Non-Standard School Zone/ Crossing Signage in Small Towns/Cities

[Brian556]

I am starting this thread to discuss incorrect school zone/ crossing signage that is often found in small towns and cities.

[hotdogPi]

Does it have to be a small city? I found one in Lowell MA that said "speed limit 20 when flashing", while nothing had the capability to flash. The other side said "when children are present".

[Revive 755]

I second opening this thread up to any bad school zone signing.

How about this one from Fairfield, OH, with the supplemental message being "during restricted hours"?  In a state like Ohio with lots of speed cameras, am I supposed to assume the "restricted hours" are only when the beacons are flashing?  This is particular unfair since the normal speed limit is 40.

[UCFKnights]

I second opening this thread up to any bad school zone signing.

How about this one from Fairfield, OH, with the supplemental message being "during restricted hours"?  In a state like Ohio with lots of speed cameras, am I supposed to assume the "restricted hours" are only when the beacons are flashing?  This is particular unfair since the normal speed limit is 40.

Another one that bugged me is I've seen a rare few school zones that had a standard speed limit 45 in the middle of it, a good ways before the end school zone sign. I feel like the speed limit sign should override the previous school zone speed limit sign, no?

[ErmineNotyours]

Hastily mounted school crossing sign, which blocks the view of the red hand "don't walk" signal once you're in the crosswalk.  Safety first!  Renton, Washington.

School crossing sign blocking ped head by Arthur Allen, on Flickr

[roadfro]

Another one that bugged me is I've seen a rare few school zones that had a standard speed limit 45 in the middle of it, a good ways before the end school zone sign. I feel like the speed limit sign should override the previous school zone speed limit sign, no?

My recollection from a Vegas area Road Warrior Q&A article from several years ago that addressed a similar issue (lack of "end school zone" sign), was that a new speed limit sign overrules the school zone speed.

[MNHighwayMan]

Obviously Des Moines isn't a small town, but what about when the school speed limit is also the normal, all-the-time speed limit? Speed limit 25 on Porter Ave

The city added that school banner a couple years ago. I'm guessing it's so that the police can ticket you extra for speeding along that part of the street. Does anyone know if this is a valid way to sign a "school zone" speed limit in the MUTCD/if this is actually enforceable?

[formulanone]

Another one that bugged me is I've seen a rare few school zones that had a standard speed limit 45 in the middle of it, a good ways before the end school zone sign. I feel like the speed limit sign should override the previous school zone speed limit sign, no?

My recollection from a Vegas area Road Warrior Q&A article from several years ago that addressed a similar issue (lack of "end school zone" sign), was that a new speed limit sign overrules the school zone speed.

It got me out of a ticket once in Florida.

Fortunately, I was travelling between the school zone limit and the posted speed limit, and the cop wondered why I'd obeyed the limit before that.

[UCFKnights]

Another one that bugged me is I've seen a rare few school zones that had a standard speed limit 45 in the middle of it, a good ways before the end school zone sign. I feel like the speed limit sign should override the previous school zone speed limit sign, no?

My recollection from a Vegas area Road Warrior Q&A article from several years ago that addressed a similar issue (lack of "end school zone" sign), was that a new speed limit sign overrules the school zone speed.

It got me out of a ticket once in Florida.

Fortunately, I was travelling between the school zone limit and the posted speed limit, and the cop wondered why I'd obeyed the limit before that.

I always wondered if that excuse would work. There is still end school zone signs, and the back of most of the speed limit signs usually have a beacon on them now too so you can usually always see from inside if you're in one. Back in the day my buddy got a ticket in one where there was a shopping center in the middle of it, with no signage on the exit from that, and when he went in, the flashers were off, but leaving, they were on but there was no way to know. Apparently a cop liked camping out there right when the lights went on each day, especially early release days when the times were non-standard, and give everyone leaving the shopping center school zone speeding tickets to raise money for the department. I believe eventually they added a school beacon in the shopping center and added the lights on the back of the other signs which ended that scam. I definitely think beacons should be required to be enforceable, along with them being visible from within the school zone as well to prevent the police theft from unknowing victims.

[roadfro]

Obviously Des Moines isn't a small town, but what about when the school speed limit is also the normal, all-the-time speed limit? Speed limit 25 on Porter Ave

The city added that school banner a couple years ago. I'm guessing it's so that the police can ticket you extra for speeding along that part of the street. Does anyone know if this is a valid way to sign a "school zone" speed limit in the MUTCD/if this is actually enforceable?

It is at least partially MUTCD compliant. The "school"  banner should be on top, and there should be a modifier plaque on the bottom (specific times, "when flashing" , "when children are present" , etc.)