Suspicious Activity

They’re back up. The electronic signs over the beltway that are usually used to report unhappy traffic conditions ahead are again giving the message:

Report suspicious activity
800 492 TIPS

They’ve put up that message every time the terror alert level is raised. Here are the problems I have with this:

• They have emphasized several times that the terror alert level is primarily supposed to be for law enforcement agencies, so why advertise like this every time the level is raised?
• We should always be on alert, since in this day it’s just good policy. So, why not keep that notice up all the time?
• Who is going to remember a phone number that they’ve buzzed past going 70 mph? This just doesn’t seem to be the right place for this notice.
• The latest elevation in the threat level is based on 3-year old information…come on. The danger today, then, is really not any higher than last Friday.

I’m curious if other metropolitan areas do this as well, or is it just Washington DC?