Lubbock’s Sign Ordinance Should Apply to People, Too

Are you aware that the City of Lubbock regulates how often a sign can flash (I also believe what colors too)? The City does this to help avoid distracted driving.

It seems some of these ordinances have been loosened somewhat. I'm not a great reader of legalese, so I can't quote you the law verbatim. What I'd like to address is the City allowing people to be far bigger distractions than any sign ever would be.

Most of the homeless on street corners sit or stand there solemnly, so I guess I really can't group them in, even though I think it's a huge safety hazard to have them in such high-traffic areas. I also don't have a problem with sign spinners in front of businesses.

I think we need to address newspaper vendors and evangelicals harassing passersby. Having someone in the middle of an intersection is nuts. Proof of this is that at least two newspaper vendors have been hit. Then, when they flash their wares it hits you from that left vantage point which most of us aren't used to.

There is also a church or private group of the faithful that will line up on the street corners of 50th, yelling through a megaphone and flashing Jesus signs. Among the group are kids of all ages who should not be that close to any busy intersection.

I don't mind when the firefighters get out yearly because they wear high-visibility clothes, make smart decisions regarding traffic and don't operate in an in-your-face manner. The rest of these people are distractions, and if we regulate signs, we should regulate these people, or regulate them better than we do now.

I don't want to be yelled at, solicited or saved while I'm driving my car. If I want a newspaper, I know of a number of places where I can buy one. If I want Jesus, there are churches all over town. Heck, if I want to help the homeless, I know where to go, too.

These people are distractions, and they need to go.