A digital sign on an Iowa highway IDOT is co-opting with Taylor Swift lyric-themed safety PSAs; Photo: Twitter
The Iowa Department of Transportation has come down with Taylor Swift fever. The symptoms: they’re using her lyrics on their road signs to dispatch anti-texting and driving messages.
Unfortunately, they’re using lyrics from one of Swift’s most annoying songs, “Look What You Made Me Do” from her newest album, Reputation.
In the track, she seems to be dissing rapper Kanye West. The bridge includes a line that is apparently citing the leaked video footage of Swift and West’s infamous phone conversation:
The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now says
Why? ‘Cause she’s dead
The Iowa DOT had some fun with this by using these lyrics on their digital road signs.
Referencing LWYMMD, one of their signs displayed an encouragement to drive safely: “Old Taylor can’t come to the phone … she’s driving.”
The DOT hopped on Twitter to offer a tip for understanding their new sign messages. “If you don’t get the message today,” they tweeted, “Ask the nearest millennial.”
This isn’t the first time they’ve had fun with their road signs. Iowa, of all places, has proven it can stay relevant. Just last week they went with a KISS lyric.
IDOT has co-opted pop-culture outside of the lyric world as well. Last year when Pokemon Go was all the rage, they changed one of their signs to, “The road is no place for a Pokemon chase.” While the year before that they went with a Star Wars reference with, “May the 4th be with you text I will not.”
This also isn’t the first time Swift’s lyrics have been plastered in big letters for all the world to see. During the “groping case” she was involved in, fans used post-it notes to show support. They put up lyrics like “Haterz gonna hate,” “Free Tay,” and “Fearless.”
Wherever Swift turns, it has become apparent, her lyrics make a stir and a commotion.
