"Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.
"Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind.
"Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?"
-- The Five Man Electrical Band
Signs are important and necessary but there is a right way and a wrong way to showcase them. For example, many roads leading from airports have billboards advertising to travellers. No problem.
However, when a business no longer exists and the paper is torn, it is no longer a welcoming sight.
When I drive to a favourite store and the neon lights are broken on several letters, it tells me the business does not care about appearance. Why would I want to continue to do business with a company like that?
With spring here, the garage sales will soon be starting.
Folks will start cleaning up their homes and offering some treasures. But don't go sticking a sign on a utility pole.
It is contrary to our sign bylaw and hard to see from a car to boot.
If you make the effort of setting up your sale, include a proper, readable sign on a fixed wooden stake. Don't forget to take it down afterwards. There are too many littering the streets afterwards.
This is your responsibility, not the city's, to pick them up.
Transportable signs on trailers are another issue. There are many in P.G. that have been in the same spot for years. They are tacky, cheap roadside clutter and often unreadable.
For those who drive downtown via Fifth Avenue as it turns into Fourth Avenue, we have the height of poorly chosen letter colours of white, two shades of blue and red.
As I start to approach it. I can read "George Welcomes You", then "Prince" as I get closer.
As I am about to drive by I read "Downtown."
The letters are static. It is the colour choice against a brown wood background that causes the problem. Finally, I realize that it reads: "Downtown Prince George Welcomes You."
Oh, the back of the sign is blank.
A "Thank you for Visiting Downtown Prince George" would be a nice touch.
It was reported that Mayor Hall said some of our sign bylaws need to be modernized.
I am all for moving forward but not at the expense of a sign being a distraction to drivers.
Digital signs are popping up all over, not just in Prince George but all over North America. Call me old fashioned, but in my opinion it is a distraction for drivers. So does Drive Smart B.C.
I have a good friend who is in the advertising business and after many discussions with him, we disagree.
In the spirit of fairness, he says to look at the specific intersection accident statistics prior to the sign installation and afterwards. He claims that there are no accident increases.
However, the city of Toronto found that video advertising can distract drivers, leading to collisions and have an overall impact on traffic safety. Reading other reports, the jury, as was once the case with tobacco smoke, is still out on this one. Alberta has concerns as well.
Soon, election signs will be popping up all over the place.
Intersections are major clutter-city with huge, independent, wooden signs. On top of that, do we really need five, 10, 20 of the same signs as we drive along a boulevard? How about being a bit more tasteful and providing less waste? Often, the metal gets left behind and ends up breaking down city lawnmowers.
I take pride in Prince George.
With spring here, many visitors will be stopping by.
It is time to look at ourselves and de-clutter for our visitors and for ourselves.
