# WTF bumper sticker. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 4, 2020, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470 "2020-02-04T05:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/1 "2020-02-04T05:35:00Z")
[![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/5f7f1612-e8f8-4fc9-87b5-dea16d52001a.jpeg) ](https://s3.amazonaws.com/gs-geo-images/5f7f1612-e8f8-4fc9-87b5-dea16d52001a.jpeg) Is this a real thing? And if so who the hell is change their mind about abandoning another human being because they read a bumper sticker? Please tell me this is a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/2 "2020-02-04T05:44:12Z")
I don’t know the context of that image, but many states have laws allowing parents to safely surrender newborns within a certain time (e.g., 72 hours) without being prosecuted for abandonment. PDF from California: [https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/English/PUB401A.pdf](https://www.cdss.ca.gov/cdssweb/entres/forms/English/PUB401A.pdf) The number on that sign is the number for one hotline parents can call to surrender the baby. To me this sounds like a decent idea, giving troubled parents an emergency option, but I haven’t really given it a lot of thought or study. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/3 "2020-02-04T05:49:56Z")
That sure doesn’t look like a bumper to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/4 "2020-02-04T05:54:26Z")
I know\* my dumpsters. That’s a dumpster. (\*don’t ask) ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/5 "2020-02-04T05:56:35Z")
The number links to information about the safe surrender program that CA has, as **DI** has noted. Was it on the bumper of a government vehicle? The program allows mothers to safely leave their infants in designated spots (like fire stations). Without laws like these (and sometimes with them), desperate people abandon infants, often with fatal results for the baby. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/6 "2020-02-04T05:59:49Z")
Look at the shadow. That’s not a vehicle. IMO ETA: The OPs pix ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/7 "2020-02-04T06:01:16Z")
DBL post ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/8 "2020-02-04T06:03:53Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I know\* my dumpsters. That’s a dumpster. > > (\*don’t ask) Nope, it’s on a truck bumper. It was parked in the Home Depot parking lot. It didn’t have a lot of identifying info on it (I looked). It appeared to be a service truck of some kind. While I can see how it’s a good sentiment, it seems like such a dry way to get message across. And that graphic… ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/9 "2020-02-04T06:07:40Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Look at the shadow. That’s not a vehicle. > IMO > > ETA: The OPs pix The shadow is me. The truck shadow isn’t in the pic, it’s away from my POV. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/10 "2020-02-04T06:08:53Z")
Ok. I can accept that. Disregard my posts. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/11 "2020-02-04T06:16:40Z")
Fooled me. It looked like something like a Goodwill donation box from the photo. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/12 "2020-02-04T06:47:14Z")
I was taught in a PR course that the average person has to see an ad at least three times in order for it to stick, so the more the message is out there, the greater the chance someone will remember it when she needs to, especially someone who’s panicky and not thinking straight. I doubt, though, that anyone’s going to remember that phone number, and it’s in awfully small letters. A better alternative would be to have a memorable URL in a bigger font. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/13 "2020-02-04T07:40:22Z")
It’s promoting some version of the Safe Haven Laws, which have been described earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/14 "2020-02-04T13:55:08Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > I doubt, though, that anyone’s going to remember that phone number, and it’s in awfully small letters. I agree that the design could use some work. The numbers spell out BABY-SAF, which is how the hotline is usually advertised. Why they didn’t put that on this bumper sticker, I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/15 "2020-02-04T14:00:38Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > It’s promoting some version of the Safe Haven Laws, which have been described earlier. I read it as objecting to that program. ---
**Author:** ![Kovitlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kovitlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kovitlac)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/16 "2020-02-04T14:46:42Z")
Babies have been abandoned before. Whoever is displaying this image is hoping it’ll reach someone who will reconsider (well, who ideally won’t be considering abandoning a baby at all). Not sure why you come across as having an issue with the sign… Maybe it’s a tone thing 😕 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/17 "2020-02-04T14:52:26Z")
Was it some kind of government service truck? If so, they could be using it as an opportunity to advertise the existence of the program. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/18 "2020-02-04T14:57:30Z")
Missed the edit, but the website for the government service uses the same logo and phrasing. [How To Surrender a Baby | 211LA](https://www.211la.org/safely-surrender-baby/how-surrender-baby) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/19 "2020-02-04T15:08:20Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I read it as objecting to that program. That’s how I read it too. Obviously, if the number actually goes to the program, it must mean “don’t abandon your baby somewhere other than our approved locations, which you can identify by calling this number,” but I definitely thought it was some weirdo group that was trying to shame women for not wanting to keep their babies, like a post-birth version of a crisis pregnancy center or something. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470/20 "2020-02-04T15:24:22Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > That’s how I read it too. Obviously, if the number actually goes to the program, it must mean “don’t abandon your baby somewhere other than our approved locations, which you can identify by calling this number,” but I definitely thought it was some weirdo group that was trying to shame women for not wanting to keep their babies, like a post-birth version of a crisis pregnancy center or something. If you go to the website for the program, they use the phrase “Don’t Abandon Your Baby,” the same colors, logo and font. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wtf-bumper-sticker/847470.md?page=2)