Reporting in January left me with the impression that the U.S. Department of Transportation was enacting new regulations prohibiting the use of humor on highway signs — it wrecked my day! So I was pleased to see this morning’s piece from The Other Paper reporting clarification from the kill-joys at the USDOT that their new regulations don’t actually ban humorous signs, they’re just — you know — a suggestion. Also pleased to read that for now, VTrans intends to keep the jokes coming.
We instinctively know that humor is an attention-getter; that’s why the class clown exists. It has also been shown that humor enhances education outcomes. I do hope the states that use the funny-punny signs will ask the USDOT if these signs have been shown to cause accidents. The signs have been around for a while so there certainly should be evidence. Even more than 40 years ago I saw signs using the technique aimed at truckers coming down the long, steep grades of the Sierra Nevadas.
Good on the folks at VTrans for their broad-minded efforts to keep us alive on the drive.
Keiko Williams
Jericho
