Marc Robertson braves brutal heat to make $8 per hour waving a sign in front of the Goldmax store on South Florida Avenue in Lakeland.

The 27-year-old relies on the work to earn money in the off-season from his citrus harvesting job and isn't exactly thrilled with the city's plans to ban the eye-catching activity.

"It's not like we're doing anything wrong," Robertson said while waving his "We Buy Gold" sign to passing motorists. "We're working."

Lakeland already has a sign ordinance according to city spokesman Kevin Cook, but commissioners are considering a few changes including the ban on sign waving.

"Right now, you might see one or two every 10 or 15 blocks, but if it's not prohibited you could have 15 or 20 in a one-block area," Cook said.

Opponents of the sign swingers say they are an eyesore at the least and more importantly a distraction to drivers, but Robertson says that's ridiculous.

"I'm not the distraction here. I've seen more people texting and on their phones while they're driving more than they ever focus on me," he said.

Patricia Chaney, who waves a sign for Firehouse Subs during the lunch rush, worries would happen to the people who do this full time.

"For some people it might be their only job," Chaney said. "I would hate to see something happen to it if it's their only way of having a way to go to work."

Under the proposed ordinance, a sign violator would initially get a warning from a code enforcement official but they could eventually face a $100 dollar fine for repeat violations.

City commissioners will take up the sign slinging issue at a meeting July 16, and then the public gets to weigh in on the waving Aug. 6.
http://www2.tbo.com/news/business/2012/jul/09/4/lakeland-commissioners-might-ban-sign-spinners-ar-427252/