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Monday, March 1, 2010
Digital Billboards, Diversions Drivers Can’t Escape
Safety advocates who worry about the dangers of distracted driving have a new concern beyond cellphones and gadget-laden dashboards: digital roadside billboards.
I would not mind them going away - I have no desire to see them while I drive. As for a safety concern, I think the article is over exaggerating the issue. I have experienced a light up billboard in Portland and it didn't make me a worse driver. It is up to the individual to take control of how they drive. There are so many distractions while we drive, this is just one more we will get use to.
I saw a couple of these while I was driving up to Portland yesterday. They definitely glow, even in the daytime, and I think the only reason that it is being called so "distracting" is because it's new and people haven't seen light up billboards before, so they are naturally going to take a second look. The light-up billboard that I saw was smaller than most billboards, and there was way too much text on there, so it wasn't interesting and I wasn't drawn to look at it because the image that i saw was kind of hard to read. I don't think the billboards are any more distracting than billboards that have lights shining on them, or the huge signs for fast food restaurants and stores that litter the sides of the street. In my opinion, there isn't a big problem with the use of digital roadside billboards as they aren't any more distracting than everything else that is out there.
I remember this being a huge issue back when I lived in Washington about 7 years ago. There was a large, high-resolution billboard along the highway that supposedly caused a great deal of accidents. While I'll stand behind the decision to remove these distractions in the interest of safety, I don't necessarily think this type of advert is any more of a distraction than the typical billboards we've been accustomed to. It is understood that any sort of distraction whatsoever can be dangerous to drivers, but limiting the billboards along our roads to just traditional ones seems like a bit of overkill, especially since society is used to being bombarded with digital media at every turn.
I found this an interesting read. With all the debates going on about how to make driving safer and the banning of cellphone use while you are on the road, I think this kind of advert causes the same problems. Not only is it unnecessary, and dangerous, it is a huge waste of resources. With all the depleting resources in the world and the economy as bad as it is, can we afford this much amount of energy to be going towards advertisements on the highway?
I agree that they should go away simply because its more advertising that I dont want or need to see. As for the distracting part i'm sure how they are anymore distracting than a typical billboard, both require you to take your eyes off the road. As long as there is a slow transition speed in between the ads and our highways dont become extensions of Vegas's strip then i dont' see this as a deadly distraction. It sounds like to me, a bunch of middle aged people who like to find things to complain about.
To argue against myself though, i'll complain about them, but just because they are ugly and i'd rather see trees and mountains than burgers and tacos.
1. What design issues are you interested in? 2. What is your dream collaboration? 3. Compare your fashion style to your GD style. 4. What is your ideal work environment? 5. Response to Ira Glass on good taste. 6. Write a story
I would not mind them going away - I have no desire to see them while I drive. As for a safety concern, I think the article is over exaggerating the issue. I have experienced a light up billboard in Portland and it didn't make me a worse driver. It is up to the individual to take control of how they drive. There are so many distractions while we drive, this is just one more we will get use to.
ReplyDeleteI saw a couple of these while I was driving up to Portland yesterday. They definitely glow, even in the daytime, and I think the only reason that it is being called so "distracting" is because it's new and people haven't seen light up billboards before, so they are naturally going to take a second look. The light-up billboard that I saw was smaller than most billboards, and there was way too much text on there, so it wasn't interesting and I wasn't drawn to look at it because the image that i saw was kind of hard to read. I don't think the billboards are any more distracting than billboards that have lights shining on them, or the huge signs for fast food restaurants and stores that litter the sides of the street. In my opinion, there isn't a big problem with the use of digital roadside billboards as they aren't any more distracting than everything else that is out there.
ReplyDeleteI remember this being a huge issue back when I lived in Washington about 7 years ago. There was a large, high-resolution billboard along the highway that supposedly caused a great deal of accidents. While I'll stand behind the decision to remove these distractions in the interest of safety, I don't necessarily think this type of advert is any more of a distraction than the typical billboards we've been accustomed to. It is understood that any sort of distraction whatsoever can be dangerous to drivers, but limiting the billboards along our roads to just traditional ones seems like a bit of overkill, especially since society is used to being bombarded with digital media at every turn.
ReplyDeleteI found this an interesting read. With all the debates going on about how to make driving safer and the banning of cellphone use while you are on the road, I think this kind of advert causes the same problems. Not only is it unnecessary, and dangerous, it is a huge waste of resources. With all the depleting resources in the world and the economy as bad as it is, can we afford this much amount of energy to be going towards advertisements on the highway?
ReplyDeleteI agree that they should go away simply because its more advertising that I dont want or need to see. As for the distracting part i'm sure how they are anymore distracting than a typical billboard, both require you to take your eyes off the road. As long as there is a slow transition speed in between the ads and our highways dont become extensions of Vegas's strip then i dont' see this as a deadly distraction. It sounds like to me, a bunch of middle aged people who like to find things to complain about.
ReplyDeleteTo argue against myself though, i'll complain about them, but just because they are ugly and i'd rather see trees and mountains than burgers and tacos.