New VA welcome sign

[SteveG1988]

http://wtvr.com/2015/01/06/new-virginia-is-for-lovers-sign-at-dulles-is-one-of-105-to-come-this-year/

[Mapmikey]

These have started appearing...

Seen one on I-495 Outer Loop and also I-85...

Mapmikey

[Halian]

Mapmikey

This sort of thing infuriates me. Not only do you have a signature that is appended to every post you make, the same treatment is given to your username. >

[Mapmikey]

Mapmikey

This sort of thing infuriates me. Not only do you have a signature that is appended to every post you make, the same treatment is given to your username. >

?

I intentionally type 'mapmikey' at the end of nearly all my posts.  But not this one...

[cpzilliacus]

This sort of thing infuriates me. Not only do you have a signature that is appended to every post you make, the same treatment is given to your username. >

A friendly suggestion - get over it. 

Mapmikey is a valued member of this forum, especially for his extensive knowledge of the highway network of Virginia.

[cpzilliacus]

These have started appearing...

Seen one on I-495 Outer Loop and also I-85...

Mapmikey

I do not like them, even though they are supposed to "look new."

Much prefer the "traditional" cardinal in a dogwood tree on a blue background.

[oscar]

Much prefer the "traditional" cardinal in a dogwood tree on a blue background.

Here's a dissenting view from a bird lover who thinks cardinals are waaaay overdone among the state birds (he much prefers warblers and raptors). The traditional Virginia welcome sign at the American Legion bridge is what set off his rant.

I don't mind the new welcome signs, though the "Virginia is for Lovers" slogan is being re-flogged to death, and I wouldn't be surprised if people tire of it and the next Governor changes the welcome signs again.

[Zeffy]

Mapmikey

This sort of thing infuriates me. Not only do you have a signature that is appended to every post you make, the same treatment is given to your username. >

Carl, please be a bit more mindful of comments towards others. Mapmikey's posting style is in full tolerance to the forum rules, so he's doing nothing wrong. Thanks!

Much prefer the "traditional" cardinal in a dogwood tree on a blue background.

Agreed, I've seen pictures of the new Virginia welcome signs and I flat out don't like them.

[The Nature Boy]

Count me as another vote for the cardinal welcome sign. These are pretty terrible looking.

[Takumi]

I don't like it. I didn't like it when they added the slogan to the standard issue license plate a couple years ago either.

[Mapmikey]

This sort of thing infuriates me. Not only do you have a signature that is appended to every post you make, the same treatment is given to your username. >

A friendly suggestion - get over it. 



Mapmikey is a valued member of this forum, especially for his extensive knowledge of the highway network of Virginia.

Appreciate the defense... I don't know what the hubbub is about.  Most people sign their name at the ends of e-mails even though many times it is clear by the sender e-mail address who it is from...

[Halian]

A friendly suggestion - get over it.

Carl, please be a bit more mindful of comments towards others. Mapmikey's posting style is in full tolerance to the forum rules, so he's doing nothing wrong. Thanks!

[1995hoo]

I don't like either the signs or the slogan. The slogan has been around for years and I've never liked it, though if I had been a bit older during the 1970s I would have appreciated the humor value of Virginia using that slogan right as Maryland was using "Maryland Is for Crabs."

[SignGeek101]

Am I the only one that thinks of gay marriage when I saw that? I know it sounds silly (and maybe immature) to think of that but that's what I seriously thought the governor was trying to promote for his state.

I don't really like it. Virginia can be known for other things than "being for lovers".

[Mapmikey]

Here is the origin of the phrase (from http://www.virginia.org/virginiaisforlovers/):

The phrase came from a creative team headed by George Woltz of Martin & Woltz Inc., the Richmond advertising agency that won the Virginia State Travel Service account in 1968. According to Martin, a $100-a-week copywriter named Robin McLaughlin came up with an advertising concept that read, "Virginia is for history lovers." For a beach-oriented ad, the headline would have read, "Virginia is for beach lovers"; for a mountains ad, "Virginia is for mountain lovers," and so on. Martin thought the approach might be too limiting. Woltz agreed, and the agency dropped the modifier and made it simply "Virginia is for Lovers." The first ad mentioning the new slogan ran in the March 1969 issue of "Modern Bride."

Mapmikey

[hbelkins]

Am I the only one that thinks of gay marriage when I saw that? I know it sounds silly (and maybe immature) to think of that but that's what I seriously thought the governor was trying to promote for his state.

I don't really like it. Virginia can be known for other things than "being for lovers".

The slogan dates to 1968, and I can remember it being used on maps and tourist booklets/brochures since my childhood.

[SteveG1988]

To be fair, i actually like it. To me it kinda has a retro appeal due to how basic it is overall. I mean it isn't as vibrant as the WV welcome sign for example.

[froggie]

Though I agree the cardinal is "overused", I prefer the cardinal signs to these new ones.

[Pete from Boston]

Funny thing–without digging up the details, I know the vaunted cardinal is an invasive here.  A 1950s bird-identification record my favorite radio station played mentioned the cardinal being new to the Northeast.

How long has it been "native" to Virginia?

[The Nature Boy]

Funny thing–without digging up the details, I know the vaunted cardinal is an invasive here.  A 1950s bird-identification record my favorite radio station played mentioned the cardinal being new to the Northeast.

How long has it been "native" to Virginia?

Virginia made it the state bird in 1950 so I assume quite a while.

[NE2]

Mapmikey

[seicer]

I think the sign could have been designed better. For what it's worth, West Virginia's redesign is top notch - that was, until the current sitting governor saw it fit to replace "Wild and Wonderful" with "Open For Business" (reversed after the state became a laughingstock).

The state would go a long ways in removing the "RADAR DETECTORS ILLEGAL" and the aircraft enforcement crap that supersedes the welcome sign!

Mapmikey

[rickmastfan67]

Guys, stop intentionally doing you know what.... Only warning.

[cpzilliacus]

Though I agree the cardinal is "overused", I prefer the cardinal signs to these new ones.

I much prefer the cardinal on a few dogwood branches, with a blue background.

[Henry]

Though I agree the cardinal is "overused", I prefer the cardinal signs to these new ones.

I much prefer the cardinal on a few dogwood branches, with a blue background.

As if it weren't bad enough that they put the black background on the new signs, so they had to add the slogan too. That has DOUBLE-FAIL written all over it!