Jump to content

Bandit Sign Legislation Passes


Recommended Posts

"The third time was the charm for the "bandit sign" bill, House Bill 413, which revises the state transportation code that deals with the illegal signs. It makes individuals or companies who advertise on the signs, or those who authorize a person to place the signs along roadways, subject to fines."

This is truly good news. I tire of seeing street spam. This new law should put some teeth into enforcement and help clean up our roadways.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/cyf...ws/4845264.html

Edited by mrfootball
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since I doubt this will be enforced, I recomment people with camera phones post photos of the offenders here. It may or may not shame them into not polluting our neighborhoods, but at least it will give us a list of businesses to avoid giving our money to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest danax
Since I doubt this will be enforced, I recomment people with camera phones post photos of the offenders here. It may or may not shame them into not polluting our neighborhoods, but at least it will give us a list of businesses to avoid giving our money to.

The ordinance in Houston isn't enforced. HPD is hesitant to pull over, pick up signs, them load them into their trunk. There also used to be a City sign-admin email where you can report the offenders, but that is gone from the website for some reason. Maybe there've been court battles where the businesses say, "I didn't put those signs out there, someone's trying to get me fined".

It ends up where citizens have to pull them up.......constantly. Maybe the County will have a better system of enforcement.

Editor, I like your idea too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This law changes the existing law which was harder to enforce, because you had to catch the person who was planting the sign. Now, they can simply go after the advertiser.

I would be surprised if the government didn't jump all over a big revenue generator like this will surely be at $500-$1000 per violation.

Edited by mrfootball
Link to comment
Share on other sites

hopefully they will WRITE TICKETS! in my old hood, the police officers would harass the businesses to the point where they would put out their signs on sat and pick them up on sunday for new neighborhood advertising. but this only lasted for about a yr or so.

as for panhandling.....i believe the chron filed some legal action when the paper sellers were caught up in the city's attempt to stop panhandlers. but i agree it is getting bad. a few weeks ago a guy was playing the trumpet on the median at woodridge and 45south. i will have to say that is a first for me at that particular intersection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew one city that made a bunch of stickers that said "ILLEGAL SIGN" and slapped them on all the illegal signs. The logic was that as soon as you removed a sign, it would pop right back up like a weed. But the stickers brought more attention to the violation and then the signs were removed after a week or two.

Of course, this was a much smaller city than Houston.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I knew one city that made a bunch of stickers that said "ILLEGAL SIGN" and slapped them on all the illegal signs. The logic was that as soon as you removed a sign, it would pop right back up like a weed. But the stickers brought more attention to the violation and then the signs were removed after a week or two.

Of course, this was a much smaller city than Houston.

I've seen them (the city) pick up bandit signs and they just yank them down and toss them in the back of the truck before driving to the next intersection. If the new ordinance is in place, I wonder if they have to do any form of documentation as far as location of the signs go before they track them down. I would imagine they would be overwhelmed with the task and would (at least initially) slow down the process until people actually start getting fined!

I know if I was a poster of those signs, once I get a few tickets, I might stop unless the revenue generated by them exceeds the amount of the tickets. I just hope it's enforced properly where it won't be easily challenged.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neighborhood associations are good at getting rid of them (Williamsburg Settlement is a terrific example). As soon as they are put up along the median they are gone within 5 minutes. Every time. Last I heard, they have moved on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ordinance in Houston isn't enforced. HPD is hesitant to pull over, pick up signs, them load them into their trunk. There also used to be a City sign-admin email where you can report the offenders, but that is gone from the website for some reason. Maybe there've been court battles where the businesses say, "I didn't put those signs out there, someone's trying to get me fined".

It ends up where citizens have to pull them up.......constantly. Maybe the County will have a better system of enforcement.

Editor, I like your idea too.

A little self-help on the part of the citizenry is not a bad thing. If residents can't be bothered to pick up litter, they should not complain that overworked police officers do not do it. I see the value of this statute being that residents who pick up the signs will be better protected against the sign owners complaints.

Pics of offenders is good, too. The signs are for publicity. Bad publicity will make them think twice about the value of the ad campaign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I need to repost the picture of me ripping a "Michael Berry for Mayor" sign out of a 100 year old Live Oak.

He's the OG. I sent it to him under the title "Berry Tree".

The signs are for publicity

Maybe. But who in the world actually calls some of the podunk business who put up these signs?

"Auto Headliner Repair", "We Buy Houses", "Quick Weight Loss".

I know I never would.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before I left Houston, DB Horton was building townhomes on E TC Jester between Ella and the North Loop. I never counted, but I would guess they put out some 200 signs along that stretch of Jester, and some 20-30 in a group.

A big offender here in Bastrop is Lennar/Nuhome. These signs (and stakes) should be burned!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"The third time was the charm for the "bandit sign" bill, House Bill 413, which revises the state transportation code that deals with the illegal signs. It makes individuals or companies who advertise on the signs, or those who authorize a person to place the signs along roadways, subject to fines."

This is truly good news. I tire of seeing street spam. This new law should put some teeth into enforcement and help clean up our roadways.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/cyf...ws/4845264.html

I saw a big story on this morning when I was on the ellpitical at the gym (I think it was Channel 11) ... anyhow, I wonder how much enforcement is going to be done, especially when the next story they showed was about the number of broken HPD cruisers and them not having money to buy new ones.

I think out of control signage is a pretty low priority.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Marty

There is a Ted Poe 4'X8' campaign sign still up at Aldine Westfield and Treaschwig area. If he knew it was there he would have it removed.

Edited by Marty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of these bandit signs are very nice. Made of solid wood with molding, etc. Not just a cheap ole stick sign.

I've always wanted to take a chainsaw to the big ones.

Someone actually did. There was a big well built sign as you approach the corner of Telge and 290 heading NW. It was probably the actual property ownerthat cut it down. Whoever it was cut both the 4x4 posts about midway up so that the top part of the sign rested upside down and backwards for weeks. I think that like the "illegal sign" stickers, allowing the sign to be seen there was a message being sent to all. From the property owners to those who had seen it, the message was "we didn't endorse this".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

interesting. i was driving east on 1960 yesterday (in front of willowbrook mall) and noticed bright orange "citation" stickers on three large home builder signs. the signs are still standing, but at least they got a visible hand slap. looks like somebody is taking action out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Marty
There is a Ted Poe 4'X8' campaign sign still up at Aldine Westfield and Treaschwig area. If he knew it was there he would have it removed.

Somebody removed his sign several days ago but the other "Houses starting at $$$" signs still remain.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I tried to read the article, but it looks like it's no longer available or moved. Just curious: What's the consensus on directional open house signs that are up for about 5 hours directing traffic to the particular open house in the area? Are these signs included with the new ordinance?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...