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Giggity
09-26-2011, 18:57
Found this article in the local newspaper this morning.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2011-09-26/story/new-bill-would-allow-ads-florida-trails

moytoy
09-26-2011, 19:24
This bill has almost no chance of going anywhere. For one thing it is tied to a bill that would allow advertising on interstate highway signs and there is a Federal law against that. Even if passed you probably would not see that much advertising on The Florida Trail. It's not a billboard type of advertising, it's a Coke (etc) logo on a information or direction sign. At least that is my take on it. I think law makers try to get crap passed just to put their name on it. Attention wh...s!

Trailbender
09-26-2011, 23:48
I hope this won't catch on, I hike a lot, partially to get away from the materialism and commercial crap. Hate to see this garbage start coming into the woods.

mattack
09-28-2011, 10:41
Is nothing sacred anymore?

rotorbrent
09-28-2011, 11:11
yup I can see it now.

Welcome to the "BP" shelter 4.2 miles to the "BenGay" overlook 6.2 miles to the "Budweiser" loop trail. Next week will be the "Icy Hot" outdoor weekend. The next 16.2 miles of trail maintained by"Big 10 tires" your rubber to the trail.

WingedMonkey
09-28-2011, 12:06
For one thing it is tied to a bill that would allow advertising on interstate highway signs and there is a Federal law against that.

That was last years bill. Then they became afraid someone would buy the naming rights to the "Ronald Regan Turnpike" and change the name. This years bill only affects "state greenway and trail facilities or property". This includes both naming rights and advertising.

The definition of where they can advertise is quite broad:

Signage or displays erected under this section shall be limited to trailheads, trail intersections, directional or distance markers, interpretive exhibits, and parking areas

And then the size of advertising is defined:

1. A sign or display located at a trailhead or parking area may not exceed 16 square feet.
2. All other signs or displays may not exceed 4 square feet.

I doubt if it passed (I hope not) that it would have any effect on trails on federal national forest or national parks or private land, and most of the Florida Trail itself. It would seem that most advertising and naming rights would occur at popular Rail Trails and other Florida Greenways, many of which also are shared by the Florida Trail. Someone could always make the argument that most of our Greenway Trails were financed with federal monies also.

My first read of this bill was that is was a typical Republican Senator bill, then I find that a local Democrat Representative introduced the House version. This is the same politician that last year introduced bills to allow advertising on school buses (it failed).

To make the bill more appealing they have named it the "John Anthony Wilson Bicycle Safety Act". Wilson was an off duty fireman who was hit by a car and killed while riding his bike on streets near his home here in Palm Beach County. He was not on any trails or greenways. I fail to see how advertising and naming rights on trails has anything to do with safety.

If residents of Florida care they can certainly let those concerns be known. If it did pass my reaction would be to boycott any company littering my trails with advertising.

http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2012/0268/BillText/Filed/PDF

Buffalo Skipper
09-28-2011, 15:22
Let's put this into perspective (assuming it passes...). Hum. BP shelter. How many people will really use or be exposed to advertising to the "BP Shelter"? A few hundred a year? How many companies are really interested in spending advertising dollars to reach such a small audience? How likely are they to be influenced by this type of advertising? Anheuser Busch, on the other hand may be more appealing to some hikers, yet it would just as likely be a turn off others, who really want their weekend hikes to be more of a "back-to-nature" experience. Anyway who in South Africa really wants to advertise on a trail in Florida?

I would be more concerned about knowing that your state legislators are spending their time and your tax dollars on such meaningless drivvle than the likelyhood that some corporation is actually dumb enough to think in these economic times they will benefit from this kind of advertising.

My 2¢.

Red Dawn
09-28-2011, 16:13
I don't like the concept..but I wouldn't mind sleeping in a "BP shelter" if it was raining and cold.

Buffalo Skipper
09-28-2011, 16:22
I don't like the concept..but I wouldn't mind sleeping in a "BP shelter" if it was raining and cold.

I am not knocking staying in the shelter, but would you be more likely to buy BP gas if you did?

seminoles
09-28-2011, 16:38
It will never happen!

Gray Blazer
09-28-2011, 18:49
Funny. You can find where the FT crosses 301 near Starke by the Topless Club Billboard. KFC on other side.

Ladytrekker
09-28-2011, 19:09
I do most of my hiking on the FT and I am totally not for this. I know the Florida Trail Association has been hit hard by the economy and lost some federal and state dollars and their membership is about 5,000 people. For the first time in years they are raising the membership dues. I am a member and I do some trail maintenance so I try to give back but ads no way that is why I hike to get away from city crap.

WingedMonkey
03-08-2012, 11:46
Once again we were all wrong. The bill passed. The local jerk that spearheaded this bill also got one passed that allows advertising on school buses.
Where would you prefer your McDonald's add? As you pack up at a trail head or on your kids ride to school? Now we can have both.
Not that I would even encourage it, but...I expect to see a LOT of graffiti on both.

Hikes in Rain
03-08-2012, 15:31
This group of Florida politicians have lost their minds. They've also rolled back environmental regulations to pre-1984 levels (i.e., no regulation.) ANY project under ten acres, with under two acres impervious surface, is no longer regulated at all. Just go out and do it. HB511, I think.

JaxHiker
03-09-2012, 12:08
Flippin' idiots. I'm ashamed the douchebag is from my city.

cabbagehead
03-09-2012, 21:17
I did an 800 mile hike on the AT, and I got lost a lot. There should have been more blazes. One way to get more blazes up is to have a small ad under each blaze.

WingedMonkey
03-09-2012, 23:56
I did an 800 mile hike on the AT, and I got lost a lot. There should have been more blazes. One way to get more blazes up is to have a small ad under each blaze.

You need to back away from your stove fumes.

JaxHiker
03-10-2012, 10:53
You need to back away from your stove fumes.

:D How do you get lost on the AT? I'd be ok with ads telling me where the nearest Cracker Barrel is. :cool: