Federal Government cracking down on humerous VMS messages

[DSS5]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/17/us-funny-highway-signs-banned

The US Federal Highway Administration is cracking down on the use of jokes and pop-culture references in overhead electronic signs, arguing that the messages can distract drivers.

Under the new guidelines, which were laid out in a new 1,100-page manual on America's signs and other traffic-control devices, signs cannot display messages intended to be humorous or with pop culture references, or anything that could "diminish respect for the sign".

The regulatory agency says that such messages can be misunderstood or distracting to drivers and that signs should be "simple, direct, brief, legible and clear". The signs should be used only for important information such as warning drivers of crashes, weather conditions and traffic delays. Seatbelt reminders and warnings about the dangers of speeding or driving impaired are also allowed.

Interested in your thoughts on this. On the one hand I understand the desire for uniformity. On the other I'm sad as a Wisconsinite, they have some good ones.

[PColumbus73]

Already being discussed here:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=15947.850

[Rothman]

I can't discuss my humerus on VMSes?

[kphoger]

I can't discuss my humerus on VMSes?

You can unless you change one letter of the thread title.

[zzcarp]

I can't discuss my humerus on VMSes?

You can unless you change one letter of the thread title.

I have a bone to pick with that.

[roadfro]

Official Ruling No. 2(09)-174 (I) — Uses of and Nonstandard Syntax on Changeable Message Signs was issued in 2021. It stated in part:

Clear and simple messages are easy to read and comprehend with only short glances away from the roadway, resulting in minimal visual and cognitive distraction from the driving task.  The use of witticisms, colloquialisms, and popular culture references that target or are comprehended only by a limited segment of the population is not consistent with a clear, simple meaning for all.  Instead, these messages rely on hidden meanings or targeted cultural knowledge to understand the message.  Similarly, the use of newly coined terms (neologisms), words combining the meanings of two words or blending of sounds (portmanteaus), metadata tags ("hashtags"), electronic shorthand ("Internet slang"), and other forms that do not use conventional syntax do not convey a clear, simple meaning to many road users.

This ruling seems to have led to the adoption of a new section in the 2023 MUTCD (blue emphasis added to material most relevant to our discussion):

Section 2L.07 Traffic Safety Campaign Messages
Support:
01 An allowable ancillary use of CMS is the display of traffic safety messages in conjunction with a traffic safety campaign that includes other forms of media as the primary communication and education mechanism.

Standard:
02 Traffic control messages shall have priority over traffic safety campaign messages.

Guidance:
03 When a CMS is used to display a traffic safety campaign, the message should be simple, direct, brief, legible, and clear (see Section 1D.01). Traffic safety campaign messages should be relevant to the road user on the roadway on which the message is displayed. For example, messages regarding school bus stop safety should not be displayed on freeways where school bus stops are not found.

04 A CMS should not be used to display a traffic safety campaign message if doing so could adversely affect respect for the sign. Messages with obscure or secondary meanings, 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. Similarly, slogan-type messages and the display of statistical information should not be used.

05 The broad traffic safety campaign marketing message should be appropriately shortened or otherwise modified to comply with the provisions of Section 2L.05 when a traffic safety campaign message is displayed on a CMS.

06 Traffic safety campaign messages should emphasize the applicable regulation or warning and should reference any penalties associated with violations of the regulation. Traffic safety campaigns using CMS should include coordinated enforcement efforts where penalties or enforcement type warnings are part of the message displayed on the CMS.

07 Traffic safety campaign messages should not be displayed on CMS unless they are part of an active, coordinated safety campaign that uses other media forms as the primary means of outreach. For consistency on a national level, traffic safety campaigns should be coordinated with those on the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's annual communications calendar.

Support:
08 Examples of traffic safety campaign messages include "UNBUCKLED SEAT BELTS FINE + POINTS" and "IMPAIRED DRIVERS LOSE LICENSE + JAIL."

But notice that information on funny messages is in the form of a guidance statement, which states do not technically have to follow ("guidance" being defined by MUTCD as "a statement of recommended practice in typical situations, with deviations allowed if engineering judgment or engineering study indicates the deviation to be appropriate.") So while cutting out the funny messages is obviously preferred by FHWA and states should do it, the MUTCD states this in the form of guidance that does not allow FHWA to implement a "crackdown" on such messaging.