Crackdown on bandit signs

Officials are beginning to crack down on all those small signs advertising weight loss, cell phones and mortgages in the sides of freeways. The Daily News reports this action in Santa Clarita:

Need a chimney sweep, a paternity test or credit repair? It might get a little harder to find such businesses as Santa Clarita clamps down on illegal signs along its manicured roadways. Last week, the City Council hiked fines for placing the "bandit" signs in median strips, on utility poles, next to freeway ramps and elsewhere in public rights of way. The fine will jump from $50 to $250 for a first violation and from $100 to $1,000 for a second violation within one year. "Bandit signs are worse than litter. It's as bad as graffiti," said Councilman TimBen Boydston, who said he has removed 250 signs over a two-month period.

Comments

[Symantha]

The only reason these signs are getting a bad rap (in my humble opinion) is that some people have abused them. Yes, they tend to litter "median strips, utility poles and next to freeway ramps as well as elsewhere in public rights of way", but responsible people tend to take down their signs rather than leaving them to flap in the breeze weeks later. Signs are just about the cheapest form of advertising a person can possible purchase and, despite their bad rap, these signs actually work. I think as long as people are responsible about what they place, where they place it and for how long, the "littering" issue won't become an issue :-)

[Greg]

Firms like mine will always find a way to place bandit signs without causing issue with the authorities.

thesignbandits.com