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

[jakeroot]

Another question (probably for JN Winkler): why did the UK decide to adopt 10-mph increments instead of 5? We must seem odd to British people, with our 5-mph speed limit increments (even if other Commonwealth countries, prior to metric conversion, also used increments of 5).

A companion question: why is that you also tend to see more x5 speed limits in the US than x0 ones? Speed limits in neighborhoods are usually 25, not 20 or 30 (when do you ever see 30, really?), arterials are often 35 or 45 (but you see 40 a lot too), and then rural roads and freeways are often 55 or 65. You see 70 a lot, but 75 is starting to take over in a lot of states, although 80 is replacing 75 in some places.

Perhaps it has something to do with the old 55 NMSL, and traffic engineers setting their speed limits as round offsets from that?

This is also a great question, and despite prior responses, I would also tend to agree that limits ending in -5 are a bit more common in cities. Although there are quite a few cities (Seattle until recently) where the legislated limit for all roads is 30 unless posted otherwise. Still, I think 25 and 35 are the most common speed limits in the country by a large margin.

There are going to be exceptions to the -5 rule (WA uses either 60 or 70 for basically every freeway), but within cities, it's pretty common to see limits ending in -5, especially 25 and 35.

[GenExpwy]

Another question (probably for JN Winkler): why did the UK decide to adopt 10-mph increments instead of 5? We must seem odd to British people, with our 5-mph speed limit increments (even if other Commonwealth countries, prior to metric conversion, also used increments of 5).

A companion question: why is that you also tend to see more x5 speed limits in the US than x0 ones? Speed limits in neighborhoods are usually 25, not 20 or 30 (when do you ever see 30, really?), arterials are often 35 or 45 (but you see 40 a lot too), and then rural roads and freeways are often 55 or 65. You see 70 a lot, but 75 is starting to take over in a lot of states, although 80 is replacing 75 in some places.

Perhaps it has something to do with the old 55 NMSL, and traffic engineers setting their speed limits as round offsets from that?

I think the NMSL effect could be via cars' speedometers. I think the feds put pressure on the car companies – maybe an actual regulation – to make the "55"  prominent, in the hope of increasing compliance. So for a couple decades, 15—25—35—45—55—65 speedometers were common.

[D-Dey65]

Interesting way to denote Water Street in Elmira, New York; at the NY 352 exit off I-86/NY 17:

That's certainly one of the more unique reuse of one way arrows. And I thought the stuff I saw in Manorville, Calverton, and Riverhead back in the day were odd.

Brand new speed limit sign; Tacoma, WA.

Spotted this approaching the car park/truck loading zone of a new logistics facility.

For the record: Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 46.61.415 does not permit limits below 20mph, so this sign is worthless anyways.

But officer, I thought the sign said 115 mph.

[jeffandnicole]

Another question (probably for JN Winkler): why did the UK decide to adopt 10-mph increments instead of 5? We must seem odd to British people, with our 5-mph speed limit increments (even if other Commonwealth countries, prior to metric conversion, also used increments of 5).

A companion question: why is that you also tend to see more x5 speed limits in the US than x0 ones? Speed limits in neighborhoods are usually 25, not 20 or 30 (when do you ever see 30, really?), arterials are often 35 or 45 (but you see 40 a lot too), and then rural roads and freeways are often 55 or 65. You see 70 a lot, but 75 is starting to take over in a lot of states, although 80 is replacing 75 in some places.

Perhaps it has something to do with the old 55 NMSL, and traffic engineers setting their speed limits as round offsets from that?

I think the NMSL effect could be via cars' speedometers. I think the feds put pressure on the car companies – maybe an actual regulation – to make the "55"  prominent, in the hope of increasing compliance. So for a couple decades, 15—25—35—45—55—65 speedometers were common.

This was mainly a US automaker thing, and wasn't mandated. Toyota, Nissan and Hondas always used x0 markings, even during the NMSL.

Noting Scott's observances on speed limits, this is also a thing where you see certain limits more than others in different regions or states. There are plenty of 40 mph limits in NJ, for example.

[J N Winkler]

No...? My observation is simply that if non-round speed limits had any sort of actual, data-based efficacy, rather than anecdotal or "hmm, makes sense to me! common sense!" justifications, then the MUTCD would be silent on or encourage them. That it instead bans them implies that the given justification for them is flawed and NCUTCD is in possession of data to justify their position. If J.N. Winkler's memory is correct, that would seem to confirm that.

I suspect this issue was studied in the 1950's or the 1960's, when much of the basic research into setting speed limits was done.  The trick is finding the appropriate search terms in TRIS--it's partly a question of guessing how "speed limits that are not integer multiples of 5 MPH" would have been specified in the abstract or article text.

Another question (probably for JN Winkler): why did the UK decide to adopt 10-mph increments instead of 5? We must seem odd to British people, with our 5-mph speed limit increments (even if other Commonwealth countries, prior to metric conversion, also used increments of 5).

I believe TSRGD has for decades included a provision to the effect that the speed limit sign must show a value that is an integer multiple of 10 MPH, but I don't recall offhand how far back that goes.  The stylized fact is that all national speed limits have been integer multiples of 10 MPH since 1903.  The speed limit was 20 MPH everywhere until the Road Traffic Act 1930 brought in full derestriction, including in cities.  The Road Traffic Act 1934 brought in urban 30 limits that were (and still are) tied to provision of streetlighting.  70 limits were introduced on previously derestricted roads in 1965 (initially on an experimental basis), and dropped to 60 on single carriageways in 1977.  (The Wikipedia article has a reasonably good synopsis.)

There are some aspects of US practice for setting and signing speed limits that have traditionally been viewed unfavorably in the UK, where the culture emphasizes cultivating a high level of driving skill (with, e.g., rigid ideas about how to check for conflicting traffic and signal before changing lanes) and then setting the driver free to read the road with a minimum of micromanaging, as is consistent with policing by consent.  Advisory speeds are rarely signed on bends, for example--they are not considered to be robustly supported by research, so you are supposed to apply your skill as a driver to read the curve and determine a safe speed for your combination of vehicular handling characteristics and comfort level.  Meanwhile, signing of speed limits adheres rigidly to a zone model, and you are not supposed to be able to go so much as an inch in any direction while in doubt about the speed limit.  For example, if a zone boundary is right at a junction where making a turn changes the speed limit that applies to you in a way that requires signing (not all possible cases do), signs for both the old and new limits will typically be mounted on the same post right in the intersection throat, rather than (as in the US) one sign some way down one road and one sign some way down the other (if one sign or the other is not omitted altogether), an approach that is seen as leaving the driver in doubt (even if only for a few hundred yards) as to which limit applies and thus as opening the door to police harassment.  (Even the US practice of the police looking at people walking in rural areas as possible vagrants, or--these days--fair game for "welfare checks," tends to be seen in the UK as assaultive and threatening.)

Allowing only speed limits that are integer multiples of 10 MPH translates into a more restricted menu of options for setting custom limits, and that is consistent with the traditional approach of leaving the driver free to read the road.  Admittedly, in the past 25 years or so, there has been some convergence in approach between the US and the UK as the US has abandoned the NMSL while the UK has introduced large-scale use of automated enforcement, urban 20 zones, and speed zoning (40 or 50 limits) on single-carriageway rural roads whose design is not deemed sufficient to support sustained cruising at the NSL of 60.  But in Britain, none of this has translated into an appetite for speed limits graduated in increments of 5 MPH.

[renegade]

I think the NMSL effect could be via cars' speedometers. I think the feds put pressure on the car companies – maybe an actual regulation – to make the "55"  prominent, in the hope of increasing compliance. So for a couple decades, 15—25—35—45—55—65 speedometers were common.

Per Wikipedia, for what it's worth:

"On 1 September 1979 the NHTSA required speedometers to have special emphasis on 55 mph and display no more than a maximum speed of 85 mph. On 25 March 1982 the NHTSA revoked the rule because no "significant safety benefits" could come from maintaining the standard"

Regulation lasted slightly more than four years.  My last vehicle with an 85-MPH speedometer was a 1994 Ford Taurus, and the last with 55 highlighted was a 1997 Ford Explorer with a 110-MPH speedometer.

My current vehicle is a Dodge Charger with a 160-MPH dial.  How times have changed.

[CoreySamson]

Here's a small blue guide sign promoting the B.G Peck Soccer Complex in Angleton, TX, using a unique symbol of a soccer ball I've never seen before on a road sign:

TX 288@ CR 44:
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.1775482,-95.4530485,3a,15y,27.68h,88.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVnm91nsNVl_tgT8QEqdGqA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[amroad17]

https://goo.gl/maps/HLivPUPTVd1RU9go8
https://goo.gl/maps/BA2XQCbDNWB6BeVR8

These speed limit signs are posted in Trenton, TN.  So much for following the "multiples of 5" rule.  I guess Trenton takes it as a suggestion! 

When I saw the 11.5 speed limit sign, it reminded me of seeing these in Trenton when I delivered there in 2004 for the expedited trucking company I worked for out of Cincinnati.

[zachary_amaryllis]

near jersey city, nj (w of exit of holland tunnel)

not sure what the speed limit is.
https://goo.gl/maps/98cbypWZv2EJ8rBfA

[JoePCool14]

near jersey city, nj (w of exit of holland tunnel)

not sure what the speed limit is.
https://goo.gl/maps/98cbypWZv2EJ8rBfA

The sign on the left is pretty unique! It looks like different neon words for different applicable situations. Almost like a poor man's VMS.

[zachary_amaryllis]

near jersey city, nj (w of exit of holland tunnel)

not sure what the speed limit is.
https://goo.gl/maps/98cbypWZv2EJ8rBfA

The sign on the left is pretty unique! It looks like different neon words for different applicable situations. Almost like a poor man's VMS.

i lived in nj when i was a kid, and remember seeing these lit up.. like, vms before it was in style.

[Old Dominionite]

near jersey city, nj (w of exit of holland tunnel)

not sure what the speed limit is.
https://goo.gl/maps/98cbypWZv2EJ8rBfA

The sign on the left is pretty unique! It looks like different neon words for different applicable situations. Almost like a poor man's VMS.

i lived in nj when i was a kid, and remember seeing these lit up.. like, vms before it was in style.

Those old VMS signs used to be found all along the NJT. I thought they had all been taken down in recent years.

[jeffandnicole]

near jersey city, nj (w of exit of holland tunnel)

not sure what the speed limit is.
https://goo.gl/maps/98cbypWZv2EJ8rBfA

The sign on the left is pretty unique! It looks like different neon words for different applicable situations. Almost like a poor man's VMS.

These were state of the art when first used. And they could all be controlled by their central operations department in a single building, which was probably the only agency in the country to do so at the time. The Turnpike did fall behind the times for a bit, but went all in with the latest generation VMS units, every 3 miles or so.

As for those old flip-style changeable speed limit signs, those things stopped working well in the 1990s. Near the end of their lives, you could go over 25 miles from Exit 1 to past Exit 3, and never encounter a working speed limit sign. The Turnpike never supplemented them with regular speed limit signs either, so if you weren't familiar with the speedblimit, you would have no idea what the true speed limit was.

[roadman65]

near jersey city, nj (w of exit of holland tunnel)

not sure what the speed limit is.
https://goo.gl/maps/98cbypWZv2EJ8rBfA

The sign on the left is pretty unique! It looks like different neon words for different applicable situations. Almost like a poor man's VMS.

Yes that was the norm growing up for me in NJ.  In fact the original 55 mph were neon with a back lit green with black letter SPEED LIMIT.  From Exits 1 to 4 it had a smaller Reduce Speed neon assembly though and reduced speeds were in white numbers to show the difference.  Before the National 55 law took place the standard speed limit was 60 mph and that used the red neon 60 until the 55 law was implemented.

[HTM Duke]

Found while traveling on Baker CR 125 approaching CR 127:
Turn right to get to FL FL-2

[STLmapboy]

A Pennsylvania town gives sound advice on pulling out.

[US71]

Fold up sign near Fort Chaffee (Barling, Arkansas)

[roadman65]

https://goo.gl/maps/dU4qG2sCMUXgdMJcA
The exit guide for WB Exit 13 along I-280 in Newark, NJ has a lot to be desired for. 

Also if you can't find it, look at the light post to the right.  Obviously it is not well seen by motorists either.

[Ned Weasel]

https://goo.gl/maps/dU4qG2sCMUXgdMJcA
The exit guide for WB Exit 13 along I-280 in Newark, NJ has a lot to be desired for. 

Also if you can't find it, look at the light post to the right.  Obviously it is not well seen by motorists either.

What happened, NJDOT?  I rave and rave about you and how great a job you do with road signs, and you disappoint me like this?

Conventional road-scaled guide signs on a friggin' Interstate freeway.  I've seen worse, though.

[STLmapboy]

https://goo.gl/maps/dU4qG2sCMUXgdMJcA
The exit guide for WB Exit 13 along I-280 in Newark, NJ has a lot to be desired for. 

Also if you can't find it, look at the light post to the right.  Obviously it is not well seen by motorists either.

What happened, NJDOT?  I rave and rave about you and how great a job you do with road signs, and you disappoint me like this?

Conventional road-scaled guide signs on a friggin' Interstate freeway.  I've seen worse, though.

I would assert that your own KDOT does better than NJDOT with road signs.

[Ned Weasel]

I would assert that your own KDOT does better than NJDOT with road signs.

NJDOT usually does a better job at signing arterial, non-freeway highways and at signing concurriencies than KDOT.  And NJDOT, from what I've seen, is better at using control cities than KDOT.  But both have their faults, sure.

[STLmapboy]

Not North American, but anyone want to take a stab at what the sign at 9:25 in this video means?

[kkt]

Not North American, but anyone want to take a stab at what the sign at 9:25 in this video means?

What beautiful landscape!

The sign, maybe "monkeys ahead, please don't alarm them by blowing your horn"?

[J3ebrules]

Not North American, but anyone want to take a stab at what the sign at 9:25 in this video means?

What beautiful landscape!

The sign, maybe "monkeys ahead, please don't alarm them by blowing your horn"?

That was my thought as well. Some places do have primates that can do serious damage to your car if you upset them. And car horns can be pretty upsetting.

[CoreySamson]

This BGS shouldn't be so massive...

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.0326773,-95.4433148,3a,15.1y,321.14h,91.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxJY-f7YPgTSkvxQiv2CGpg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

First off, no one ever refers to Oak Drive as Veterans Memorial Parkway, and second, West Way is a relatively small side street that I think shouldn't be signed. It could (and should) be half its current size.

P.S. It's a lot bigger in person than it looks here.