD and the Causeway use the VMS for weather advisories such as dense fog.

[agentsteel53]

I despise them.  they're worse than those advertising billboards with such such uplifting messages as "courage", "dedication", and "we clearly are not very good at selling ad space".

[bugo]

They should use them to convey weather bulletins.

I agree. Esp Whiteout conditions in say the Dakotas.

And tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings, especially in storms with hail.  I believe I've seen ozone alerts posted on the VMSs in the Tulsa metro, but there was an article in the local Tulsa media that mentioned that ODOT does not post severe weather bulletins.