Massachusetts' 'use yah blinkah' highway signs banned by feds

Friends, carpoolers and road ragers, we gather here not to curse out the feds, but to mourn the highway signs they're killing.

Catch up fast: The U.S. Federal Highway Administration's war on fun, once waged against New Jersey , has spread nationwide.

• The electronic highway messages that brought some levity during traffic jams will be phased out by 2026 under new federal rules .
• That includes the "use yah blinkahs" signs that debuted in 2014 , and the "stay classy, Massachusetts" signs that went live later.

Why it matters: To know Bay State drivers is to love them in spite of their terrible, aggressive driving.

• They don't call us Massholes for nothing.

Zoom in: The highway administration wants messages that are "simple, direct, brief, legible and clear" … and devoid of humor.

• Really. The administration's new manual cautions against signs that are "intended to be humorous" or have pop culture references lest they be misunderstood by most drivers.

Yes, but: Just about everyone in Massachusetts knows what a "blinker" is.

• Some even heed the signs' warnings.

Steph's thought bubble: To the state workers behind those signs, thank you for making us laugh while we try to survive the MassPike and I-93.

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