Drivers in North Carolina were hit with strange warnings today (Nov. 6) after a contractor working for the state’s Department of Transportation left some comical, if inappropriate, messages on its traffic messaging system. Warning against “Women Drivers,” “bad drivers” and “Obamacare,” the automated email messages resulted in some bad news for the contractor in the end.
As reported by WRAL.com, an IT contractor testing the DOT’s traffic warning system was testing the system internally but decided to add some personal notes of their own. At 3:52 p.m., an email went out to subscribers of the system warning of a “High severity incident” on the eastbound I-440 route in Raleigh.
Stating that a ramp was closed, the “Vehicle Accident” field of the email read “Women Drivers, Rain, Obamacare.” Drivers were urged to stay home at the end of the email.
Another message for the same stretch of road warned of “bad drivers” in the official-looking email. Naturally, the contractor, hired just six months ago, would meet an untimely end to his employment with the North Carolina DOT.
“The individual violated procedures by failing to turn off the external feed while testing and for the inappropriate test message content. The contractor was let go immediately for this action,” DOT officials said in statement after apologizing to drivers.
Let that be a warning to you all. Keep your personal thoughts off government property.
Check out the messages on the following pages.
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Photo: Capital Broadcasting Company, WRAL.com
