New Snarky Road Signs In Hayward Target Speeding Drivers, Pedestrians Checking Facebook
HAYWARD (KPIX 5) – We pass speed limit signs every day, but one Bay Area community says mundane traffic signs aren't cutting it anymore.
So, to get people's attention, the city has put up a few new signs that are a bit snarky. Along with the posted speed limit, one of the signs also reads "It's a speed limit, not a suggestion." Another sign gives helpful advice about driving down a hill.
"You have to break through into people's consciousness," said Hayward public information officer Frank Holland, who wrote the new signs. Holland used to work in marketing and he brought a creative approach to a typically mundane medium.
"And hopefully break through to people where they go, 'Oh, that's interesting. Maybe I should listen to that. Maybe I should pay attention,'" Holland told KPIX 5.
Another sign reminds students to pay attention when crossing the busy street, telling them to update Facebook when they're not in the crosswalk.
"We are all on social networks so that is something we will all pay attention to," said Karla Tatum, a CSU East Bay student.
But there could be one problem. "They're gonna have to keep coming up with new ones, I think," said Hayward resident Kevin Dankwardt.
Which means Holland needs to work on some new material.
"I'm the guy that everybody can point at and say, 'God, those are horrible.' But you know what? If they say they're horrible, that's OK because they're still talking about the message and hopefully slowing down," Holland said.