Comments by "Jovet" (@jovetj) on "Steve Lehto"
channel.
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@RRW359 Well, for one thing, it would be the government "restricting" the government... which is not what the Constitution does or intends at all. The idea this is a "First Amendment" issue is thus preposterous.
Second of all, all of our rights have reasonable limitations. You don't have unlimited free speech—you can't incite a riot, or yell FIRE and cause a panic, or libel or slander someone, or lie under oath, or lie to the police, etcetera.
Third, states are not entities in the same manner that people or corporations are.
Forth, the context in this video is pretty misconstrued. The "1100 page document" is actually the latest revision of the FHWA-created standards manual for all road signs, pavement markings, traffic signals, etcetera. Without this standards manual, STOP signs could look different in each state, Red might mean stop in one state but go in another, and road construction zones would probably be a chaotic lottery of survival. The actual pertinent section of this (legally binding) standards manual with regard to these signs is 10 pages long.
Fifth, since the creation of this standards manual in 1935, states have been pretty eager to follow it because traffic engineers (who also wrote the manual) know that most drivers are morons and need consistency and lots of hand-holding. Safer roads are better for everyone. But, of course, if that's not good enough for your state (looking at you, California), each state can craft its own version of the standards manual to follow as long as it's "substantially conformant" with the federal one. At the time I write this, 10 states have written their own standards manuals, and 22 have adopted the federal one with minor revisions via supplement.
Sixth, if you actually go and read the pertinent parts of the Manual (which anyone can download and read for himself), you'll learn that it largely mandates:
– text must be succinct and to the point, and abbreviations must be approved ones;
– sign message text must be of appropriate color and size;
– animation, flashing, or other transition effects are not allowed;
– such signs are intended to display immediately-pertinent control, guide, or warning information to motorists;
– no static text or manufacturer logos or names are allowed on the face of the sign;
– state agencies using these signs must have a developed policy on their use;
– special messages such as for AMBER alerts, civil defense, homeland security, emergency status may be displayed but must not supplant important traffic information;
– messages conveying product or services advertising, or (for example) reminders to renew your driver's license, get vaccinated, attend church, or water your plans are strictly forbidden;
– messages promoting safety campaigns are allowed as long as do not supplant important traffic information;
– all messages should be carefully worded to provide the clearest meaning to the most people; two phrases of up to three lines of text are maximum; abbreviations should be avoided where space allows full words.
Finally, this standards manual has historically represented concise and just rulemaking, probably some of the best and most effective by the federal government. You can thank a traffic engineer.
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