Every few months, some joker posts dozens of hand-painted signs that read "Think That You Might Be Wrong" on telephone poles and street signs around New Orleans. Isn't that lovely? Not really. We encourage residents to remove these eyesores from their neighborhoods because they're tacky and add to the city's blight problem.

2012©

Most of them give phone numbers, telling people to call.

And Now Hollywood Mayor Peter Bober is on a mission to give them what they want — calls, lots of ’em.

Beginning Wednesday, the city will use a robo-call system to plug in the numbers advertised on signs. The robo-calls will dial the number over and over again, until the company pays a fine for putting the signs up.

The first offense is $75, the second is $150, the third is $250 and then if there are additional offenses the business must appear in front of a magistrate.

Full story: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/05/2677231/robo-calls-are-hollywoods-weapon.html

Here's the New York Times version:

By Robbie Brown
In Florida, they are as much a part of the landscape as palm trees and oceanfront hotels: plastic signs cluttering roadsides with messages like “We Buy Houses!” “Junk Cars!” and “Avoid Foreclosure!”

But now, worried about the impact on tourism and the state’s natural beauty, some coastal communities have begun aggressive campaigns against the signs — by robocalling the advertisers’ phone numbers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/us/in-florida-fighting-sign-pollution-with-robocalls.html?_r=2

And from a local TV station:
http://www.local10.com/news/Robo-calls-prompt-removal-of-illegal-signs/-/1717324/15352630/-/co4mdn/-/index.html

• Low: Obviously you can remove signs on the neutral grounds just by pulling them up. Signs on telephone poles are held in place by staples or nails. Even so, many are within reach, so just remove them by grabbing them from the top with both hands and pulling hard.
• Medium: Some signs on telephone poles are posted just out of reach of the average pedestrian, so you need a tool to reach higher and yank them down. This link on the CAUSS site provides some good ideas. A long piece of wood with a screw through it works fine as well.
• High: A very small percentage of signs are out of reach even with a tool. For these, you may need a stool or a stepladder plus a tool. Once you remove a sign, dispose of it properly, either at home or in a nearby garbage can or dumpster.

• Telephone poles and signs sometimes have stray nails, and it’s easy to get scratched. You might want to wear gloves.
• Watch out for traffic.
• If possible, work with other people. It makes it more fun and faster, and there’s safety in numbers if you encounter any trouble. (We’ve removed literally thousands of signs without any objections, but you never know.)

• Street spam is illegal and it's OK to remove it. (Under the law, it’s the same as disposing of any other kind of litter.)
• Street spam is ugly, especially in a historic and scenic city like New Orleans. We shouldn't have to be besieged with advertising as we walk, bike or drive around.
• Street spam often promotes outright or borderline scams (e.g., dubious health treatments, disreputable dating services, high-interest loans, etc.).
• Thousands of businesses in New Orleans do not post illegal signs, so it is a myth that small businesses need to use bandit signs to succeed.
• Many of the companies posting street spam are headquartered in the suburbs, so they're coming into the city to make it look worse and profit from our residents.
• Street spam distracts drivers, increasing the chances of car accidents.
• Street spam makes it look like the neighborhood is in decline, which promotes crime and leads people to abandon the area or to stay away (a.k.a. the "broken windows" theory).

• The Department of Parks & Parkways has removed 9,500 signs since January.
• Two frequent violators were prosecuted in Municipal Court.
• An employee from the Department of Sanitation is now dedicated to sign removal.
• Citizens can call (504) 658-4015 to report bandit signs.
• Violators now receive a phone call and letter advising them to remove their signs, after which they risk fines.

You can watch Sherman’s presentation here, around the 16-minute mark.

At the same meeting, Councilmember Stacy Head introduced an amendment to the City Code simplifying and clarifying the law on bandit signs. The Departments of Sanitation and Parks and Parkways are now authorized to invoice individuals and entities responsible for bandit signs. The revised ordinance also provides for an administrative appeal process. If an administrative appeal is denied, additional fines and community service may also apply.

Here's a story on the amendment from WGNO, which includes the updated version of the bandit sign law:
New Orleans Councilwoman Cracks Down on Illegal Signs
http://www.abc26.com/news/local/wgno-bandit-signs-and-blight-new-orleans-councilwoman-cracks-down-on-illegal-signs-20110607,0,2572233.story

And here's the Times Picayune's version:
New Orleans City Council passes ordinance to crack down on 'bandit signs' in neutral grounds
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/06/new_orleans_city_council_passe_1.html

I'm heartened by these developments and hope the city continues with these initiatives. Although there are still plenty of signs out there, the roads are definitely looking better these days.