Opponents to proposed ban on "sign spinners" in St. Petersburg speak out at first public hearing

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It could be the end as we know it for so-called "sign spinners" in St. Petersburg. Thursday night, the city council got into a feisty debate about banning these human signs seen through town.

The city is considering a ban of movement -- meaning the days of twirling signs, dancing, gyrating, or even waving, may be numbered.

If sign spinners are forced to stand still, most businesses say they would probably not use them because they would be less effective.

It means people like Larry Fulks would likely lose their job -- before his sign spinner gig, he was homeless.

"If they do that than it puts me right back where I came from," he said, holding his sign advertising MIT Computers.

Right at the beginning of the public hearing, Councilman Karl Nurse disagreed with the ban, saying this restriction might be going too far.

"My instinct is we should regulate safety, not tackiness," he said. "I'm going to oppose making them stand still.

Council members' main concern is safety. Some feel the sign spinners should at least be further off the road.

The man who runs five Liberty Tax locations in St. Pete disagrees.

"I know of not one incident where a distracted driver or a waver being out in the right of way has caused any sort of situation like that," he said.

No decision on the proposed ordinance was reached during Thursday's meeting. Another public hearing on the issue will be held November 1.