Picasso, Rembrandt and Highway Paint

It's an odd way to create art, but impatient motorists who weave behind slow-moving highway painting equipment have discovered how to produce bizarre and unintended paint schemes on their vehicles.

Transportation and Public Works road crews say impatient drivers are winding up with yellow paint on the left side of their vehicles and white paint along the right side. Drivers looking for opportunities to pass are veering to the left or right, and as a result, are getting flecks of fresh paint on their tires, wheel wells and rocker panels.

Motorists can call their local Transportation and Public Works office to pick up a cleaning solution at no charge, or they can go to the retail outlet of their choice. The department does not pay compensation. Last year, 91 drivers called the department to ask about cleaning the highway paint. So far this summer, there have been 16 inquiries.

A few tips:

• observe all directions from local crews and road signs;
• wait for traffic control persons to wave you through the work zone; and
• stay between the lines: the longer you drive on a freshly- painted line, the more paint is picked up by your tires.

Traffic control persons are trained to guide motorists through work zones safely and as quickly as possible. If drivers follow directions, their cars will not end up with unsightly paint flecks. Being patient and following directions will ensure that motorists don't end up spending even more time arranging to have their vehicles cleaned.

For safety reasons, crews paint highway centrelines and road shoulder lines during the daytime only.