Comments on: Billboards Are Mental Pollution

by: Nick

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:47:07 +0000

I actually despise the mobile billboards more than the fixed ones. (and well I actually enjoy Abercrombie and Finch’s billboard along third street.)

What really irks me is mobile billboards, they’re both mental and air pollution. I almost wrote a letter to King County Health complaining about a mobile billboard they were running for STD prevention, until I realized they were very narrowly targeting Capital Hill around Pride time. That saved them my wrath.

I’d think we’d be more successful taxing billboards than trying to ban them outright..

by: Mark

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:41:24 +0000

Who gets the money for them? Are they heavily taxed, or is it just 90% profit for ClearChannel? It seems like the public should receive the financial benefit from them, since we’re the ones that have to put up with them.

by: Steve

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:46:56 +0000

Slightly off-topic, but given that a number of new condo/apartment buildings have blank reinforced concrete walls, I’d love to see painted, permanent, ads for local businesses on those blank walls. If we paint them now, they can still be fading in 30-50 years, much as we can still read about the Moore from 3rd Avenue, etc.

by: Josh Mahar

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:46:22 +0000

And its not just billboards. Anyone seen those ridiculous E.E. Robbins ads on the sidewalks of 1st Ave? Now, you can’t even stare at your feet to remove yourself from the dizzying world of mental pollution.

A similar note: A while ago I made some comments that Metro should put advertising throughout the bus tunnels. I whole-heartedly renounce those statements. The extra cash isn’t worth the sacrifice of mental relaxation down there. I still would like to see some commercial uses though. Whether that be for a cafe, bar, newsman, or even street performer. Perhaps when Link opens…

And finally: Props Dan for not including ads here on your website even in the face of popularity. You are a gentleman and a scholar.

by: Dan Staley

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:45:17 +0000

I think that I shall never see
A billboard as lovely as a tree.
Indeed, unless the billboards fall
I shall never see a tree at all.
- Ogden Nash

by: Sabina Pade

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:53:10 +0000

Perhaps we shouldn’t rail against billboards, or battle for a reduction of their numbers in the Seattle metropolitan area. Instead I think we might wisely extoll their beauty and lobby in favour of their proliferation - together with the legal stipulation that all existing billboards be transferred to wealthy single-family neighbourhoods and that any new ones be erected there as well.