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

[SignGeek101]

An odd use of this sign...

https://goo.gl/maps/386yWtNqdhQ2

[1995hoo]

Rather odd BGS to the left over the yet-to-open I-75 express lanes approaching the I-595 interchange. The 700-foot distance is odd too. I saw this sign this summer but wasn't able to get a picture and then forgot about it until another thread here prompted me to remember it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1010246,-80.3604975,3a,75y,29.53h,78.37t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scy9X5zIacGp89WjDQjN44g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[paulthemapguy]

I've never seen a sign like this before!  A cane indicating the presence of handicapped people in Toledo, Ohio


OH-US24-BlindpplS by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[thenetwork]

I've never seen a sign like this before!  A cane indicating the presence of handicapped people in Toledo, Ohio


OH-US24-BlindpplS by Paul Drives, on Flickr

Those have been around in Toledo for decades.  They had those by the University of Toledo in the early 80s. 

One problem with that sign -- they forgot to add the white tip to the cane, like the ones by the university had.

[kphoger]

Seriously, how big of a danger is this?  I can only assume it's for crop dusters.

85th Street, between Valley Center (KS) and I-135

[Rothman]

Seriously, how big of a danger is this?  I can only assume it's for crop dusters.

85th Street, between Valley Center (KS) and I-135

That's actually a common sign used on roads around airports where planes take off and land very near the road.  Probably just to help stop drivers be stunned by a big plane which may appear closer to the ground than it actually is.

[kphoger]

Seriously, how big of a danger is this?  I can only assume it's for crop dusters.

85th Street, between Valley Center (KS) and I-135

That's actually a common sign used on roads around airports where planes take off and land very near the road.  Probably just to help stop drivers be stunned by a big plane which may appear closer to the ground than it actually is.

Ah.  I'd never seen one before.

I do, however, note an absence of airports anywhere near Valley Center.

[Rothman]

Seriously, how big of a danger is this?  I can only assume it's for crop dusters.

85th Street, between Valley Center (KS) and I-135

That's actually a common sign used on roads around airports where planes take off and land very near the road.  Probably just to help stop drivers be stunned by a big plane which may appear closer to the ground than it actually is.

Ah.  I'd never seen one before.

I do, however, note an absence of airports anywhere near Valley Center.

Here's one on I-90 WB (Mass Pike) near Barnes Airport in Westfield, MA.

[cjk374]

20161017_131547 by Jess Kilgore, on Flickr

Definitely an add-on by the Claiborne Parish highway dept.

[jbnv]

"House Crossing"

I've never seen a sign like this before!  A cane indicating the presence of handicapped people in Toledo, Ohio


OH-US24-BlindpplS by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[mrsman]

I've never seen a sign like this before!  A cane indicating the presence of handicapped people in Toledo, Ohio


OH-US24-BlindpplS by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I understand the push for internationalization of signs, but some concepts can be quite  insulting in picture format.

Blind typically have a different cane, so I would never guess that this sign referred to the blind.  But what would an alternative be, a man with red X's over the eyes?

[spooky]

There doesn't need to be a unique sign. You're supposed to yield to pedestrians no matter their sightedness.

[kphoger]

There doesn't need to be a unique sign. You're supposed to yield to pedestrians no matter their sightedness.

Exactly.
OTOH, it's a warning plaque, not regulatory.  Not sure if I should obey it or not.

But what would an alternative be, a man with red X's over the eyes?

A standard pedestrian, with a cane added.

[jeffandnicole]

There doesn't need to be a unique sign. You're supposed to yield to pedestrians no matter their sightedness.

Exactly.
OTOH, it's a warning plaque, not regulatory.  Not sure if I should obey it or not.

If a similar warning sign showed a curve ahead, would you obey it or ignore it and continue straight?

[kphoger]

I would be warned of the proximity of a curve.  That's what warning signs do.  Absent the sign, nothing changes as to what I'm expected to do as a driver.  Without a warning sign, I'm expected to not go straight where the road curves; in the presence of a warning sign, that still applies but not because there's a sign.

The plaque below it that might say '45 MPH' would be advisory in nature.  I would take that into consideration when choosing what speed to decelerate to, but such speed would not constitute a new speed limit because it's not regulatory in nature.

[amroad17]

I've never seen a sign like this before!  A cane indicating the presence of handicapped people in Toledo, Ohio


OH-US24-BlindpplS by Paul Drives, on Flickr

Maybe the sign should say "YIELD TO VAUDEVILLE ACTS". 

Besides, blind people do not use that kind of cane.

[TR69]

At first it looks like this street sign might be honoring Eli Whitney's invention (especially when zipping by at 55 mph). But, not quite. (It's a local family name. This road leads to their farm.)



Shelbyville, Kentucky.

[TR69]

It could very well be that I lead too sheltered of a life, but I don't think I've ever before seen "Highway" abbreviated like this:



Shelbyville, Kentucky

[mrsman]

There doesn't need to be a unique sign. You're supposed to yield to pedestrians no matter their sightedness.

Of course. But warning drivers that you are passing a location that is more likely to have disabled people is helpful, which is why the warnings exist.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/13043607/whats-the-deal-with-deaf-child-signs-how-do-parents

[cl94]

I was poking around GSV and found this interesting street blade thing in Reagan, TN. Seem to be a bunch of them around Reagan. Any idea why places would use these difficult-to-read signs?

[kphoger]

Glen Ellyn, IL has those, except they're stone posts painted white.

[freebrickproductions]

Glen Ellyn, IL has those, except they're stone posts painted white.

Chattahoochee, FL still uses those, IIRC. Huntsville, AL and Fort Payne, AL also used to use them, but they no longer do, though several still remain in both cities.

[busman_49]

But what would an alternative be, a man with red X's over the eyes?

A standard pedestrian, with a cane added.

Akron, Ohio got it right...
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0816563,-81.5081164,3a,48.1y,184.51h,88.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slqpuqbpVRdvRSnmMwtM0QQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[bzakharin]

I was poking around GSV and found this interesting street blade thing in Reagan, TN. Seem to be a bunch of them around Reagan. Any idea why places would use these difficult-to-read signs?

I've seen similar signs in NJ. Most are very old and black on white, but here is a newer looking blue one at Main Street and Woodbridge Avenue in Metuchen:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5400609,-74.3604708,3a,37.5y,153h,82.67t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6YyH5o71kkJGpOf61AFYKw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

Edit: it seems they are all over that part of Metuchen. Here's another one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5424045,-74.3523315,3a,37.5y,213.8h,73.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slIHXTyk-g12kuwfDSYe2Sw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

[KEVIN_224]

New Britain, CT used to have tall white wooden street sign posts with black lettering. Somehow, one is still standing a few blocks from here...sort of!

https://goo.gl/maps/LZGKXz5rvDL2