No Joke: MassDOT Being Banned From Using Funny Road Signs

This is honestly the silliest change I have ever seen. But guess it really isn't a joke.

According to WBZ/CBS News Boston, The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has ordered The Massachusetts Department of Transportation the next two years to make changes outlined in a new 1,100 page manual which was released last month. It states how signs and other traffic control devices spell out messages to drivers on the road. Obscure meanings, references to pop culture or those intended to be funny such as "USE YAH BLINKA" will banned by 2026 as they apparently can cause a distraction to drivers.

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Agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation states that "signs should be "simple, direct, brief, legible and clear" and only be used for important information such as warning drivers of crashes ahead, adverse weather conditions and traffic delays. Seatbelt reminders and warnings about the dangers of speeding or driving impaired are also allowed."

Among those that will be disappearing are messages such as "Use Yah Blinkah" in Massachusetts; "Visiting in-laws? Slow down, get there late," from Ohio; "Don't drive Star Spangled Hammered," from Pennsylvania; "Hocus pocus, drive with focus" from New Jersey; and "Hands on the wheel, not your meal" from Arizona. - CBS Boston

States like Arizona even got creative and had a contest to find the funniest and most creative messages. Which has over 3,700 entries last year with the two final winners being "Seatbelts always pass a vibe check" and "I'm just a sign asking drivers to use turn signals."

"The humor part of it, we kind of like. I think in Arizona the majority of us do, if not all of us." - state Rep. David Cook

He mentioned that he didn't understand the fuss which I can certainly agree with him. It just goes to show how our U.S. government runs our country by "not" focusing on what's actually important for us. Rant over.