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Have We Hit The Golden Anniversary Of Diagrammatical Signs Yet?

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thenetwork:

--- Quote from: StogieGuy7 on February 01, 2023, 11:56:07 AM ---
--- Quote from: thenetwork on January 24, 2023, 07:08:52 PM ---When I was a young whippersnapper (and an early sign lover) in the early 70s, my dad got me a pamphlet which spoke about and illustrated diagrammatical signs which were replacing many text-only signs.

The pamphlet had a listing of some of the more common conversions (Yield, Hill, Signal Ahead, Slippery When Wet, Merge,...) with examples showing the old and the new designs, as well as an illustration of a BGS with diagram arrows.

I want to say this was around 1972 or 73 that the conversion went into high gear, which would mean we have reached the 50th Anniversary of the Red Yield Sign in the US as well as all the other signs using symbols instead of text.

I'd like to say Happy Golden Anniversary to these modernized signs, but does anyone know when the exact year of the start of the conversion was?

--- End quote ---

I remember all that too.  And, back in 72 or 73, the move to diagrammatical signage was so much in the forefront that one of the big cereals (wish I remember which) boasted of "free" new signs on the back of every box.  You just had to cut them out, which didn't seem odd at all back then as free records made you do the same.  Actually had a mini collection of 3 or 4 on my bedroom wall before all was said and done.

There were also PSAs on TV about the shift, and most road maps had a panel featuring the new signs. So, it was quite a big deal back then.

--- End quote ---

Not to mention the smaller rectangular text signs below the new symbols that were used during the "conversion".

StogieGuy7:

--- Quote from: thenetwork on February 01, 2023, 07:10:02 PM ---
--- Quote from: StogieGuy7 on February 01, 2023, 11:56:07 AM ---
--- Quote from: thenetwork on January 24, 2023, 07:08:52 PM ---When I was a young whippersnapper (and an early sign lover) in the early 70s, my dad got me a pamphlet which spoke about and illustrated diagrammatical signs which were replacing many text-only signs.

The pamphlet had a listing of some of the more common conversions (Yield, Hill, Signal Ahead, Slippery When Wet, Merge,...) with examples showing the old and the new designs, as well as an illustration of a BGS with diagram arrows.

I want to say this was around 1972 or 73 that the conversion went into high gear, which would mean we have reached the 50th Anniversary of the Red Yield Sign in the US as well as all the other signs using symbols instead of text.

I'd like to say Happy Golden Anniversary to these modernized signs, but does anyone know when the exact year of the start of the conversion was?

--- End quote ---

I remember all that too.  And, back in 72 or 73, the move to diagrammatical signage was so much in the forefront that one of the big cereals (wish I remember which) boasted of "free" new signs on the back of every box.  You just had to cut them out, which didn't seem odd at all back then as free records made you do the same.  Actually had a mini collection of 3 or 4 on my bedroom wall before all was said and done.

There were also PSAs on TV about the shift, and most road maps had a panel featuring the new signs. So, it was quite a big deal back then.

--- End quote ---

Not to mention the smaller rectangular text signs below the new symbols that were used during the "conversion".

--- End quote ---

You're right, I almost forgot about that!  Younger folks today probably have no idea how big of a shift this was - I clearly recall that ALL signs were simply words within a certain color or shape (most were black lettering on safety yellow diamonds, YIELD signs were black on yellow upside down triangles). They'd say "HILL" or "SHARP CURVE" or SLIPPERY WHEN WET". The diagrammatical signs were touted as a way to bring us up to international norms (the attempted shift to the metric system came soon thereafter).

JoePCool14:

--- Quote from: thenetwork on February 01, 2023, 07:10:02 PM ---Not to mention the smaller rectangular text signs below the new symbols that were used during the "conversion".

--- End quote ---

I know they are totally unnecessary, but I think aesthetically, diagrammatic signs plus the extra plaque look really nice.

D-Dey65:

--- Quote from: Big John on January 25, 2023, 11:24:09 AM ---That was the 1971 MUTCD, which also included orange signs and the no passing zone pennant.

--- End quote ---
I still remember the Reader's Digest article about those signs.

kphoger:

--- Quote from: GaryV on January 25, 2023, 07:41:29 AM ---Examples: there are no longer teeter-totters in playgrounds

--- End quote ---

At the neighborhood playground my kids go to, that's literally one of the only three things to play on.

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