The Clearview thread

[Billy F 1988]

Uh, try harder, because the ugly "3" isn't the only thing that looks like shit. Check out the craptastic I-99 shield with the wrong FHWA type. And the "15" on the Blue Knob State Park sign is craptastic as well. The ugly "3" is simply the least of the other two shitpiece signs.

[Android]

Yeah, I wouldn't have even seen that...  I'd have been too busy gagging on the I-99 and Blue Knob 15 signs.  ("I'll show YOU a 'blue knob'!!)

[formulanone]

Clearview numerals aren't half as bad as it gets...

If there's one thing I know how to do well, it's take photos of terrible signs.



...and now, back to Clearview.

[Takumi]

...which for some reason is no longer being discussed in this thread.

[on_wisconsin]

It is less about nostalgia and more about:
1) Overblown claims of benefits
2) Immense waste by some states to replace a large number of perfectly good signs
3) It seemed to be a solution in search of a problem

Come on now this is AAroads where a very significant number of members believe if it doesn't look like something from 1963 then it is automatically shit. Outside of this forum, however, I agree with the quoted post. (Even though I like Clearview aesthetically.)

[Ian]

It is less about nostalgia and more about:
1) Overblown claims of benefits
2) Immense waste by some states to replace a large number of perfectly good signs
3) It seemed to be a solution in search of a problem

Come on now this is AAroads where a very significant number of members believe if it doesn't look like something from 1963 then it is automatically shit. Outside of this forum, however, I agree with the quoted post. (Even though I like Clearview aesthetically.)

I don't like Clearview, but I don't rip on people for liking it, because I really don't give two shits...

[freebrickproductions]

I can't tell the difference between Clearview and other fonts very well, if at all. I see some minor differences, but they don't affect me much, unless it's like the interstate signs a few posts up.

[1995hoo]

This is on the front page of today's Washington Post. First thing I thought of when I saw it was the Clearview.

[Molandfreak]

First thing I thought of when I saw it was "no shit, do people really not fucking know that?"

[SSOWorld]

First thing I thought of when I saw it was "no shit, do people really not fucking know that?"

Ther's a lot of those "O RLY?" signs all over the U.S.  (but that's for another board topic...)

[jakeroot]

First thing I thought of when I saw it was "no shit, do people really not fucking know that?"

There's a lot of those "O RLY?" signs all over the U.S.  (but that's for another board topic...)

Is there in fact another board topic for that? Because I have a few things to say about those signs.

[J N Winkler]

Is there in fact another board topic for that? Because I have a few things to say about those signs.

Not that I know of, although we have had an extended discussion of bridge icing signs and whether they are really necessary.

It would be worth starting a thread to deal with signs that state the bleeding obvious, possibly with this (spoof) one:

[1995hoo]

Is there in fact another board topic for that? Because I have a few things to say about those signs.

Not that I know of, although we have had an extended discussion of bridge icing signs and whether they are really necessary.

It would be worth starting a thread to deal with signs that state the bleeding obvious, possibly with this (spoof) one:

Some of those might appropriately go in the "Humorous Signs" thread. I know I posted this one in that thread, though it would surely qualify for a "bleeding obvious" thread as well. Picture taken in Granby, Colorado, on the day before Labor Day in 2007, and I only found it because I'd made a wrong turn somewhere (had I gone the way I'd intended, we'd never have come anywhere near Granby):





BTW, to try to get back on topic, the Clearview "SMUGGLING" sign I posted above is so grainy because it's an iPhone picture of the front page of yesterday's newspaper. I didn't feel like trying to find the sign online using an iPhone or iPad, so it was easier just to take a picture and upload it using the Photobucket app.

[Android]

Is there in fact another board topic for that? Because I have a few things to say about those signs.

Not that I know of, although we have had an extended discussion of bridge icing signs and whether they are really necessary.

It would be worth starting a thread to deal with signs that state the bleeding obvious, possibly with this (spoof) one:

Hnnnhaah!  Yeah, except I have two real world examples of just that sort of thing!

[PurdueBill]

This is on the front page of today's Washington Post. First thing I thought of when I saw it was the Clearview.

Is it just me, or would that look a lot better if SMUGGLING were the same size text as the rest of the words?  As is, it looks like a header or something. 

[J N Winkler]

Is it just me, or would that look a lot better if SMUGGLING were the same size text as the rest of the words?  As is, it looks like a header or something.

The legend also needs to be black on white because it isn't really a guide-sign message.  I don't object so much to the larger size because on this sign it functions as a keyword rather than as a header, but the layout looks visually unbalanced since the third line is so much shorter than the others.  If the words were regrouped vertically (one word per line except "IS A,"), it might be possible to accommodate the message on a standard-sized blank such as that used for speed limits.

[logan230]

  Just curious.

When I first saw Clearview I wanted to throw up. But over a long period of time I've grown to tolerate it, especially if your whole area's signs were replaced, even though I still stick with Highway Gothic (or FHWA, whatever you wanna call it).

[Zeffy]

Clearview is fine on mixed-case positive contrast backgrounds. The problem is it's almost never used like that, so then you have all caps (which looks ugly), Clearview on negative contrast (hard to read), and the worst offender of them all: Clearview numerals. Yiiiiiiiiick! If the numerals weren't so poo I would maybe like Clearview more, but those things are HIDEOUS to look at.

[jakeroot]

Logan230, you're asking for trouble starting a new thread regarding the Clearview v Highway Gothic war. But, I won't stop you, because it can be very enjoyable to read.

That said, I like Clearview because it looks modern, but dislike it for its numerals (like Zeffy above). They're okay, but not my favorite.

I don't mind Highway Gothic, but it's seriously out of date and in need of updating. It worked better when sign design was done more by hand, but in the digital era, it's less than desirable.

So, in the end, I'm impartial. If a state/province wants to use Clearview, be my guest. If a state/province prefers the old FHWA fonts, that's also fine. Both are very functional and easy to read, so I give both a thumbs up.

PS...I don't believe this is road-related illustrations material we are discussing. Perhaps General Highway Talk is best.

[hbelkins]

all caps (which looks ugly), Clearview on negative contrast (hard to read)

Neither of those bother me, and I don't find negative contrast Clearview hard to read at all.

[adventurernumber1]

Tbh I have to agree with hbelkins. I don't hate Clearview, and I don't hate Highway Gothic. I'm fine with both.

[freebrickproductions]

Tbh I have to agree with hbelkins. I don't hate Clearview, and I don't hate Highway Gothic. I'm fine with both.

I agree with you.

[riiga]

I'm fine with both, but prefer Highway Gothic.

[KG909]

I completely hate clearview. I hope whoever made it dies a slow and painful death.

[Zeffy]

and I don't find negative contrast Clearview hard to read at all.

Manville has black-on-white street blades with mixed case Clearview 1/2-B on them. I physically can not read them during the day going 35+. At night, it's virtually impossible as well. I can clearly remember reading the FHWA versions when they still had them.