Unpopular Anything Road-Related Opinions

[hotdogPi]

Green circle isn't unambiguous. In this photo (Quebec City), it means you must follow it, although this particular sign is redundant.

[Scott5114]

There might be some confusion, but if you were to misinterpret (green circle) (80 mph) as "you must do 80 mph", you at least aren't going to be violating any laws.

[SkyPesos]

There might be some confusion, but if you were to misinterpret (green circle) (80 mph) as "you must do 80 mph", you at least aren't going to be violating any laws.

I could see some interpret it as "80 mph (or km/h) or above" , like a minimum speed sign.

[RobbieL2415]

I think part of the problem is that a red circle without a slash mark has no common meaning in US signage.  Or am I mistaken about that?  Are there any US signs that feature a red circle with no slash mark?  I'm not aware of any.  On the other hand, white rectangles do have a common meaning in US signage:  they are regulatory signs.

In other countries, though, it has a meaning.  For example, in Mexico, a red circle with a slash mark means something is prohibited, whereas a red circle without a slash mark means something is restricted.  Take a look at the two signs below to see what I mean.  The one on the left means "U-turns prohibited", and the one on the right means "U-turns permitted at this location/in this lane".



Thus, in the US, a number in a red circle doesn't have the obvious meaning of "your speed is restricted to this number or less" or "exceeding the speed indicated by this number is prohibited".

Now, imagine if the "no going straight" version of this sign didn't have the slash. Think of all the confusion that would cause, and you'll see why prohibitive signs that are just a red circle make no sense.

[SEWIGuy]

?

I like it!!!!

[kphoger]

Now, imagine if the "no going straight" version of this sign didn't have the slash. Think of all the confusion that would cause, and you'll see why prohibitive signs that are just a red circle make no sense.

In Mexico, a right curving arrow in a red circle means you can turn right at a red light without stopping, so long as you yield to cross traffic and pedestrians first.

[Roadgeekteen]

There might be some confusion, but if you were to misinterpret (green circle) (80 mph) as "you must do 80 mph", you at least aren't going to be violating any laws.

I could see some interpret it as "80 mph (or km/h) or above" , like a minimum speed sign.

Eh I doubt it unless a sign with a higher number was included.

[TXtoNJ]

I think part of the problem is that a red circle without a slash mark has no common meaning in US signage.  Or am I mistaken about that?  Are there any US signs that feature a red circle with no slash mark?  I'm not aware of any.  On the other hand, white rectangles do have a common meaning in US signage:  they are regulatory signs.

In other countries, though, it has a meaning.  For example, in Mexico, a red circle with a slash mark means something is prohibited, whereas a red circle without a slash mark means something is restricted.  Take a look at the two signs below to see what I mean.  The one on the left means "U-turns prohibited", and the one on the right means "U-turns permitted at this location/in this lane".



Thus, in the US, a number in a red circle doesn't have the obvious meaning of "your speed is restricted to this number or less" or "exceeding the speed indicated by this number is prohibited".

Now, imagine if the "no going straight" version of this sign didn't have the slash. Think of all the confusion that would cause, and you'll see why prohibitive signs that are just a red circle make no sense.

A red circle without a slash would indicate "straight only", it would replace the "NO TURNS" sign.

[thenetwork]

Signalized intersections that still run cycles on old timing mechanisms that are not in synch with other signalized intersections in the area -- or intersections where the actuators are broken and you have to sit and wait for the full "default" cycle when no vehicles are present.

Either way, the signal is not running at it's most efficient potential as far as controlling active traffic patterns.

[hotdogPi]

Signalized intersections that still run cycles on old timing mechanisms that are not in synch with other signalized intersections in the area -- or intersections where the actuators are broken and you have to sit and wait for the full "default" cycle when no vehicles are present.

Either way, the signal is not running at it's most efficient potential as far as controlling active traffic patterns.

Did you mean to post this in the "minor things that bother you" thread?

[zachary_amaryllis]

Without any context, would anyone want to take a guess what this sign is?

this sign is nearly finished loading...

[wphiii]

The overwhelming majority of freeways are boring to drive on.

So are the overwhelming majority of conventional roads, for that matter. The argument for conventional roads is you get to "see more", by which they usually mean more small towns. Small towns are more or less interchangeable and have nothing unique to them that isn't a historic event (which probably isn't going on while you're passing through on the state highway) or some local business (sure, Nellie's Diner makes fantastic fried chicken, but so does Glenda's Diner in a town about the same size that's 50 miles down the road, and about 20 different restaurants in an actual city).

And let's face it, when you're on a trip, you don't have the time to stop in every single small town and learn all about the Oak Resin Rebellion of 1917 (when Jeridida Sawfunkler climbed the grain elevator and declared "No man should have to parallel park on the streets of Goltry!"), or which of the anonymous historic buildings on Main Street (or is it Broadway?) makes the best fried paperclips, or whatever. Most of them are just going to represent a 25 mph zone in between two 65 mph zones that you have to slow down for as you make your way through the historic downtown that will look exactly like the historic downtown of the next 25 mph zone you will encounter eighteen miles down the road.

Freeways at least give you the opportunity to cover distance so you get to actually interesting places faster.

Horses for course and all that, but in my experience it's a mistake to be so sure you know ahead of time what the "actually interesting" places are. That, to me, is the real excitement of taking surface roads vs. an Interstate; sure, not every town is going to stand out in some way, but there are enough that do–whether that's due to its terrain, or layout, or some unexpected architecture, or some attraction or business or amenity–that the sheer serendipity of the thing makes avoiding the freeway well worth it.

And I'd even go a step further and suggest that your own experience is what ends up making a place "interesting." Like you said, most people aren't going to stop every 15 miles to explore every single little Main Street community, but you did stop in that particular one for whatever reason, maybe the courthouse caught your eye, or something just felt right, and so you happened to eat at Nellie's (possibly for the only time you ever will) instead of Glenda's, and those kinds of things form a unique personal travelogue that controlled access freeways just can't replicate.

[kernals12]

Michigan Lefts should be the standard design for new major arterial streets. It is such a gobsmackingly simple and low cost way to reduce congestion and improve safety that I am staggered it's not everywhere. As a bonus, it requires the use of a landscaped median which can be used for stormwater drainage and for aesthetics.

[hotdogPi]

Michigan Lefts should be the standard design for new major arterial streets. It is such a gobsmackingly simple and low cost way to reduce congestion and improve safety that I am staggered it's not everywhere. As a bonus, it requires the use of a landscaped median which can be used for stormwater drainage and for aesthetics.

If there's space. In the Boston area, you probably can't build things that wide. However, there are other ways to ban left turns,.

[kernals12]

Michigan Lefts should be the standard design for new major arterial streets. It is such a gobsmackingly simple and low cost way to reduce congestion and improve safety that I am staggered it's not everywhere. As a bonus, it requires the use of a landscaped median which can be used for stormwater drainage and for aesthetics.

If there's space. In the Boston area, you probably can't build things that wide. However, there are other ways to ban left turns,.

But when you're building a brand new arterial on undeveloped land...

[jamess]

So, how about this one, which is used in all Spanish-speaking countries in South America (plus the Dominican Republic)?



Or this one, which is used in Mexico and all Spanish-speaking countries in Central America?



Or this one, which is used in Turkey?

Puerto Rico uses Pare

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Clearly Spain is the only Spanish-speaking country to use "Stop" in their Stop signs.

[kphoger]

Clearly Spain is the only Spanish-speaking country to use "Stop" in their Stop signs.

https://lightworld.okstate.edu/signs

[Scott5114]

The overwhelming majority of freeways are boring to drive on.

So are the overwhelming majority of conventional roads, for that matter. The argument for conventional roads is you get to "see more", by which they usually mean more small towns. Small towns are more or less interchangeable and have nothing unique to them that isn't a historic event (which probably isn't going on while you're passing through on the state highway) or some local business (sure, Nellie's Diner makes fantastic fried chicken, but so does Glenda's Diner in a town about the same size that's 50 miles down the road, and about 20 different restaurants in an actual city).

And let's face it, when you're on a trip, you don't have the time to stop in every single small town and learn all about the Oak Resin Rebellion of 1917 (when Jeridida Sawfunkler climbed the grain elevator and declared "No man should have to parallel park on the streets of Goltry!"), or which of the anonymous historic buildings on Main Street (or is it Broadway?) makes the best fried paperclips, or whatever. Most of them are just going to represent a 25 mph zone in between two 65 mph zones that you have to slow down for as you make your way through the historic downtown that will look exactly like the historic downtown of the next 25 mph zone you will encounter eighteen miles down the road.

Freeways at least give you the opportunity to cover distance so you get to actually interesting places faster.

Horses for course and all that, but in my experience it's a mistake to be so sure you know ahead of time what the "actually interesting" places are. That, to me, is the real excitement of taking surface roads vs. an Interstate; sure, not every town is going to stand out in some way, but there are enough that do–whether that's due to its terrain, or layout, or some unexpected architecture, or some attraction or business or amenity–that the sheer serendipity of the thing makes avoiding the freeway well worth it.

And I'd even go a step further and suggest that your own experience is what ends up making a place "interesting." Like you said, most people aren't going to stop every 15 miles to explore every single little Main Street community, but you did stop in that particular one for whatever reason, maybe the courthouse caught your eye, or something just felt right, and so you happened to eat at Nellie's (possibly for the only time you ever will) instead of Glenda's, and those kinds of things form a unique personal travelogue that controlled access freeways just can't replicate.

I don't stop at any small town, really. I grew up in one, I know exactly how boring they really are and so I really don't have much interest in them even on a theoretical level–the uniqueness is a mirage that vanishes the closer you get to it. The courthouse might be architecturally interesting looking from the outside, but on the inside it contains county clerks doing the same administrative functions that the county clerks in Cleveland County are doing, just less of them, probably. Nellie's might have the best fried chicken ever, but it might also be legendarily awful, and the only reason Nellie's stays in business might be because it's the only full-service restaurant within 30 minutes from any direction and the locals haven't ever actually had good food.

I dunno. I'm not in the roadtrip business to screw around with little towns and their identity issues. I'm out there to mark counties off my mob-rule, roads off my Travel Mapping, and take pictures of road signs. The most efficient way to do all three of those is by freeway. If I'm in a small town it's because I needed to mark a county or take a picture of a road sign that wasn't on a freeway, or I'm trying to clinch something that isn't an Interstate.

[CtrlAltDel]

So, how about this one, which is used in all Spanish-speaking countries in South America (plus the Dominican Republic)?



Or this one, which is used in Mexico and all Spanish-speaking countries in Central America?



Or this one, which is used in Turkey?

Puerto Rico uses Pare

The stop sign is so commonly used around the world that I think it would be best to delanguagify it, perhaps with something along these lines:



Admittedly, there's no way the whole world would be okay with using a left hand on the sign instead of a right hand, but I can dream.

[Roadgeekteen]

IMO this is enough for an all language stop sign

[kphoger]

IMO this is enough for an all language stop sign

Not the best for countries that don't use octagons.

[TXtoNJ]

So, how about this one, which is used in all Spanish-speaking countries in South America (plus the Dominican Republic)?



Or this one, which is used in Mexico and all Spanish-speaking countries in Central America?



Or this one, which is used in Turkey?

Puerto Rico uses Pare

The stop sign is so commonly used around the world that I think it would be best to delanguagify it, perhaps with something along these lines:



Admittedly, there's no way the whole world would be okay with using a left hand on the sign instead of a right hand, but I can dream.

Israel uses the right hand for understandable reasons.

[CtrlAltDel]

IMO this is enough for an all language stop sign

Are there any commonly used signs with no legend or imagery? I suppose I'd get used to it, but it definitely seems like something's missing there.

[SkyPesos]

IMO this is enough for an all language stop sign

Are there any commonly used signs with no legend or imagery? I suppose I'd get used to it, but it definitely seems like something's missing there.

I found this when looking through a list of road signs in China