Kentucky Road Sign Asks Drivers to ‘Send Nudes’

A road work sign on Highway 92 in Pine Knot, Kentucky was hacked to proposition drivers with the infamous meme.

“ROAD WORK AHEAD” was exchanged for “SEND NUDES” on early Thursday morning, according to local authorities. Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet confirmed that the password-protected system had been compromised to display one of the internet’s longest-lasting jokes.

According to local NBC affiliate WLWT, the sign in question “belonged to a contractor doing construction work on the Ky. 92 realignment project through McCreary and Whitley counties, near the Tennessee border.” The contractor has claimed that none of its employees were involved in the incident.

Amber Hale, a cabinet spokeswoman for District 8, told reporters that they “were notified this morning that the message was … different.” In response, officials “contacted [the contractor] and sent them immediately down to confirm it, they confirmed it, and they immediately turned the message board off.”

Driver Tevon Stephens said he noted the “clearly hacked” sign on his way to work. Despite the humorous nature of the message, he knew the situation had the potential for real danger. “But seriously, we needed to bring awareness to it so the road departments would add cameras or add locks to the equipment to keep from distracting the drivers,” Stephens said.

Similar prank messages on electronic road signs are relatively common. Dallas had “DONALD TRUMP IS A SHAPE SHIFTING LIZARD!!” and “WORK IS CANCELED / GO BACK HOME” in 2017, while “THE FUTURE SUCKS,” and “EXPECT PED/BIKE DEATHS” showed up in Berkeley, California.