Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[kphoger]

I would add a stem on your arrow so it looks more like the standard No Left/Right Turn signs.

I thought of that, but making it look like a standard No Left Turn sign would obfuscate the actual intended meaning:  if I saw a No Left Turn sign, then I would assume it's still OK to shift between the frontage road and the main roadway.

[1995hoo]

it makes perfect sense right there because there are some trees between the service road and the main road coupled with traffic coming off the Nassau Expressway at relatively high speeds, such that they want service road traffic to move over one block further down.

And yet apparently that isn't a concern when it comes to traffic approaching from the side street itself, turning from a right angle...

I would assume–this is just my guess–that's because it's easier to look 90° to your left than it is to turn your head almost completely to see traffic coming essentially from behind you.

[vdeane]

it makes perfect sense right there because there are some trees between the service road and the main road coupled with traffic coming off the Nassau Expressway at relatively high speeds, such that they want service road traffic to move over one block further down.

And yet apparently that isn't a concern when it comes to traffic approaching from the side street itself, turning from a right angle...

I would assume–this is just my guess–that's because it's easier to look 90° to your left than it is to turn your head almost completely to see traffic coming essentially from behind you.

I would figure that as well.  The difficulty and awkwardness of looking nearly 180° is why I try to avoid this stop sign.

[kphoger]

In nosing around, I discovered a rather interesting sign just inside New York city limits prohibiting moving from the Seagirt Boulevard service road onto westbound Seagirt Boulevard.

I would assume–this is just my guess–that's because it's easier to look 90° to your left than it is to turn your head almost completely to see traffic coming essentially from behind you.

I would figure that as well.

How is it any easier one block farther down the road?

[1995hoo]

In nosing around, I discovered a rather interesting sign just inside New York city limits prohibiting moving from the Seagirt Boulevard service road onto westbound Seagirt Boulevard.

I would assume–this is just my guess–that's because it's easier to look 90° to your left than it is to turn your head almost completely to see traffic coming essentially from behind you.

I would figure that as well.

How is it any easier one block farther down the road?

You're farther from the interchange with the Nassau Expressway, so I guess they deem it less dangerous.

[JoePCool14]

it makes perfect sense right there because there are some trees between the service road and the main road coupled with traffic coming off the Nassau Expressway at relatively high speeds, such that they want service road traffic to move over one block further down.

And yet apparently that isn't a concern when it comes to traffic approaching from the side street itself, turning from a right angle...

I would assume–this is just my guess–that's because it's easier to look 90° to your left than it is to turn your head almost completely to see traffic coming essentially from behind you.

I would figure that as well.  The difficulty and awkwardness of looking nearly 180° is why I try to avoid this stop sign.

Who thought that was a good design? Was it supposed to be traffic calming?

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/Zti7JbvLvWPpHJRXA
Not only is this sign interesting that the 405 freeway is in text on a private enterprise sign, but that you would be routed through a parking garage to get there.

https://goo.gl/maps/3D3jw9JCuNxH1qd4A
Then this where the ONLY warning is two lanes out, but the one lane out is not warned.

https://goo.gl/maps/xYqnwdzof2ZueuSEA
Then the I-405 Freeway Entrance sign is to the left of the guide sign and not to the right of it.

[roadfro]

https://goo.gl/maps/xYqnwdzof2ZueuSEA
Then the I-405 Freeway Entrance sign is to the left of the guide sign and not to the right of it.

Normally, I think Caltrans would put the guide sign before the ramp, but it's likely placed here so that the right turn is not confused with the adjacent side street. The configuration of the guide sign with respect to freeway entrance sign package likely has something to do with differing sign placement standards for the two types of signs (guide signs typically being further back from edge of pavement).

[ClassicHasClass]

https://goo.gl/maps/xYqnwdzof2ZueuSEA
Then the I-405 Freeway Entrance sign is to the left of the guide sign and not to the right of it.

Normally, I think Caltrans would put the guide sign before the ramp, but it's likely placed here so that the right turn is not confused with the adjacent side street. The configuration of the guide sign with respect to freeway entrance sign package likely has something to do with differing sign placement standards for the two types of signs (guide signs typically being further back from edge of pavement).

I'll further add that the configuration is not uncommon in California exactly for that reason.

[J N Winkler]

Another "fare" sign is due to bite the dust just south of the Mackinac Bridge.  The following sign sketches come from the construction plans for Michigan DOT contract 20015-201971.

Original sign:



New sign:



However, an existing "fare" sign upstream will be retained in place.

[jay8g]

Holy cow that's a lot of small text. Seriously, the only way you could possibly read that is walking by, and while there's technically a sidewalk there, it ends just past the sign and the road ends at I-5 not much further, so there's absolutely no reason anyone would be walking here unless they really wanted to read the sign for some reason. And even the full-size text looks awful.

[JoePCool14]

Holy cow that's a lot of small text. Seriously, the only way you could possibly read that is walking by, and while there's technically a sidewalk there, it ends just past the sign and the road ends at I-5 not much further, so there's absolutely no reason anyone would be walking here unless they really wanted to read the sign for some reason. And even the full-size text looks awful.

I think we found a winner!

[LilianaUwU]

Holy cow that's a lot of small text. Seriously, the only way you could possibly read that is walking by, and while there's technically a sidewalk there, it ends just past the sign and the road ends at I-5 not much further, so there's absolutely no reason anyone would be walking here unless they really wanted to read the sign for some reason. And even the full-size text looks awful.

I rarely swear on here (but I'm a sailor mouth otherwise), but I think this is worthy of a "what the fuck?"

[Max Rockatansky]

Seems that a Christmas Tree Lane shield was installed this year on Van Ness Boulevard in Fresno just north of Shields Avenue.  This segment of Van Ness Boulevard has held a Christmas Tree Lane event since 1920:

IMG_7373 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[Mr. Matté]

Mommy mommy buy me a street sign!

[Big John]

Seems that a Christmas Tree Lane shield was installed this year on Van Ness Boulevard in Fresno just north of Shields Avenue.  This segment of Van Ness Boulevard has held a Christmas Tree Lane event since 1920:

IMG_7373 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Borrowed from the European triangular signs?

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/FQ8PhKUduB66LuYr8
These US 30 shields are very ugly.

[Big John]

^^ Acorn shields again 

[formulanone]

Mommy mommy buy me a street sign!

...were you talking to my street?

[Max Rockatansky]

Mommy mommy buy me a street sign!

Excuse me, were you talking to my street?

No, my street is also named Bort.

[Hunty2022]

Could've replaced it at least, VDOT...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/197116857@N03/52557734465/in/datetaken-public/

[plain]

Yeah those oversized arrows are terrible.

[Amaury]

This one is interesting since there is no Interstate 90 Alternate: https://goo.gl/maps/g2sofhJhXgrxn8WX7

Unless they mean it as an alternate way to get to Interstate 90, and they don't mean it like US Route 97 Alternate or Washington State Route 141 Alternate, both of which do exist. Although I don't know why you would go all the way that way to get back on Interstate 90 in either direction when there are entrances and exits right there by Chevron. Coming from that way if you took the earlier exit, I understand, but...

[LilianaUwU]

The QC 138 part of this assembly is huge compared to the A-20 part. Avenue Saint-Pierre NB, Montréal.

Big QC 138 shield, Montréal by Liliana Vess, on Flickr

[zachary_amaryllis]

The QC 138 part of this assembly is huge compared to the A-20 part. Avenue Saint-Pierre NB, Montréal.

Big QC 138 shield, Montréal by Liliana Vess, on Flickr

I feel like this is a great case of 'similar-looking stuff means similiar stuff'.

I don't speak French, and the text of the signs is unreadable by me. But, the shapes, colors, etc. seem to translate well. I could probably dope out "EST" is "East" etc.