Hacked signs warn of 'idiots on bikes' head of Ironman

May 30 (UPI) -- Signs along North Carolina highways serving as the route of an upcoming Ironman race were hacked to warn of delays stemming from "idiots on bikes."

Gene Caffrey said he was riding on Old U.S. Route 1 near Moncure last weekend when he spotted the electronic sign warning drivers to expect delays June 3 because of "[expletive] holes on bikes."

"I didn't think it was real. I thought I was seeing things," he told WTVD-TV. "Seeing the signs like that, it just sends the wrong message."

Beci Markijohn Beasley posted a video to Facebook showing a sign along U.S. Route 64, near Jordan Lake, that showed a similar warning about "idiots on bikes."

Caffrey, who has participated in two Ironman races, said the signs stoke tensions between drivers and cyclists.

"It's dangerous. We're up against thousands of pounds of cars and you got to stay as safe as possible," he said. "At the end of the day, we're coming home to our families. We want to stay safe and we're drivers too. Everyone's got to understand the rules out there, and why we're at where we're at on the road and how we ride."

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said it does not own the signs. The signs, which might belong to Ironman and were apparently hacked, showed the normal warning messages, sans commentary, on Tuesday.