Signs With Design Errors

[vtk]

I'm pretty sure the newest MUTCD doesn't allow yellow street blades.  Even under older manuals when it was allowed, it wasn't a good aesthetic choice.

Yellow street blades are always used, IIRC, with a warning sign in the MUTCD.

That's not the kind of street blade I thought we were talking about.  Personally, I don't consider those to be street blades, but a kind of supplemental plaque to a warning sign that looks very similar to a street blade.

[Zeffy]

I'm pretty sure the newest MUTCD doesn't allow yellow street blades.  Even under older manuals when it was allowed, it wasn't a good aesthetic choice.

Yellow street blades are always used, IIRC, with a warning sign in the MUTCD.

If you are referring to signs like this:


It's actually just a plaque with the street name on it, like vtk said. Yellow street sign blades aren't used (probably to distinguish them from these plaques)

[1995hoo]

Spotted this afternoon in Rockville, Maryland, courtesy of the Department of Redundancy. (Video capture from dashboard camera)

[vtk]

I'm not sure if that's redundancy or self-contradiction.  Maybe it comes from Alanland.

[1995hoo]

I'm not sure if that's redundancy or self-contradiction.  Maybe it comes from Alanland.

Yeah, I was conflicted on whether to construe it as a double-negative or as redundant.

[US71]

Cimarron Turnpike


Carthage, MO

[NE2]

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.467673,-81.498846&spn=0.007291,0.014173&gl=us&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=28.467668,-81.498792&panoid=0lsbFptXni2MnF_xQWTY5w&cbp=12,81.36,,0,7.8

[elsmere241]

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.467673,-81.498846&spn=0.007291,0.014173&gl=us&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=28.467668,-81.498792&panoid=0lsbFptXni2MnF_xQWTY5w&cbp=12,81.36,,0,7.8

That one reminds me of Bill Cosby talking about driving around Los Angeles, where they'd put the "DIP" sign two inches before the dip.  He said it would be better if they'd put a sign saying "You just hit a dip" after the dip.  (This is part of his classic "Driving in San Francisco" on Why is there Air?)

[US71]

[kphoger]

Cimarron Turnpike

Oh, that's easy:

No prohibition of U turns.  U turns are strictly enforced.  All traffic must make a U turn.

[kphoger]

What's the design error?  It's a warning sign for a crossroad on a hill.

[exit322]

Cimarron Turnpike

Oh, that's easy:

No prohibition of U turns.  U turns are strictly enforced.  All traffic must make a U turn.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=7720.0

This is the appropriate place for this post.

[Kacie Jane]

What's the design error?  It's a warning sign for a crossroad on a hill.

I agree that it's not the most egregious error on this thread, but comparing it to the example towards the top of this page, it may seem to indicate that "Hill" is the crossroad to the right.  Assuming, of course, that the motorist is not terribly bright.

[theline]

I was torn about this one, between this thread and the Best of Signs thread. Aside from the obvious design error, I find the sign attractive.


It's on Clayton Drive in South Bend, IN.

[agentsteel53]

what's the obvious design error?  legs too short in proportion to torso?

[vtk]

That's quite an athletic build for a child.

[NE2]

Obviously one of Steve King's drug goats.

[Kacie Jane]

The kid is a bit overbuilt.  But maybe also the screw holes going through the lettering?  Probably not terribly uncommon, but I think most signs are designed to avoid that.

[jeffandnicole]

If I saw a kid that size running at my car, I'd watch out for him too!

[Big John]

wouldn't want a sign encouraging pedophiles.

[ET21]

Looks like a David Hasselhoff in his prime.

[briantroutman]

What's the design error?  It's a warning sign for a crossroad on a hill.

I'd say this one is, in fact, an error.

Supplemental plaques either explain what the warning sign graphic means (such as "PED X-ING" under the image of a person walking), provide more specific detail about the condition (such as "6%" under a grade warning or "Main St" under an intersection warning), or clarify where, when, or to whom the warning applies ("500 FT", "WHEN WET", or "TRUCKS").

"HILL" doesn't fit any of those conditions and is describes a separate condition that is unrelated to the intersection. It should be posted separately on its own diamond-shaped warning sign.

Spotted this afternoon in Rockville, Maryland, courtesy of the Department of Redundancy. (Video capture from dashboard camera)

Aside from this being worded somewhat confusingly and perhaps contradictorily, are any of the "AUTHORIZED VEHICLES ONLY" signs necessary? Does anyone actually think a police officer or ambulance driver will hesitate to use a median crossing in case of an emergency, even if it was simply marked "NO U TURN"? And does anyone think that if a civilian sees a police car making a U-turn in front of a no U-turn sign, he'll run after the cop yelling "citizen's arrest" like Gomer Pyle?

Perhaps the same could be said of the "BUSSES ONLY" signs–or worse, the "TRAINS ONLY" signs I've seen on light rail tracks.

[agentsteel53]

I'd say this one is, in fact, an error.

Supplemental plaques either explain what the warning sign graphic means (such as "PED X-ING" under the image of a person walking), provide more specific detail about the condition (such as "6%" under a grade warning or "Main St" under an intersection warning), or clarify where, when, or to whom the warning applies ("500 FT", "WHEN WET", or "TRUCKS").

"HILL" doesn't fit any of those conditions and is describes a separate condition that is unrelated to the intersection. It should be posted separately on its own diamond-shaped warning sign.

indeed.  if I were to see that installation, I would think that the hill being warned about was along the side street.

[vtk]

What's the design error?  It's a warning sign for a crossroad on a hill.

I'd say this one is, in fact, an error.

Supplemental plaques ... or clarify where, when, or to whom the warning applies ("500 FT", "WHEN WET", or "TRUCKS").

Could it be that's actually what they're trying to accomplish?  There could be a side road there at the top of the hill, but if you're not looking for it, you wouldn't expect it until you're there.  That's why the diamond sign is there.  Maybe the plaque beneath should say "ON HILL" or "AT CREST OF HILL".

[theline]

I thought it was obvious that the design error was a warning on a rectangular sign, rather than diamond-shaped. Maybe it wasn't so obvious.

We make our kids muscular in South Bend. 

(It looks like the emoticons, which refused to work for me earlier, are working now.)