Driving across Texas has lately become odious.

It seems that inadequate state regulation has allowed any and every kind of advertiser to pack as many billboards, offensive or otherwise, onto our Texas highways.

Driving down any interstate will expose one to a veritable gallimaufry of bad ads—from those that assault our intelligence with pleas to listen to radio stations or shop at outlet malls to those that brazenly inform us of upcoming gun shows and sex stores just a few exits away.

While perhaps not the most disturbing of billboards, my least favorite happens to be the stock gas-station ad displaying a giant, revolting hotdog complete with manufactured relish. It is enough to convert one to vegetarianism.

The most frustrating part about this type of advertising is our inability to turn it off. Billboards are particularly obnoxious as, unlike radio, television and print media, they are almost wholly unavoidable to any motorist who does not happen to be intoxicated, sleeping or worse, texting.

Whether you like it or not, your gaze is going to meet the painted eyes of an over-sexed ecdysiast informing you of the unlimited beer and hot wings served at the hands of she and all of her topless coworkers.

But aside from sizeable tax revenues, why would Texas leadership allow these large and overbearing ads to pollute our scenery?

Let us hope that Texas leadership was naive rather than malignant; perhaps our bureaucrats thought a few colorful billboards would jazz up the car ride through a state that, for its size, has a surprising lack of geographical variety.

In any case, according to the 1965 Highway Beautification Act, U.S. states are responsible for maintaining effective control of billboards or they face risk of losing five percent of federal highway funding.

But where are the limits of such control? For me, truly effective control would mean, if not eradication, at least some level of quality censorship.

While I believe in free speech, I think billboard space should be reasonably friendly for passengers of every age, focusing on informing rather than manipulating the public.

Such regulatory measures would ensure that drivers with full bladders and empty tanks would know where to locate the nearest gas station, but families would not have to worry about exposing their children to invitations to triple-X establishments.

We live in a world that inundates us daily with images, sounds and ideas. Should we not at least be free to enjoy a drive through the countryside in peace?

Rebecca Quinn is a senior art history, Spanish and French triple major. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].