Those super-bright LED billboards popping up around town are the work of an evil alien intelligence, I argue in my column today.
And the sign at Rock and Central appears to be the UFO mother ship.
Just try to look away. Resistance is futile.
Motorists need a dimmer switch or some other defense against this invasive new species of signage.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
103 Comments
Randy,
As long as we’re on the subject of luminous traffic hazards, thought I’d throw in my two cents’ about those trillion-candle power halogen headlights.
Hate those things. Especially on SUV’s.
How about those ‘driving lights’ on sports cars? Don’t really help the driver of the sports car, just blind those on-coming. Those blue tinted headlights seem to be a little less harsh on the eyes.
I agree CF. They are inherently mis-aimed since they are so high up. As for the signs I think that there should be careful location requirements and visibility standards. To the extent that they create traffic hazards they should be restricted; also to the extent that they shine into resudential areas.
Didn’t there used to be a very restrictive “sign ordinance” and quite a flap over it 10 or 15 years ago? Or is that my CRS flaring up again?
*sigh*…I can hear it now…
“There outta be a LAW”…
Yep..just what we need..MORE laws.
All you need is a BB gun.Nuff’ said.
Raptor: Not from me, you’re not! In fact, I think the bastards should have to repeal 2 laws everytime they pass 1 — and absolutely repeal everyone of them that isn’t consistently enforced. If for no other reason than to save bookshelf space for something that might be useful someday.
My only concern with these signs is where they might infringe on others. The two areas that come to mind: (1) enough light to obscure traffic signals etc and (2) too close to residential. Beyond that I have no problem with them.
I find the signs very distracting. I say they endanger safety.
But I am wondering if there might not be more and worse to it. Are these things monitored for programming so as to avoid bringing on an attack in an epileptic person?
Uhhh…
If you don’t like the signs…don’t look.
Hey numbnuts epileptic sizures can be caused by bright flashing lights. I say public safety is a little more important than hawking a pawn shop.
JR..how about a little proof of the threat to ‘public safety’ instead of some wild and unsubstantiated claims? WPD could not find any correlation between locations of the signs and any increase in accidents.
Care to enlighten us with some facts?
As a father of a epileptic child I do sincerely appreciate that concern. However, just riding or driving a car (especialy at night) can simulate the same flashes of light that can cause seizures. Simulating this is standard part of an EEG test my son has yearly.Anyway, I don’t think Wichita is the first market with these signs. I’d imagine they have been proven safe by this time.
Facts????
BAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Facts????
BAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
golfnuts,
I realize you don’t care about truth, facts, or science, but flashing lights CAN cause seizures.
‘Photosensitive epilepsy’http://epilepsy.org.uk/info/photo.html
Note to self.
Fuck expressing concerns for public safety in favor of the right to post flashy distracting signs.
Wasn’t it YOU raptor who wanted special laws to protect motorcyclists? Selective in your concerns?
Pardon the hell outta me.
J R,
golfnuts also believes that restaurants should serve coffee so hot (180 deg F) it’d cause full-thickness burns in only a few seconds. Burns the skin off their crotch? He doesn’t care.
And he seems to believe the customers are aware of the serious risk they’re taking — hospitalization, skin grafts, etc.
Cosmos, here’s an easy solution. If you think McDonalds serves their coffee too hot….
BUY YOURS SOMEWHERE ELSE!
(man, thank God I’m here to educate these mensa members)
EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As usual, golfnuts is misinformed, and clueless.
McD’s lowered their coffee temperature shortly after Liebeck’s jury make their big award.
For obvious reasons, McD’s didn’t want to do the other option — WARN that their coffee was about 20 degrees hotter than sold by others, and caused 3rd degree burns.
“You deserve a boiled crotch today…” is not a good marketing slogan.
Crybabies!McDonald’s now has a warning on their cups that coffee is hot. Thank you trial lawyers.
GNutz: Weren’t you and I talking about civility just the other day? Or was someone “trolling” you then, too? Please don’t start attacking epilepsy … autism was more than enough?
Or did “Happy Hour” start a little early today?
This is way off of the original topic, but since we are already there, _why_ would McDonalds want to make their coffee so much hotter than any other business. It makes no sense.
fleet,
McD’s had a warning on their coffee cups before Liebeck’s trial.
The Liebeck trial was about:* The coffee being much hotter than normally sold.* Customers not knowing how severely they could be burned.* McD’s, after 700 lawsuits, refusing to lower the temperature, or warn customers.
Cosmos,Contrary to your thinking, I do not know it all nor claim to know it all. Although, I’m confident that I’m significantly well-educated on a number of issues, and that facilitates my progress in life.
That being said – I couldn’t care less what at what temperature McDonalds serves its coffee. I don’t drink McDonalds coffee.
Capice?
rm,I’m not attacking anything other than stupidity. If epileptics are prone to seizures by flashing lights, how do they manage driving at night? Headlights come from all angles and directions.
“Do not use this iron on clothing while wearing them.”"Remove Windshield Sunshade before driving.”"Sleeping pills may cause drowsiness.”"Coffee is hot.”
Steven,
IIRC, McD’s taste-test panel thought it tasted better hotter. Another theory is hotter expands more — less coffee needed to fill cup = higher profits.
Fleet,Thank GOD you’re here! I was just about to…
Well, nevermind. Let’s just say you saved some poor corporation $87 million.
GolfNut-Trying to save time by ironing your clothes while wearing them again, are you?Don’t you know Republicans make their wimmin do that stuff?Hey Woman! Make some noise with them pot and pans!
golfnut,
So in other words, you don’t bother researching an issue before you form an opinion on it.
And you don’t seem to care about what happens to other people — like Liebeck, and the other 700 (including children) who were unaware of the risk of severe burns.
Cosmos,Taste panel data – true.Hotter = higher profits – false
The density of H2O is practically the same for 165° vs. 185° – in fact, the difference is .975 g/cm³ vs .969 g/cm³. And any profit enhancement would be outweighed by increased utility costs.
Cosmos,I have a label for people that don’t think hot coffee will burn them.
*STUPID*
Fleet,I would have the wimminfolk iron it, but my wife’s out spending my hard earned cache, and the maid has the day off.
Maybe I should ask the mistress….
Well, all Republicans have them. Everbody know that.
I agree with the contents of Ben’s post at 2:03 p.m. However, I am saddened by addition of yet more light pollution, making it yet more difficult to view the skies at night.
With no ‘open thread’ I figure I’ll put this here. A fed judge has struck down CA’s mathod of execution (injection) claiming that it might be ‘cruel.’ Meanwhile, Jeb Bush has put a hold of FL’s executions due to problems there.
Now I do not want to get into the fundamental debate of capital punishment (I have referred to my rope in the past) but simply raise this question: Just how hard should it be to develop a ‘humane’ way to ‘put someone down’? After all, we have had euthanasia for years with animals and also have the Kevorkian type situations. Seems like a massive overdose of heroin would be about as painless as could be.
Any doctor types out there?
As someone said, “this is way off the subject”, but I saw one the other day. I can’t remember what the product was, but the last paragraph of the instruction manual was, loosely quoted:”If you eyesight is too disabled to read this manual, DO NOT use this product!”
GNutz: Many severe epileptics do not drive at all, and many more do not drive at night.
I know the frustration one feels witnessing rampant stupidity, but often, it is quite enough for me to just think, “Damn, that fucker is a moron,” without having to announce it. There are plenty of people out here that are thinking the same thing that don’t need to be told. And usually, if they’re that damned stupid, pointing it out is going right over (or straight through) their cranial cavity anyway!
With lethal injection you have to find a good vein. With some of these folks, that’s hard to do.Not trying to be funny but, the French Revolution found a way that does seem to be quick and, I would suppose, painless.
Ben: Without getting into the fundamental debate re: capital punishment, I don’t understand why whether it is “humane” or not should even make shit. Only the most heinous killers are on death row. They didn’t give a fuck whether what they were doing to their victims was “humane”. Why should we?
As usual, JR is wrong, but is going to attack anythign and everything I write.
My current quest is to enhance penalties for right of way violations. Not a NEW law, and not benefitting only motorcyclists, but everyone. On average, 63 people a year die in Kansas (average 8 motorcyclists) due to right of way violations, and the common fine is less than $60 for killing someone.
There is NOTHING specific to motorcyclists in this, JR. There is NOTHING proposing a new law, just putting some teeth into existing law.
*sigh*. Your hatred of anything and everything I write colors your perception. I don’t know why you snipe at me without reason, but really do not care.
They do have engineering standards and federal regulations on luminosity values vs. safety.In 1993, Congress required the Secretary of Transportation to revise the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) to include “a standard for a minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be maintained for pavement markings and signs which apply to all roads open to public travel.In other words, if the signs are too bright obstructing a driver’s ability to see all the traffic devices, road markers, traffic road signs etc. etc.Then they are in violation of FEDERAL LAWS.You can find that info at – http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/03082/01.htm
JR..my stats are directly from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Where is your PROOF of public safety problems caused by flashing lights? What are your FACTS regarding accidents/deaths/safety hazards? Do you have one SHRED of evidence, or are you just attacking something I said, as seems to be your primary modus operendi?
Should (and you can bet your next pres election it will) LED christmas lighting wars come to pass, the inventor, developer, or the one who inspired such (Randy?), said inventor, developer, or the one who inspired such (redundant) should be horse-whipped, shot and cut up into little pieces. Then the pieces should be shot:-)
Haha . . . just kidding . . . snort . . . wheeze.
golfnuts,
When you sell $1.35 million (1992) of coffee daily, a small change in density IS significant. The increased utility costs would be small, not noticed among HVAC, etc.
People who can’t understand that 180 deg burns MUCH faster and MORE severely than 160? *BRAIN-DEAD*
People who don’t care if unwarned consumers are very severely burned? *CALLOUS*
Cosmos,My first job out of college was with a major national restaurant chain in R&D. When McDonalds defined the temperature at which coffee is served, it was 100% dictated by customer preference via taste panels, surveys and focus groups.
Get this in your thick head: the cost of keeping coffee at 180 is higher than the benefit received by the increased volume. Moreover, coffee evaporates much faster at 180, resulting in a decreased output. If you think this wasn’t closely scrutinized by McD’s corporate engineers, then you just don’t understand R&D.
rm, I am inclined to agree with you. I have commented before that “I have a rope … and a tree” in some of these cases. I was simply going past that the technical, operating on the assumption of a desire for ‘humane’
As a bit of a student of constitutional law, I’ve never seen this as a constitutional issue. But, then again, I’m not a federal judge. :)
Since we’ve strayed from the light deal and seem to have gotten off on the “not too bright”, among other things, I see on the news the some lady had blown her home up and suffered grave injuries from smoking while she had her oxygen on in North Wichita. Now there’s rocket science, folks!
1. Why on earth would any sentient being by coffee at MacDonalds’?
2. Why would you buy anything from MacDonald’s?
3. Boiling hot coffee is like ice-cold beer. The worse it is, the better it tastes. That’s why the Europeans drink their beer “warm.” If it’s not crap to begin with it, it doesn’t have to be heated or cooled to an extreme temp to be enjoyed.
I had a friend from Columbia that used to bring me “Red Stripe” coffee. Haven’t been able to find it here.
That stuff tasted wonderful even when it was stone cold.
I’ve never seen “REd Stripe” north of Dallas, and that was years ago, before I quit drinking coffee.
Ah, Red Stripe coffee; hadn’t thought of that for years. My recollection thereof coincides with that of the good Capn, whose thoughts on beer are equally valid, IMHO.
Capn,
Good point re #3 — and cheap coffee served too hot = higher profits.
golfnuts,
How much more does it cost to “hold” it at 185 +/- 5 degs?
Evaporates? Add a little hot water. Customers added ice, because it was too hot.Energy costs? Add insulation to tank.
No comment about unwarned customers being severely burned?
Cosmos, I’m going to project that you’ve never run a business or specifically, never run an operation like a McDonalds. One has to assume that the employees are high school kids or workers without much education. Quality and consistency of product is paramount. To suggest that someone can just “add a little water” runs completely counter to the procedures defined in the store. In fact, every single task in a McDonalds is very carefully thought out and defined in detail in an employee manual and on work instruction cards.
Here’s another tidbit:http://www.boyds.com/coffee/brewingguide.htmlBoyds Coffee has been in business for over 100 years, and I’d think they probably know a thing or two about brewing and serving coffee in order to maximize flavor and quality. To quote:
“Serve coffee as soon after brewing as possible. Coffee loses flavor and aroma quickly. If brewed coffee must be “held” on a direct heat source, it should be held at 185°F, and for no longer than 20 minutes. Higher temperatures cause coffee to break down quickly, producing a bitter and flat taste. Lower temperatures make the brew too cold and consumers will be dissatisfied.”
I have a friend who got burned when her McDonald’s coffee spilled on her leg, she had a severe burn and missed almost two weeks of work. It’s stupid to serve coffee so hot that it can cause serious burns to people while they are driving, I’m glad they got sued.
As far as the LED signs, they look better than the stupid “port-a-signs” that used to litter the city.
Just about anything looks better than those ‘port-a-signs”. Now that I think about it, that was at the center of that big sign flap deal 10 or 15 years ago that I was recalling much earlier.
That’s too bad about your friend, but, people should think about driving around and trying to drink even relatively hot coffee, shouldn’t they? Ditto, ice cold drinks. Ditto, cell phones. Ditto, a lot of other distracting shit … a lot worse than a burned leg can occur in a heartbeat, sometimes the very last heartbeat. It’s just as bad as driving around drunk or with kids not in appropriate & approved car seats/booster seats.
rm,Amen!
I don’t know if this is new news or not..but..
COFFEE IS HOT!
LOL now even conservatives see how incredibly stupid testicles is too. Amazing the man can navigate through life. People with uncontrolled seizures cannot drive.
I agree about the ultra bright and dual headlights on cars, those are horrible and should be outlawed.
I never knew the rationale for McDonalds being sued for coffee, I always thought it was silly too, but now I agree.
One thing that strikes me is that I would expect a drive-through to ackage their product better for drive/eat/drink. I rely heavily on my QuikTrip cup for coffee all the time on the road. Being insulated and having their ’sipper’ lid is quite convenient.
raptor?
“. Your hatred of anything and everything I write colors your perception. I don’t know why you snipe at me without reason, but really do not care.”
Uh huh.
Wrong much?
Go back and look reactionary.
Your first post was at 1:49.
Mine was at 2:17. It did not mention you.
I posted again at 2:30 I did not mention you.
I asked a couple simple safety questions.
At 2:33 YOU jumped down MY throat. SO at 2:46 I swung back.
Are you so insecure in your posts that ANY post of mine spurs you to attack? Lighten up.
As to coffee? I find it rediculous that it is served at such a high temperature.
On and golfnuts? Don’t spar with cosmos. I just make you look like an ass. You do most of that yourself. Cosmos makes you look like an ignorant ass.
And you have such a stellar rep. here already!
Hey I’d like to see them package ketchup in the same way they package chicken nugget sauces.
WHY won’t they do that.
Take that one up with the Heinz/Kerry family Mom ;-)
Cosmos already lost that argument.
golfnuts,
I’m going to project that you’ve never done debridement and skin grafts on someone who had 6% of her skin destroyed, including her crotch.
After Liebeck’s “win”, why didn’t McD’s protect themselves from future lawsuits by simply WARNING customers?
They could’ve just used the gruesome photos of her burns, skin grafts, etc. that the jury saw?
Where did I say a “high school kid” should add water? Design the tank to add it automatically — or seal it so it doesn’t evaporate.
According to Boyds, you’re supposed to throw it out every 20 minutes. Are you claiming that’s what McD’s does, and/or did?
I’d guess very little evaps in 20 minutes, even at 190 F.
And STILL no comment about unwarned customers being severely burned?
I did email them with the suggestion, Heinz, Hunts, and McDonalds. Maybe if more people made the requests too?
And hot coffee is a major safety thing. ESPECIALLY for the elderly.
I find it hilarious that PeeMom, the one who complains perpetually about (her lack of) income and high costs (specifically healthcare), would waste money eating at McDonalds.
Oh yeah, she wastes money on cigarettes, so why be surprised that she wastes it elsewhere, too?
Giving further proof that her “can’t afford health insurance” is a choice, not a condition.
Personally, I won’t eat at McDonalds or let my kids eat there. The food is shit nutritionally, and it’s incredibly wasteful fiscally.
Yes, golf, I eat at mcdonalds ALL the time. Rolls eyes.
Sorry to disappoint here golf.Guilty as charged.
political_mom,
More details about the McD’s case at,http://www.atla.org/pressroom/FACTS/frivolous/McdonaldsCoffeecase.aspx
I’ve read that a person’s hand covers an area roughly equal to one percent of their total skin area.Liebeck had 3rd degree burns on 6% of her body, plus skin grafting caused permanent scars on another 10%.
There is a rule of 9’s when it comes to a quick assessment of burns, but I think there is a more in depth calculator to determine percentage of skin burns.
Look up rule of 9’s.
I eat at McDs sporatically; I prefer Spangles locally. However, o long trips I use them a lot. A VERY smart marketing tool IMO is their play area. Drop the kids and grandma there; swing across the street to fill the gas tank; come back to order. The monkeys get to run themselves ragged in between eating. They have improved their menu with salads for us greybeards; the fat and protein are good for the kids.
Cosmos,You’ve been arguing that McDonalds serves it hot (among other reasons) because it reduces density, therefore increasing profits. I’ve proven to you that it is recommended by coffee EXPERTS that it be served at 185º. McDonalds is simply providing quality coffee at industry recommended temperatures. Not too hot. Not overly hot. Not increased hot to improve margins. Just the right temperature to be perfect. Whether or not McDonalds throws out its coffee after 20 minutes is not material.
I’m sorry that people have received burns from hot coffee. But coffee is hot. It’s intended to be hot. It’s generally served hot. People that are surprised that coffee is served at the industry-recommended temperature are simply stupid. My 7 year old son knows that coffee is hot and not to be toyed with or handled carelessly.
I wonder, should we warn that purchase electrical appliances that they should not chew on the cords? or not to try to iron your shirt while you’re wearing it? or not to carry your big screen TV into the bathtub with you? Sure, those seem ridiculous, but a similar warning to not spill hot coffee on yourself seems equally outrageous.
*Warning: do not place butcher knife in your pants pocket and attempt to ride a roller coaster*
Thank GOD I got that out there before someone sued Chicago Cutlery.
I just want to say, once I did accidentally drop my curling iron into the toilet. Plugged in and turned on. That’ll scare the pee out of ya!
Now I always be sure the lid is DOWN when I’m using electrical items in the bathroom.
FYI, Quik Trip keeps its coffees at 185º.
Now that I work night shift, and it’s my night off, whose going to stay up all night with me and argue?
LOL.
Well you got two hours on me mom so I can probably give you till at least midnite central!
Cool Kia, did you get my email?
No I didn’t work today.Real life warning labels:
Liquid PlummerWarning: Do not reuse the bottle to store beverages.
WindexDo not spray in eyes.
Dial SoapDirections: Use like regular soap.
This is one case I’d buy into Darwin. Survival of the fittest.
Maybe Stella was Cosmos’ grannie.
This woman was so dumb…she took the lid off the coffee cup in an effort to put cream/sugar in the coffee. Her son was driving and stopped suddenly, and the coffee spilled onto her sweat pants burning her inner thighs, buttocks and genitalia (ouch) – course she was 80 something so I don’t think she was …well, nevermind all that.
Taking the lid off the cup while the car was in motion immediately made her a complete idiot. ‘Course, the jury found in her favor. (reminder: OJ criminal jury).
I’m with you, Fleet, I didn’t think ANY sane human would defend the woman in this instance – and I still don’t.
Yep, you both are just fabulous human beings.
You will be old too someday. If there is a God, you’ll be really old and have to rely on others for a VERY long time.
They are already senile; the topic went from bright sign lights to hot coffee.
One of the things that annoys me about these blogs is that that people don’t stay on topic. There is more discussion here about coffee than signage.
Actual grocery in-store signs:
HONEY….Made by bees.
(on generic label beer)BEER….ask for it by name!!
willow, at least mine was about signs. HANow that you’re here, you can be the on-topic monitor.
Sounds like a personal problem to me yahoo@yahoo.
Hmmmmm, gentle Ben, are not all problems personal to some extent, and, when a matter of jouralistic bias, corporate to a large extent?
Perhaps. It is just that your little vendetta gets tedious after a while.
You’re funny ib. Annoying but funny.
Um….no one cares? I think that about sums up everyones attitude as to your charge, your demands and your one note contribution here.
My prediction is you will eventually get bored and change your nic again. I doubt anyone remembers your last one. “ibedevlin” will also quickly fade into oblivion.
And you will rant some more.
And still no one will care.
And finally you will go away and do whatever it is you do when you aren’t being a pest.
Save yourself and us a step huh?
The last thing I would call JR is a “suck up to the WE board”, you know not of what you speak, “lbedevlinya”!
Thank you Mary.
Hey ib? I lend very little to the editors. I STILL want to know why they would not give us a Todd Tiahrt thread. I have been hard on them in many other ways.
But see? Other posters cared about those issues. It was relevant.
This obsession of yours? It’s not.
This crusade of yours seems to be, as Ben said, personal.
The editors emails ARE listed above. The rest of us don’t care.
IB, put down the Vodka and step away from the Keyboard till morning.
Oh he’s way passed out by now Mom – that was 6 hours ago ;-)
lol!!!!!!!
I agree with that Ibe.Societal drop outs, a small step above the likes of college professors imho.
“Societal drop outs, a small step above the likes of college professors imho.”
Yes, those college professors are the ones who are compromising and poisoning the American way of life. Our country would be so much better off without those smarty/farty bastards! Man, it feels so good downing the intelligencia and all those smart geeks who laughed at me cause I couldn’t get it.
America: As anti-intellectual as you think… AKA: We’re a great country because we’re STUPID!!!!
If bright moving signs caused traffic accidents both Times Square and Las Vegas Blvd would be full of wrecks. There is nothing wrong with the signs. It is a CITY and a city has bright lights and tacky signage.
The college professors do not oppose bright tacky video signs. In fact, some of the biggest and brightest are owned by colleges!http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2006/12/17/1218metbillboard.html