10 years ago: "Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal."

The following was published at NAC on December 1, 2005. It was the beginning of my sign sharking career, and while cumulative totals are not known, I'd estimate the number of signs personally confiscated and destroyed during the past decade to be in the range of 400. 

This is where it started. The CAUSS site is still active, although the forum is down. 

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Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal.

Here’s a far too common scene around town.


No doubt you've grimaced at the many "Buys Houses" signs, both on utility poles and in medians or along city streets. The circus posters were put up in September, and many still can be seen, rotting, where they were stapled.

These are examples of "street spam."

Q: What is Street Spam?

A: Street Spam is the term for illegal signs along roadways, at intersections, on traffic signs or utility poles, and even on private property. Illegal street signs are also called vertical litter, bandit signs, snipe signs, utility pole advertising and stuff on a stick (SOS). The signs may advertise local businesses, multilevel marketing schemes selling weight loss products, health insurance, sample sales, landscaping services and even pet waste removal services. Some of the most common spam signs have the come-on Work at Home, Work From Home, I Lost 30 Pounds in 30 Days, Have a PC, We Buy Houses, Affordable Health Insurance, Budget Health Plans, and Going Out of Business.

The preceding definition comes from the FAQ section of the Citizens Against Ugly Street Spam web site.

Until reading the CAUSS FAQ, I wasn't aware that I'm a "sign shark." During city walks, "street spam" has a way of coming off in my hands. As noted by CAUSS, illegal signage (exceptions being legitimate realtor's signs and the like) is nothing more than litter -- and who doesn't believe in picking up litter?

For a similar perspective, and abundant photographic evidence of the targets as identified by these and various other like-minded campaigns, visit Atlanta Street Spam Eradication Campaign.

Anyone for a "sign shark" roaming walk some afternoon?

12-foot high street spam? Not a problem, so piss off, spammer.

I enjoy parading the booty through the streets.

Which of these signs comes with a stamp of approval from the Board of Works?

It's getting to be about that time again, don't you think?

Lest this be construed as criticism of the Street Department, it is not. Rather, it is a plea to deputize the citizenry. If during the course of a constitutional, one also has the city's support in sign sharking, then it's a wonderful day outdoors. I may not have time to hit the Works meeting this morning, but there's always next week.

March 19, 2012: Quite a haul of street spam.

March 13, 2012: Thompson: "On Friday, March 16th, we will be removing all unauthorized signs that are placed in the right-of-way.”

May 26, 2011: Tears in my eyes as municipality finally catches up to blog on street spam and illegal signage ... this link includes more links to sign sharking exploits dating back to 2005.

Quite a haul of street spam.

Photo courtesy of the city of New Albany; the signs pictured were collected during last Friday's sign cleanup "blitz".

Nash: "It is amazing how much garbage you will see on the ground."

The city's first government-sanctioned street spam sign sharking campaign in recent memory, perhaps ever, was supposed to have started on Friday, March 16. Did any readers actually witness city workers uprooting yard signs in rights-of-way? If so, were they including utility poles as part of the rights-of-way directive?  They should have, but this was not made clear in previous releases and news reports.

Meanwhile, over at the local pop-up generator, Matt Nash correctly assesses the dismal state of the city's cleanliness, but take heart: An early spring means more greenery (and weeds), which always help to obscure the unsightliest bits.

NASH: Keeping our city clean

... I don’t remember my parents ever sitting me down and teaching me not to litter. I don’t remember an instance where they specifically said not to do it. I guess the reason I don’t litter today is because I never saw them do it. It looks like a lot of people around our city didn’t have good parents like I did.

If you travel around New Albany by any mode of transportation other than an automobile, it is amazing how much garbage you will see on the ground. With all of the nice weather that we have had this winter, I have been able to walk or ride my bike around our city and it looks terrible. Piles of garbage are collecting along our roadways and creating an unsightly mess in several locations.

Viva la "Piss Off, Street Spammer."

The phone number leads here: Diversified Homes LLC. The website's Faith Corner features a testimonial signed by Michael S. Hill. Readers, if you can locate the relevant Biblical passage pertaining to street spammers ...

Tears in my eyes as municipality finally catches up to blog on street spam and illegal signage.

For the past few years, I quit writing about street spam and ugly, annoying, illegal signage.

But I never ceased the rewarding hobby of street spam sign sharking. I’ve pulled down hundreds of these eyesores since 2006. It once crossed my mind to keep the haul, and to photograph it. Sad to say, the resource-wasting placards ended up in the landfill, and I feel bad about that part of it. Can they be recycled?

Today comes overdue vindication: Five or so years after I lobbied the Garner administration to do something about street spam (there was the predictable talk, accompanied by no walk whatsoever), the headline appears at OSIN:

Get rid of the junk: New Albany may call on residents to help remove signs

Before the text, which includes the usual irrelevant Coffeyite grandstanding about yard sale signs, consider these past links from NA Confidential:

One excellent morning's "street spam" sign sharkin'.

One fine Sunday spent "street spam" sharkin'.

Netpointe's street spam: We do not like it here or there ... we do not like it anywhere.

Street spam, sign sharks and the sheer joy of litter removal.

The mobile sign shark kicks off the 2006 anti-street spam beautification campaign.

Here's the rest of the story from OSIN’s Daniel Suddeath.

New Albany residents could soon be appointed to clear the city’s right-of-ways of illegal signage.

The New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety approved an amendment this week to the city’s ordinance governing signs on public property such as utility poles.

The proposal will now move to the New Albany City Council for consideration. If passed, the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety would have the ability to appoint members of the community to take down signs placed in the city’s right-of-ways.

Such signs could include yard sale notices, commercial advertisements or political signs.