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Steel-manning the argument, near where I live, it's not that uncommon to see small to moderately sized advertisements along the road, such as a sign outside/nea

Steel-manning the argument, near where I live, it's not that uncommon to see small to moderately sized advertisements along the road, such as a sign outside/near the entrance of a farm that's selling eggs, meat, etc. I am wholly unopposed to this. In fact, I'm very supportive of this, and used them to find a farm to buy local honey from. Whereas the stereotypical massive slabs whose advertisements get wallpapered on, I think those are distracting menaces, particularly if the primary way you see them is by driving.

dietr1ch 1y ago
On a few nice towns here there's no regular advertisements, but shops are allowed to have nice wooden signs matching the aesthetics of the town signs. You can still find your way around, and discover things, but looking around feels like you are finding things instead of looking at things yelling at you to find them.
Terr_ 1y ago
In Washington state, the law is that signs along the highway have to be things you can actually purchase in the same property. I think that rule helps strike a decent compromise: Adjacent local businesses can draw attention to themselves, but it blocks the business-plan of erecting a forest of billboards to auction off, flogging cell-phone providers or prescription drugs etc. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=47.42.040 https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=47.42.040
- exegete 1y ago
  Have other states adopted this? Definitely would change things in NJ.
macintux 1y ago
Similarly, I’ve found numerous small businesses/attractions thanks to highway billboards while traveling. Yes, I find billboards tedious and a nuisance, but I’m happy with the tradeoff. Except digital billboards, especially those that can switch to blinding white backgrounds at night. Those can rot in hell.
thejazzman 1y ago
And where I live it's an ever growing hell of political signs, dominos pizza, and anyone else who realizes there is no enforcement against this wide scale littering. The signs are never removed and continue piling up. Abandoned / unmonitored lots are also a frequent target. And it's rapidly getting worse Glad you're cool with it though, I guess? Cuz I've considered running for office on the sole platform of having them perpetually removed and perpetrators prosecuted. There are literally signs advertising to hire people to place more signs.
- 2cynykyl 1y ago
  You'd get my vote! These boulevard signs are totally out of control. They are technically against bylaws in my town, but nobody enforces it. Two anecdotes about how insane these are: 1. I saw one last week advertising a halloween party, so it's been in the ground for over 6 months. It is on a sidewalk near the university and is passed by about 1000 people per day, and in 6+ months not ONE SINGLE PERSON said "Oh, I should talk this down". 2. I once saw a city employee get off their riding lawn mower to move one of these signs out of their way, cut the grass, then get off the mower again to put the sign back! And echoing the GPs comment, what really gets me about these is that we all have our lives diminished so that one person or company can earn a little extra...maybe. Or in other words, 1000's of people are subjected to this and perhaps 1 person might bite? I'll close with my favorite interpretation of advertising: Advertisers essentially steal your sense of self-satisfaction so they can sell it back to you.
  - Eisenstein 1y ago
    > It is on a sidewalk near the university and is passed by about 1000 people per day, and in 6+ months not ONE SINGLE PERSON said "Oh, I should talk this down". Weren't you one of those people? Why didn't you do it?
  - 9rx 1y ago
    > Or in other words, 1000's of people are subjected to this and perhaps 1 person might bite? Earlier you indicated nobody noticed (yourself excluded). Now 1,000s of people are being subjected to it?

dietr1ch 1y ago

On a few nice towns here there's no regular advertisements, but shops are allowed to have nice wooden signs matching the aesthetics of the town signs. You can still find your way around, and discover things, but looking around feels like you are finding things instead of looking at things yelling at you to find them.

Terr_ 1y ago

In Washington state, the law is that signs along the highway have to be things you can actually purchase in the same property. I think that rule helps strike a decent compromise: Adjacent local businesses can draw attention to themselves, but it blocks the business-plan of erecting a forest of billboards to auction off, flogging cell-phone providers or prescription drugs etc. https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=47.42.040 https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=47.42.040

exegete 1y ago
Have other states adopted this? Definitely would change things in NJ.

macintux 1y ago

Similarly, I’ve found numerous small businesses/attractions thanks to highway billboards while traveling. Yes, I find billboards tedious and a nuisance, but I’m happy with the tradeoff. Except digital billboards, especially those that can switch to blinding white backgrounds at night. Those can rot in hell.

thejazzman 1y ago

And where I live it's an ever growing hell of political signs, dominos pizza, and anyone else who realizes there is no enforcement against this wide scale littering. The signs are never removed and continue piling up. Abandoned / unmonitored lots are also a frequent target. And it's rapidly getting worse Glad you're cool with it though, I guess? Cuz I've considered running for office on the sole platform of having them perpetually removed and perpetrators prosecuted. There are literally signs advertising to hire people to place more signs.

2cynykyl 1y ago
You'd get my vote! These boulevard signs are totally out of control. They are technically against bylaws in my town, but nobody enforces it. Two anecdotes about how insane these are: 1. I saw one last week advertising a halloween party, so it's been in the ground for over 6 months. It is on a sidewalk near the university and is passed by about 1000 people per day, and in 6+ months not ONE SINGLE PERSON said "Oh, I should talk this down". 2. I once saw a city employee get off their riding lawn mower to move one of these signs out of their way, cut the grass, then get off the mower again to put the sign back! And echoing the GPs comment, what really gets me about these is that we all have our lives diminished so that one person or company can earn a little extra...maybe. Or in other words, 1000's of people are subjected to this and perhaps 1 person might bite? I'll close with my favorite interpretation of advertising: Advertisers essentially steal your sense of self-satisfaction so they can sell it back to you.
- Eisenstein 1y ago
  > It is on a sidewalk near the university and is passed by about 1000 people per day, and in 6+ months not ONE SINGLE PERSON said "Oh, I should talk this down". Weren't you one of those people? Why didn't you do it?
- 9rx 1y ago
  > Or in other words, 1000's of people are subjected to this and perhaps 1 person might bite? Earlier you indicated nobody noticed (yourself excluded). Now 1,000s of people are being subjected to it?