DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Department of Transportation workers recently took down this sign posted on Waialae Avenue due to the altered wording from vandals.

UDown Web site now includes a disclaimer

But state officials still say the clothing shop promotes vandalism

A Kailua clothing shop is now including a disclaimer on its Web site that attempts to discourage its customers from putting their lives in danger when promoting its most popular logo.

UDown put up its disclaimer after it was threatened with possible legal action by the state.

The state Department of Transportation alleged that some photos on UDown's Web site promoted vandalism by encouraging the public to put stickers in high-reaching places, endangering their safety.

Officials still are not pleased with a photo of a silhouette of a person placing a sticker on a freeway sign remaining on UDown's gallery Web page at www.udownafied.com along with other photos of roadway signs with the company's main logo sticker on them.

"What's the difference from the old Web site?" asked Scott Ishikawa, Department of Transportation spokesman. "It doesn't matter if you put up a disclaimer. ... What's the whole point if you put up the photos?"

Last month, the company temporarily shut down its Web site to make changes following a letter sent by transportation officials that they had referred the matter to the attorney general's office.

In UDown's new Web site, which was reactivated on the Internet last week, the company added a disclaimer that reads, "UDown does not aid, abet, solicit or counsel anyone to vandalize public and/or private property."

"In fact, UDown, wants to advise people to not attempt to put a sticker (or anything for that matter) on any private or public infrastructure, signage, etc., so please do not put your life in jeopardy for UDown," the disclaimer says.

Said Justin McCoy, one of the four UDown business partners, "We hope the disclaimer discourages anyone from putting their lives at risk."

McCoy said they kept the photos on the revamped Web site because "we feel that it's a freedom of speech and entertainment."

"There are way worse Web sites out there that have way worse things going on," McCoy said.

Ishikawa said UDown's Web site is still promoting vandalism and encouraging the public to put themselves in danger through its photos.

"It's more than just vandalism," he added. "Somebody is climbing up 30-foot signs and putting these stickers up there. It's a miracle nobody has gotten hurt yet."