It seems to me that most of the time that our government mandates a change, it costs tax payers money and lines lobbists pockets.
Cities around the country are now faced with having to buy all new street signs with money they don't have. By 2012 all street signs have to be changed to meet a couple of new requirements which are spelled out in detail in an 800 page "Manual for Uniform Traffic Devices". Among the changes:
- Letters must go from 4" in height to 6" in height on all roads that have above a 25mph speed limit.
- Letters can no longer be in all caps but in both upper and lower case lettering.
- Both the sign and the lettering has to be reflective.
Is it any wonder we are in debt up to our eyeballs? Did mom's and dad's who feared for their kids safety push for this? Or maybe it was family members of those who have been in serious car accidents caused by safety concerns of signs. Sadly, NO, it was the American Traffic Safety Services Association who represents, you guessed it, the companies that make the signs. One study referenced over and over in to make these changes was a study that was funded by the 3M corporation. Who are they? One of the few companies that make the materials used to make these reflective signs.
Is this about keeping American safe or filling up these company's safes with our money?
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