The recent appearance of the words “slow down” in spray-painted capital letters on several Bird Rock streets have provoked strong reactions from some on social media, with a city official stating it’s simply vandalism.

It’s unclear when exactly the signs appeared or who is responsible, but photos of the message were posted to Instagram and Nextdoor beginning Feb 14. 

Many claim mixed feelings about the unofficial signage, citing sympathy for whomever was frustrated enough with speeding drivers to take action. 

Others use words like “worthless” and “nuisance” to describe the painted messages.

“These are too big and will need to be power washed,” La Jolla resident Chris Cott, who works as a volunteer to remove graffiti in La Jolla, told lajolla.ca.

“The irony is when drivers are looking down to see what the vandalism says, they are more likely to hit something,” he said. “I’m hoping someone has security footage and this vigilante is apprehended and held responsible.”

“I understand that these messages are in service to safety and getting vehicles to slow down,” said city of San Diego spokesperson Anthony Santacroce, “however this is graffiti and vandalism and will be cleaned up by our graffiti team.”

But unless someone is caught in the act of vandalizing city property, enforcement would be difficult, he said.