I'd like to make a couple of comments and maybe ask a question.
But first, here's the deal:
My next door neighbor has post a couple of "childcare in my home" signs at the entrance to the neighborhood.
This morning I passed by one and saw that one of you fine folks had posted an additional sign over hers. It reads as follows:
ROAD TRASH
Do you want your kids
being cared for by
someone who breaks
the law??
This is a clean neighborhood
www.causs.org
G. White

What did I think when I saw this as I passed by? I thought that maybe my neighbor had a criminal background or was a convicted child molester. Not until I logged onto your website did I realize it was about her sign. Directly across the street were 2 garage sale signs. Neither had been disturbed in this manner, suggesting that SHE was being singled out personally.
Perhaps this is a great way of getting attention and drumming up interest, but I think it's pretty awful to do it at the (possible) expense of someone's reputation.
She and her husband were told by someone at Corinth City hall that they could place the signs there as long as they were pulled up during specific times.

My question? While looking through your website I noticed that there's some suggestion of going "easy" on neighborly type signs. Lost pets, yard sales & such. How about a woman trying to babysit so she can stay home and raise her small child? Does that fall into the same category as Finfer's endless going out of business signs? Lose 10 pounds in 10 days?
I absolutely understand what you folks are trying to do. I even think it's a noble cause. However, I find the ugliness of the person who posted this vague, insinuating sign far more disturbing than any homemade sign on the corner. What's next? Complaining to the city that little girls selling Kool-aid in their yard don't have the proper permit?
So, to G. White or whoever you are:
She's was very upset. On the verge of tears. She's embarrassed that her neighbors might think she's done something criminal. Something worse than putting up a sign.
Have a nice day yelling at kids and kicking puppies.
Jerk.

I understand your point and am glad you posted on this web site. However, I don't think any reasonable person would read the info over the sign and draw the conclusions you did.

I don't know the specific location or municipality that has jurisdiction. I am surprised that they said it was OK, even under certain constraints. I have never seen an ordinance that would permit such a sign to be placed on public right of way. It sounds like a business is being run out of a home. This raises many other questions but they aren't very relevant to the specific question of placing a sign.

A mother trying to make money is certainly understandable. However, when it comes to advertising, I don't see any reason to have special exceptions. Literally millions of "Work at Home" signs were posted by people using that "mother" argument. There are many legal ways to advertise. I hope she doesn't consider placing flyers in mailboxes because I am almost certain that is a violation of US Postal Service regulations and perhaps even a crime.

The comparison to garage sale signs accross the street. Another reasonable issue to raise. These garage sale signs are probably just as much a violation of ordinances as the child care or almost any other sign. I am not going to defend garage sale signs.

I hope the bottom line is that the person who was offerring child care has found a better (and legal) way to advertise.

Newbie

Newbie (not)

Even though this lady has good intentions, her signs definitely offend many people out there. Why are you so quick to forgive this lady when you are so quick to condemn someone else who found the sign ugly and annoying? Consider that such signs lower property values. I don't want street spam knocking $50k off the price of my house.

If this lady is serious about running a business, then she should obtain the city sign policy in writing and comply.

And why did she resort to street spam when she could have written and mailed post cards to others in the neighborhood, or post a flyer at a community center, or place a cheap ad in one of the local rags? A successful daycare business is built up through positive customer
experiences and networking, not through ugly, faceless, spammy ads such as bandit signs.

I think it is a very valid issue that this lady is willing to break the law to run her business. If she doesn't mind breaking the law to promote her business so she can save a few bucks, how many laws and safety regulations will she break to run her business? Like what if she thinks cabinet door locks are too expensive?

Any business which uses illegal bandit signs is publically saying that they don't mind breaking laws to get ahead. I feel that that sentiment will be evident in their business practices as well.

Okay folks, let me clarify, because this issue is becoming funnier everytime I run an errand.
This woman wasn't opening a daycare center. She was looking for a couple of children to watch during the day. Two or three times a year someone will ask me if I know anyone who does that. She also advertised in a local paper but thought a sign might get the attention of someone in the neighborhood looking for a sitter.
Had this "shark" simply removed her sign I'd have NO complaint. My complaint was with the wording of his/her note. By the way, 'tis a busy little shark indeed. On my way to the vet I see that he/she has now spray painted over the sign and cut out the phone number. When I saw this I swear I became hysterical. All that effort to destroy this one sign when right above it is a blue notice about joining the community pool (untouched), right next to it is a sign notifying residents of the county of an upcoming transportation meeting, and across the street is a yard sale sign. Why, I wonder, did the shark not pick up some of the actual trash on that corner (paper, a bag, soda bottle)while he/she was hanging around. If a sign can decrease your property value by a whopping $50,000 (LMAO) a bag wrapped around the bottom of a stop sign must be about $10,000, right. Maybe our little shark should participate in our adopt a street program...since they spend so much time on Meadowview anyway.
As far as no reasonable person being confused by the sign left by the shark...I disagree. I called our city's code enforcement and they came out here. Her sign WAS illegal, however they agreed that the wording of the note left on the sign wasn't cool. The gentlemen even mentioned that my neighbor might pursue this in civil court if she could find this person. They came over to collect the note I'd pulled off of her sign.
I said it before, I understand what y'all are doing but sometimes people get a little silly and go too far.
If you're going to pull up signs, pull up ALL of them. If one is an eyesore then all of them are, right? Our little neighborhood shark is awfully selective and has only targeted this one sign. Apparently he/she liked the cute garage sale sign with all the little paper flowers on it. Don't make vague accusations such as, "Would you let someone who breaks the law care for your kids?" That's unneccesary and just plain low.

This is a neighborhood. I let other kids cut across my yard, put sidewalk chalk all over the place & have scooter races in my driveway. I babysit when someone is in a jam, bring casseroles when someone is sick and chat with folks when we're out walking. I put up with barking dogs because I realize they are someone's pet. I participate in the neighborhood garage sale & my kids ride in the annual 4th of July parade. If someone that lives here wants to put up a sign advertising babysitting, a yard sale or whatever, I could care less. I've lived here for 6 years and am dumbfounded at the lengths that people will go to to be petty and self-righteous. As for my property value? I value my neighbors. From my point of view, having nice neighbors that you get along with is pretty valuable. I can tolerate a homemade sign for a few weeks in exchange for that.
What an absolute HOOT this is.

Glad the scenario made clear to this person that she had broken the law. Many people are unaware of the law which, of course, is not a defense. Now she knows. Of course, since she did actually break the law I would think that any civil suit would be summarily dismissed. But I'm not a lawyer, I've just done a lot of court-watching.
I think the parents are to blame for people who spam. I mean, my parents always told me to respect the property of others. That meant I could break my own toys, but not those of little Bobby down the street.
Spammers apparently did not learn the distinction between property that is there own and property that belongs to someone else. I don't know of a single person who owns a utility pole or street sign. So, I believe, it should be simple common sense that you don't post ANY sign on property that is not your own.
I can not, for the life of me, imagine someone dropping of their child at the home of someone simply because that person put a sign out. I liken it to the real estate 'directional' signs... is someone going to buy a house simply because they pass a sign? Are house hunters (or in this case, parents) THAT impulsive? Is child care the equivalent of buying a TV Guide?
Since the original poster is such a good neighbor, perhaps he/she could help his neighbor post flyers in appropriate selected locations? Like grocery stores, maternity shops, etc. I really believe people that post bandit signs and the like wherever they can do not understand the concept of marketing. This is no different than dropping leaflets out of an airplane. It's cheap, lazy and ineffective advertising at best. And it's certainly litter.
I think there is a tremendous distinction between the litter that someone intentionally posts through out town and that litter which may (or may not ) be accidentally discarded. I am not aware of anyone who buys, say, a six pack of Coke then drives around town throwing the cans out.
Of course, people who throw cigarette butts, etc., out of the car window know it is illegal--- they just don't care. People who post signs on public property (or on private property w/o consent of property owner) are probably not aware and don't bother to think or check beforehand.
Recently, I dealt with a case where the owner of a restaurant had put a bandit sign on someone else's property, w/o their consent. He figured since there were already political signs on the property it was OK to post his. I told him it wasn't, and that I contacted the property owner to see if they had given consent (they didn't). I told him about posting on public property, etc., and he seemed to understand.
I told him that I would take down his sign the next day unless he removed it on his way home from work THAT day (so he could use it someplace legal). His sign was gone that night.
I have been trying to work w/ local CE's to perhaps modify the ordinance. The garage sale signs, lost kitty, etc., also bother me. Not so much because of their location, but because in many cases they are NEVER removed!
I have also submitted to local cops the locations of people who have mailed me 14 page booklets, so they can check to see if a business license was issued.
Not sure if you can exempt events which have a certain date, and allow signs up till the event is over. Or allow posting only on certain corners, sort of like the bums who pass out the porno books in Las Vegas.
Anyway, glad the lessons were learned by this person and I hope the original poster will get to work and help this mom earn a decent living, without breaking ANY laws.
Shark safely!

Your post indicates that I personally was responsible for this act.
This is about a far from the truth as you can get.
Stated again, it's a neighborhood thing and CAUSS has NO interest in such.
Another point, CAUSS doesn't place deregatgory stickers with shark names on them.
Major misrepresentation here.

It is likely someone within your own neighborhood is responsible or the guilty party for ths act, if in fact it happened as you say.

Another aspect is that you are here on this forum for the purpose of flaming and misrepresenting your situation. This mis-stating of the truth is likely due to you being associated with with a major spam campaign, such as the Work At Home group.

Sorry, but that old dog, just won't hunt. Try your mud slinging elsewhere, we didn't fall off the banana boat yesterday.

Just for the record, the last time I was any where near Corinth was over a year ago. That was passing through your radar infested speed traps on I-35E.

GreatWhite-BH (GW)
Texas Chapter - CAUSS

GW