It's election time again, and unfortunate to us that try to keep our streets clean of litter and illegal signs, our "public servants" have nicely wrote themselves a gaping loophole in our local code that allows for these signs 45 days before an election and 10 days after. Ugh...
Anyway, the intersection/merge of Roxboro Rd and N Duke St last weekend "acquired" 40+ signs in a couple days... many of which of course were the same cadidate (thanks a bunch Nifong... you lost my vote!).
Last night on the way home, I see that all of them were gone! And what a pretty site indeed!
I see there are two options... a previously unknown shark is trolling my areas (of which I thoroughly encourage that sort of behavior), a non-shark has decided to become a shark (whoo hoo!), or somebody may have reported these to our local code enforcement as a "safety hazzard" due to blocked visibility, and the city cleared them (all right!).
Too bad they'll likely be back this coming weekend, and last until after the elections. Whatever the case may be...
#1. "RE: A new shark in Durham?" In response to Reply # 0
I would almost bet that if you look at the codes real close, you'll probalbly see that signs are not allowed in the ROW set backs.
It's this way in TX and its even printed on the signs that it's a violation of State Trans Code 394 & 395 to place the signs in a public ROW.
If you want to really get these folks attention, then call the Secy/Treasurer of the candidate the week before the election and tell them that you're doing a live TV video for illegal political signs illegally placed in the public ROW's. Be sure and tell them the video is to run live on the night before the elections.
They'll likely give you all kinds of excuses and loophole rules for the signs being up where they are. Just tactly tell them, if they wish to participate in the video presentation, then leave the signs alone, otherwise, if they want the bad press of being a "violator" of state law, then leave the signs.
#2. "RE: A new shark in Durham?" In response to Reply # 1
>I would almost bet that if you look at the codes real close, >you'll probalbly see that signs are not allowed in the ROW set >backs. > >It's this way in TX and its even printed on the signs that >it's a violation of State Trans Code 394 & 395 to place >the signs in a public ROW.
Alas, you are unfortunately incorrect. I've had this discussion with a recent candidate in the last public polling, and he agrees that it's not a "nice" loophole, but then used his "need to make himself known" (he was a new candidate) as the excuse behind it.
It sucks...
Nevertheless, I was able to confirm with the city enforcement office that they didn't pull down the signs... so that rules them out. I was looking at the grass yesterday, and I'm now thinking it was simply the city mowers that plucked them so that they could mow. Oh well.. whomever did it, I'm happy!!
