An Audacious Act of Public-Spiritedness
Have you heard of the expression “guerilla public service?”
It happens when a civic minded citizen takes things into their own hands to rectify a glaring inadequacy in the public interest.
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The freeway 110 in California opened in the year1940. In the subsequent years, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), added a lot of ramps and exits, but without proper signage. Many drivers missed a left turn at the end of a tunnel.
Street artist and sign maker Richard Ankrom studied the colours, fonts, sizes, and types of reflectors used by Caltrans. One day, dressed as a worker, he altered a confusing overhead sign with clear directions, adding a touch of aesthetics to it.
Nobody found out for months, and drivers used the sign to navigate the freeway better. Ankrom also saved lives, as drivers could avoid accidents.
Caltrans approved his work later.
