Arizona transportation officials are getting the message out about dust storm safety — in precisely 17 syllables.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has been encouraging Twitter users since Tuesday to tweet haiku poems around the theme safe driving in haboobs — or severe dust storms.
Dust storms are typical weather occurrences in the summer in Phoenix and other desert cities.
ADOT spokesman Timothy Tait says the agency was looking for a creative way to engage residents in its "Pull Aside Stay Alive" campaign.
Tait says motorists caught in dust storms should pull over and wait rather drive through it.
Tait says, so far, they have seen more than 30 entries and are re-tweeting some of the best ones.
The haiku challenge runs through Friday.
Poorman posted at 7:23 am on Thu, Jun 14, 2012.
Anyone know who the idiot is that called our dust storms a Haboob? In good ole Az a dust storm is a dust storm nothing more.
soricobob posted at 6:35 am on Thu, Jun 14, 2012.
OK, now I'm convinced that no one with an ounce of brains oversees the AZDOT. If a State agency, funded to build and maintain roads can employ someone to screen and judge poetry, something is wrong!!