Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times and you are going to end up with a highway adopted in your name.
Very few people – myself included – go through life trying to make enemies. And when you inevitably make one, it’s hard to come up with a way to settle the score with them.
There is a fine line in the art of subtle retribution. Physical responses are often unwarranted and risk putting you in court. Angry messages can be ignored and only offer a short release from irritation before it comes flooding back. A verbal confrontation is too obvious and makes you look bad in front of your peers.
What you need is a subtle, semi-permanent, and artfully tasteful way to get back at your enemy
The average person commutes almost an hour a day. Most of that journey is spent on America’s vast highways that have you crawling slow enough to contemplate how much you hate being defeated by those lesser to you.
A few years ago while I was driving, I noticed a sign I had never bothered nor cared to see below – “This highway has been adopted by Company X”.
After passing 16 soda cans, too many needles to count, and 4 air freshener cans stacked like a totem pole, I decided that company “X” probably wasn’t that good of a company.The only thing more trash than the stuff on the side of the road, was the company’s failed advertisement. And that was my lightbulb moment.
After only 5 nights of staying up past 4 am, I had a plan so geniusly evil and it couldn’t go wrong:
Step 1. Photoshop an awful photo of them for the sign. I’m talking 13 year old level of acne and missing teeth cheap shots.
Step 2. Add a business logo that after a double take still comes off as possibly offensive. Remember your target audience is driving and won’t have too much time to stare.
Step 3. Obviously the business number is the enemy’s number. Let them hear the complaints.
Step 4. BYOT… Bring Your Own Trash to their “highway”.
What if they start picking up the trash? It’s a win-win. You’ve forced them into cleaning up your community. Be proud, you green hero.
Interested in more lifehacks?!? Check this one out from my colleague!
