Here’s a picture of an electronic billboard that you can see at the intersection of west-bound War Memorial Drive and University Street. It looks pretty much like an old-fashioned billboard, except that the image changes instantly approximately every five seconds (I didn’t time it).
Obviously, these are going to become more and more prevalent, and there will be pressure from advertisers to continually push the envelope with how quickly they can change their images. Right now, it’s a series of static images. But it’s essentially a really big computer monitor, so you could have it do anything, technically. If the city allowed it (which they don’t), advertisers could run full-motion ads just like you’d see on TV or on a stadium scoreboard, albeit without sound.
So, my question is, what’s your opinion of these kinds of signs? What should the limits be? Are they too limited now? Are they not limited enough? Do you think they’re too bright or not bright enough?
I haven’t minded them (particularly that one, which I like to watch when I’m at that loooooooong light), until today, when it was so rainy and dreary and dark at about 2 p.m. and I was out, the thing was so bright it was almost hypnotic, and when it changed pictures it was VERY distracting (as I approached westbound on War Memorial).
I guess I haven’t seen it at night yet.
I think they are too distracting for drivers and will assist in causing additional accidents at this intersection.
I think they are tacky- but then so is Peoria so they are perfect-
They change every 7 seconds. There is a camera that looks back on the screen I guess so Adam’s Signs can see what is being displayed in real time. They would be an asset for weather warnings, Amber Alerts and that type of thing but I am afraid all we’ll see is realtors. What exactly is a luxury home specialist anyway? Are there classes for that or what?
All the ones I’ve seen are waaay too bright in anything but direct sunlight, but I haven’t been to that particular sign.
From an advetisers point a view, unless there is a huge cost break, I’d think they’d suck. Unless traffic is stopped so they could watch it, who is going to notice a 7 second blurb?
How does one regulate these signs anyway? What stops Adams from having the sign flicker for ten minutes then goes back to the regular 7 second change?
City ordinance limits brightness and requires each image to be displayed 10 seconds.
The first one of these I saw was on I-5 between Tacoma and Seatac. It was full motion and the had annoying flashes in the adds to draw attention.
Well, it did nore than draw attention, it blinded you at any time of day other than high noon.
These things are awful and should be banned from the face of the earth.
The average citizen is subjected to 5,000 advertisements every single day. This is over saturation. Every where you look there is a sign for something. We are overrun with advertisement. I realize that businesses need to advertise but we have become immuned to them most of the time. However, anything that flashes, or moves or is too bright and catches your attention away from your driving is bad business. We have enough distractions with cell phones, CDs, eating in our cars, kids, pets, road construction, and just plain traffic jams to keep us more than busy when we are driving. We need to regulate these signs before they become a danger to our already overwhelmed drivers.
“Unless traffic is stopped so they could watch it, who is going to notice a 7 second blurb?”
Since it changes, it a) draws attention and b) doesn’t become part of the landscape as quickly as a static sign does.
In terms of tacky billboards? Kiddos, you ain’t seen nothin’. There were entire stretches of road in North Carolina with nothing but giant billboards featuring very scantily clad women advertising what were locally called “tittie bars.” (Or sometimes “juice bars” because in some counties the strippers could only be topless if you didn’t serve alcohol at the strip club.)
And of course approaching O’Hare on the Tri-State is like the world’s super-giantest concentration of billboards, I swear. But mostly not quite so, um, graphic as the ones in NC.
I first saw these type sof billboards in Florida around WDW in 1994. Being from Central IL we were “wowed” by them as we had never seen anything except the static signs. They also has billboards that play like the Civic Center & Proctor Hospital signs.
My first reaction upon seeing the on up on I-74 westbound just before the bridge the other night was “Wow we’ve finally moved up in the world”
I completely understand that Adams Outdoors has to keep things fresh-that’s how it goes. I just think it’s way to distracting for alot of drivers but then again, maybe the goal is for the passengers to pay more attention.
I checked out the sign at War and University this morning and found nothing really wrong with it. Most people ignore signs anyway, like “No Right on Red” and speedlimit signs so who is really going to pay attention? Besides, it got me to wondering if the sign was as big as my in law’s TV or not.
Welcome to the 21st Century.
As for more accidents, I don’t know people. Let’s stop this sterotype of being in a “Cowtown” and enter the world of living in a modern city. If these signs cause more accidents, then I think those people in these accidents should consider the bus.
And with regard to technology hindering driving, I think we should consider much bigger concerns. Like..hmmm…the 2 people that cut me off without a signal (one of which came dangerously close to getting my Chrysler emblem in thier bumper and killing me in the process) while gabbing on their Gosh-Forsaking-Freaking CELL PHONES!!!!!
JB
P.S. I couldn’t help but notice that the SAME Dodge Ram is stuck at the light in CJ’s Pics of the 3 or 4 different advdertisments. I know they flip every 10 seconds but my first instinct was to chuckle….,”Damn, that light is LONG!”
There’s another one at university and Glen, I think that’s where I saw it today, going north on University. I thought it was rather pretty. More entertaining that a static billboard.
Honestly, I’m okay with them if it means less commercials during shows on television and such. I have Tivo, and have had it for @ 8 years) so it’s unusual for me to watch anything “live.” And when I do watch something “live” I can no longer tolerate commercial breaks, since I can so easily record and skip them if I think to record. I also have satellite radio, so listening to commercial radio completely drives me insane now. Good god they play soooooooooo many commercials.
I understand, ad companies are trying to find new ways to reach us, since our ability to avoid commercials is easier than ever.
SD – I wonder, do you listen to local radio? Do you not have a Tivo? I only ask because I feel like I avoid the blitzkreig of advertising normally found on commercial media with Tivo and satellite radio, so that pretty, computer billboards are okay since the rest of it barely reaches me. Just a theory.
I think they should pipe the council meetings to them. Cj, climb up there with a a cable link.
cgiselle12, no I do not have Tivo, nor do I have satellite radio. I do listen to local radio stations on my car radio but most of the time I play CDs. However, the advertising I am referring to is the daily signs as you drive down any street in this town. Every business has their share of advertising out front. Garage sale signs, yard sale signs, realtors signs, you name it. Signs on signs. Signs posted to utility or road posts. Signs in windows, signs on the back or side of the car in front of your or beside you. Signs, signs, signs. The advertising dollar is the highest spent dollar in the United States by far. You can bar pop ups from your computer, but now cable has pop ups on the bottom of the screen no matter what show you are watching. You can screen out regular commercials but not the pop ups. Mail comes with ads on the envelope. Grocery bags, the back of your register ticket from the store or restaurant. There is no escaping it. But anything that distracts by light, movement or sound from your driving, even for a few seconds can cause a problem. Just my 2 cents worth. Its doubtful you realize just how many signs you see every single day. Try counting them on the way to work some day. All of them large and small and see what you come up with.
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign, blocking up the scenery……
Hawaii (Big Island) has severe restrictions on signs and lighting. Much less clutter and the lighting has to be the subdued yellow/orange style of lights to prevent ruining the view of the observatories way up on Kilauea.
Grand Prairie Mall’s parking lot lighting is so bright it ruins the night sky from over 10 miles away. Anyone want to join a lawsuit to get them to tone it down to a reasonable level?
All I can think when I see it is how much fun it would be to hack it and put up your own “ads”. I guarantee I would cause an accident.
jaderose,
Indeed !!!!
Hack it as your own personal public HDTV.
Give it time… someone somewhere will do this.
cgiselle12: I’m with you regarding ads. I can’t stand listening to commercial (pun intended!) radio anymore – it’s all ads! Nowadays I only listen to NPR or CDs when I’m driving.
mdd: I’m pretty sure there are no observatories on Kilauea… it is rather active, after all. I assume you were referring to the Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea.
I call BS!! I remember businesses begging the council to let them put one of those old flashing roadside signs by their business and the council, citing safety concerns of distracted drivers, denying the request or even ordering the removal of existing signs. Now they let THIS go thru?
Somebody got paid or at least felated.
“felated”…. lol