It could only happen in Texas?

I would normally have just put this in Tech Humour but there is a slightly more serious angle.

http://cbs11tv.com/watercooler/zombi....2.921226.html

A person or persons unknown gained access to a couple of road traffic warning signs in Austin, and sent their own "warning" :D

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Electronic signs intended to warn motorists of construction near the intersection of Lamar and Martin Luther King boulevards were changed yesterday to warn of "Zombies Ahead! Run for your lives!"

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You should not mess with road traffic signals. It could easily have unfortunate repercussions.

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The biggest safety hazard came from drivers slowing down or stopping their car to take pictures, Jones said.

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The two signs are about a half mile west of the University of Texas campus.

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Ah! the usual suspects?:D

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Austin Public Works spokeswoman Sara Hartley says the message was only displayed for a few hours. She said the hackers cut a padlock to get into the signs' computers.

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Don't they have criminal damage and trespassing with intent in Texas?

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Hartley also tells KXAN-TV in Austin that the stunt is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine if the scamps are ever found.

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Over here that stuff is classed as "safety equipment" so you would be looking at a felony, and a much more severe punishment.

My message to our student fraternity (we don't use the term "sorority" in the UK unless we are referring to nuns) is that whilst it is fun, please think about the repercussions if it goes wrong and/or you get found out.

You don't need an associate's or bachelor's degree to flip burgers ;)

Most of those machines with the signs on them here are passworded, but majority of the time the password is the numberplate. :)

i giggled at this sign.

Being into Zombie flicks as I am, and having the obsession a little more than most members here, I can say clearly:

These kids should be given a medal. No one got hurt, and as for stopping for pictures.... So what? Who here hasn't seen a line of people doing that to a bloody accident?

I've seen cars backed up for a while because of an accident on the other side of the road. They all stop to look. And this is bad because people stopped to take pictures?

I thought it was hilarious!

Now if only I could talk the U of M kids into it ;) The hell with stopping to take pictures, I'd be filming it.

If the sign is the same one that T googled that I think it was a good prank however I do see Nihil's point about safety on the roads.

But good job none the less.

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and as for stopping for pictures.... So what? Who here hasn't seen a line of people doing that to a bloody accident?

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Just because people do things, doesn't make them right. It reminds me of the saying "eat more $h1t: three trillion flies can't be wrong" :D

Much the same as using a mobile phone whilst driving...........you are distracted so must be "driving without due care and attention" and that is what causes accidents.

And yes, I have just received my County Council health & safety certificate :halo:

Hmmmm...................just looked out the window...............today will be a "snow day" well, it wouldn't be "safe" going out in that?:cold:

My concern is for students. If you get caught it goes on your record which isn't something you want; particularly as we are heading into the worst recession for decades.

By all means have fun, but keep it legal.

EDIT:

There's a video of it:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540...00495#28900495

Nihil:

Wasn't saying there was no harm ever. They COULD have left messages that were something parents wouldn't want kids looking at, but instead went for the more humorous road....literally... heh.

I was just pointing out that I personally thought it was not only funny but well done.... I mean come on now, I own 10 copies of Night of the Living Dead...Of course I loved it.

Makes me think of some of my own personal electronic pranks I've pulled. Just in this case no one was driving off from a fast food drive through window for being insulted ;) (I'm sure some of the older mebers here remember that Bastard admin story where I had my characters using fast food head set frequencies to insult people...And like a week or two later it was in the news that someone was "hacking" into head sets in Michigan insulting people" ;) ).

Hey gore, I wouldn't have posted it otherwise. Normally I would just have put it in Tech Humour but there is a security implication regarding unattended devices that the public or even insiders (think janitors & security guards) have access to? People tend to overlook that sort of thing.

Just shows you what can happen............. and that was just a student prank :D

Did you like the video I attached later?.............my wife thought it was hilarious.

It seems to be considered much more trivial in Texas than it would be over here, where it would be a criminal (felony) offence (particularly as they cut the padlock). I still thought it prudent to include my "The Surgeon General has determined" comments ;)

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I'm sure some of the older members here remember that Bastard admin story where I had my characters using fast food head set frequencies to insult people...And like a week or two later it was in the news that someone was "hacking" into head sets in Michigan insulting people"

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WE are watching YOU...........Muhahahahahahahahahaha :lildevil:

I read an article on those signs years ago. Back then the default password, at least in the states, was very simple. I seem to recall the article mentioning padlocks, but it said that it was rare to find a lock on one of them.

I want to live in Indiana (apart from the corruption)

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In Illinois, tampering with an official traffic control device is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $250 fine—half what a culprit might have to pay in Texas if caught. If convicted in Indiana, a culprit faces up to a year in jail and $5,000 in fines.

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:D

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Originally Posted by nihil

I want to live in Indiana (apart from the corruption)
:D

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Hey! We have twice as much corruption in Illinois!!! :D
KP