Erroneous road signs

[Alps]

I have a relatively old digital camera that's been pretty good for roadgeek photos. Set it in "shutter priority" mode, set shutter speed to 1/500 (then aperture is chosen automatically), set focus at infinity, and I can snap clear photos of signs while whizzing by at freeway speed.  I'm not sure if this is a typical feature of contemporary point-and-shoot cameras...

I've only had my camera for what, 2, 3 years now, and I never thought of just setting it up that way (variance for shutter speed depending on weather/lighting) and not having to worry about it focusing each time. Genius.

[vtk]

Seems like most cameras that aren't too old should be able to pull off 1/500 even in twilight or under heavy clouds, by opening up the aperture and cranking the ISO way up.  (Mine only goes to 400, and it's kind of grainy at that, but it's at least 10 years old.)  But yeah, slowing the shutter is reasonable, especially if you're good at tracking the subject's motion.

[Duke87]

I have a relatively old digital camera that's been pretty good for roadgeek photos. Set it in "shutter priority" mode, set shutter speed to 1/500 (then aperture is chosen automatically), set focus at infinity, and I can snap clear photos of signs while whizzing by at freeway speed.

That's good idea. I should try that.

Only problem is, my camera has this annoying habit of resetting the focus to default every time the camera is turned off/on. So unless I'm taking multiple pictures in rapid succession I have to change the focus back to infinity before each one. Fortunately my camera has a dial ring on the front that I can set to control the focus so this can be done quickly.

[Alps]

Seems like most cameras that aren't too old should be able to pull off 1/500 even in twilight or under heavy clouds, by opening up the aperture and cranking the ISO way up.  (Mine only goes to 400, and it's kind of grainy at that, but it's at least 10 years old.)  But yeah, slowing the shutter is reasonable, especially if you're good at tracking the subject's motion.

I feel pretty good down to about 1/60 with motion, though I'd prefer 1/100. In full sunlight, 1/1000 or even 1/1600 work just fine.

[formulanone]

I use 1/500 or even 1/640, if lighting permits. It depends how far away your subject matter is and how fast you are going. 1/250 or even as slow as 1/60 is fine for objects that are distant and far in front of you (skylines, distant scenery). There's not much to be gained from shooting at 1/1000, unless you're capturing something that is 90 degrees away from the side of the moving vehicle. At that point, you're usually trading sharpness for image grainyness.

I'll shoot 95-99% of the time with shutter priority; but this depends on:
- Which lens I'm using. For example, if I'm using the prime 50mm lens, then manual mode, because f/1.8-2.8 lends tricky-to-get results in a moving vehicle.
- If there's lots of contrast, the light meter may cause under/over-exposures. I try to force manual mode at that point, but something that balances.
- Looking for more bokeh when shooting from outdoors/up-close, then aperture priority.

Of course, this all depends on how much creative control your camera and/or equipment permits.

[WichitaRoads]

All of this seems rather off-topic... new thread perhaps?

ICTRds

[roadman65]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54480415@N08/8880906087/

Here is one in Lakeland, FL along FL 570 Eastbound with a regular FL 570 shield attached in error on the pull through sign here.  In Florida, the general rule is that Toll roads get a special FL Toll Route shield.  Once in a while you encounter these, but usually from old before the toll shields were adopted.  This was signed rather recently and, of course, the FL 570 was opened to traffic after the shields were put out in the field.

[kphoger]

I'd say that's pretty nitpicky.  I mean, they signed FL-570 as FL-570, after all.

[Takumi]

Another 3-digit US 36 shield has appeared in Petersburg.

[kphoger]

Is that not supposed to be US-36?  Or is it another case of highway XXX signed as highway XXX being "erroneous"?

[agentsteel53]

it's VA-36.

[kphoger]

Thanks for the info.  I didn't even know what state the sign was in. 

[okroads]

DSC02339 by okroads, on Flickr

Photo taken by me just east of the U.S. 75/OK 117 interchange on 6-7-13

[codyg1985]

^ Either this would be appropriate in a DDI interchange gone wrong, or in Britain. 

[DSS5]

Photo taken by me just east of the U.S. 75/OK 117 interchange on 6-7-13

Looks like it may have been hung upside down. Perhaps the guy who did it was from a country where they drive on the left.

[Alps]

Photo taken by me just east of the U.S. 75/OK 117 interchange on 6-7-13

Looks like it may have been hung upside down. Perhaps the guy who did it was from a country where they drive on the left.

No, not upside down. It's printed backwards.

[vtk]

A double example of that sign, not backwards but upside-down, can be found on southbound Plain City — Georgesville Road cum OH-142, just before and after the interchange with I-70 in Madison County, Ohio.  On the 2-lane road, the driver sees a W6-2 or upside-down W6-1 warning sign.  The 2-lane road becomes a divided 4-lane road.  After the I-70 junction, the driver sees a W6-1 or upside-down W6-2 warning sign.  Then the 4-lane divided highway becomes a 2-lane road again.

Google Street View imagery is too old to show the erroneous signs.  In fact, it's too old to show the improved 2-lane/4-lane transition on the south end.



Further north, there's a W2-7L that looks more like a Tetris block than a pair of intersections.  Probably belongs in Signs With Design Errors, though I haven't got a picture and it's much too recent for GSV.

[hbelkins]

This has been up about four miles from where I live for at least 13 years.

[thenetwork]

This has been up about four miles from where I live for at least 13 years.

No that is a new "Drivers-who-don't-wear-a-seat-belt-and-skid-out-of-control-may-be-thrown-from-their-vehicle-leaving-their-passenger-helpless" sign. 

[Brandon]

DSC02339 by okroads, on Flickr

Photo taken by me just east of the U.S. 75/OK 117 interchange on 6-7-13

This has been up about four miles from where I live for at least 13 years.

Where was this contractor from, the U.S. Virgin Islands?

[hbelkins]

^^^^
Nope, done by state forces.

[Duke87]

I remember as a kid I thought those signs looked like a car bouncing on giant springs.

[Billy F 1988]

Perkins Union red-on-white Wrong Way sign...in New York? da fuq? I didn't think it'd make it in real life. I just happen to think red-on-white parking restriction signs, but a Wrong Way sign? Bizarre to say the least.

[vtk]

But the message of the sign is correct. I think this goes in Signs with Design Errors.

[nyratk1]

Perkins Union red-on-white Wrong Way sign...in New York? da fuq? I didn't think it'd make it in real life. I just happen to think red-on-white parking restriction signs, but a Wrong Way sign? Bizarre to say the least.

I knew I recognized the location - Church Street in Patchogue.