The war on graffiti is about to go high tech in Germany and other countries are trying to develop solutions to address this issue. I’ve always been an easy-going person who generally doesn’t get too excited about most things…except graffiti. When I see it, it really pushes my buttons.
Graffiti destroys property values, generates the appearance of blight, impacts how we feel about personal safety in graffiti-covered areas, reduces retail and transportation spending and, by the estimate of the organization Stop Urban Blight, costs American taxpayers $20 billion annually. In San Francisco alone, graffiti removal costs exceed $20 million each year.
America is not alone in battling graffiti blight. It is a pervasive, costly problem throughout the world. If you’ve traveled extensively or are currently living in another country, you see it every day, first hand. Many countries are working to develop solutions, including surface materials that are resistant to spray paint. But the war against graffiti is about to go high tech in Germany.
The BBC reports that Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway, is planning to test airborne drones to keep graffiti vandals from defacing German trains. Small, infrared surveillance cameras will be mounted on drones and used at depots to collect evidence that can be used to prosecute vandals. At nearly US$78,000 each, the drones are not inexpensive, but compared with the US$10 million annual cost of railway car graffiti removal, they may be cost effective.
Not everyone, however, agrees that graffiti is vandalism. The Matador Network, which bills itself as the world’s first fully-interactive travel magazine, says that more and more people around the world, especially those who embrace the hip hop culture, recognize graffiti as an art form. And because of this, cities are providing legal spaces for it, albeit confined to specific legal areas within each city.
What do you think? Is graffiti vandalism or art? Let us know.