1764                                        LAWS OF MARYLAND                                    Ch. 472

SIGNAL, MARKING, OR DEVICE THAT ATTEMPTS to direct the movement

of traffic[;].

[(3) Hides] (C) A PERSON MAY NOT PLACE, MAINTAIN, OR
DISPLAY ON OR IN VIEW OF ANY HIGHWAY ANY UNAUTHORIZED SIGN,
SIGNAL, MARKING, OR DEVICE THAT HIDES or interferes with the
effectiveness of a traffic control device or a railroad sign or
signal[; or].

[(4) Except] (D) A PERSON MAY NOT PLACE, MAINTAIN,
OR DISPLAY ON OR IN VIEW OF ANY HIGHWAY ANY UNAUTHORIZED SIGN,
SIGNAL, MARKING, OR DEVICE THAT, EXCEPT as otherwise permitted by

law, contains:

[(i)] (1) Any of the following words: "stop",
"curve", "warning", "slow", "danger", "listen", "look", or
"school"; or

[(ii)] (2) Any other word used in directing the
movement of traffic.

[(b)] (E) A person may not place or maintain on any highway
nor may any public authority permit on any highway any traffic
sign or signal that has any commercial advertising on it.

[(c)] (F) This section does not prohibit the placement on
private property adjacent to a highway of a sign giving useful
directional information, if the sign is of a type that cannot be
mistaken for an official sign and is placed with the approval of
the State Highway Administration.

[(d)] (G) Each sign, signal, marking, or device prohibited
by this section is a public nuisance, and the authority that has
jurisdiction over the highway may remove it without notice.

21-206.

(A) A person without lawful authority may not willfully
alter[, deface, injure, knock down, change the direction of,
twist, or remove any part of] any traffic control device or any
railroad sign or signal, including any inscription, shield, or
insignia on it.

(B)  A PERSON WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY MAY NOT WILFULLY
WILLFULLY DEFACE ANY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE OR ANY RAILROAD SIGN
OR SIGNAL, INCLUDING ANY INSCRIPTION, SHIELD, OR INSIGNIA ON IT.

(C)  A PERSON WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY MAY NOT WILFULLY
WILLFULLY INJURE ANY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE OR ANY RAILROAD SIGN
OR SIGNAL, INCLUDING ANY INSCRIPTION, SHIELD, OR INSIGNIA ON IT.

(D)  A PERSON WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY MAY NOT WILFULLY
WILLFULLY KNOCK DOWN ANY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE OR ANY RAILROAD
SIGN OR SIGNAL, INCLUDING ANY INSCRIPTION, SHIELD, OR INSIGNIA ON
IT.