Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[jakeroot]

I hope you turned around in their driveway after getting a picture of that sign.

My driveway has a "NO TURNAROUND" sign posted at the beginning because back-out is the only option, not because we don't welcome lost strangers. Some idiot delivery drivers try to turn around in the grass to the left of our gate, but because of the slight decline from the driveway, they get stuck. We've had two Ford Transit/Amazon delivery drivers dig holes into our grass. Our gate now has a "BACK OUT ONLY" sign on it.

Ha. Well, I only made my original comment because that white-on-red sign offends quite a few of my roadgeek sensibilities, not because those people might not welcome strangers.

There's this perception that those types of signs are put up because people don't want random strangers come down their driveways, which I could understand (and it's probably the case somewhat often). But from my experience, they are often put up because there literally isn't enough room at the end of the driveway to perform any sort of turnaround maneuver, so they don't want drivers even attempting to go down the driveway, because they will get stuck (lest they know how to reverse!)

[J N Winkler]

My driveway has a "NO TURNAROUND" sign posted at the beginning because back-out is the only option, not because we don't welcome lost strangers. Some idiot delivery drivers try to turn around in the grass to the left of our gate, but because of the slight decline from the driveway, they get stuck. We've had two Ford Transit/Amazon delivery drivers dig holes into our grass. Our gate now has a "BACK OUT ONLY" sign on it.

Can't they just back in and then drive out?  That is the approach I would try, especially if there is no turnaround loop or other means of maneuvering in and out while remaining continuously nose-forward.

[jakeroot]

My driveway has a "NO TURNAROUND" sign posted at the beginning because back-out is the only option, not because we don't welcome lost strangers. Some idiot delivery drivers try to turn around in the grass to the left of our gate, but because of the slight decline from the driveway, they get stuck. We've had two Ford Transit/Amazon delivery drivers dig holes into our grass. Our gate now has a "BACK OUT ONLY" sign on it.

Can't they just back in and then drive out?  That is the approach I would try, especially if there is no turnaround loop or other means of maneuvering in and out while remaining continuously nose-forward.

Oh for sure. But the driveway is about a fifth of a mile long, so most don't think to do that straight away.

[Revive 755]

Not sure this 'except on [white arrow on green circle]' sign from Naperville, IL has been posted yet.  There's a near side one for WB traffic as well.

(and I have experienced multiple times elsewhere in Chicagoland the same quality of drivers that probably led to the installation of this sign).

[MNHighwayMan]

Not sure this 'except on [white arrow on green circle]' sign from Naperville, IL has been posted yet.  There's a near side one for WB traffic as well.

That's gotta be the first time I've ever seen all signal heads in one particular direction be five-section towers. For WB Bailey Rd, there's two heads on the mast arm, one mast mounted corner head, and a near-side head, and all are five-section heads.

[jakeroot]

Not sure this 'except on [white arrow on green circle]' sign from Naperville, IL has been posted yet.  There's a near side one for WB traffic as well.

That's gotta be the first time I've ever seen all signal heads in one particular direction be five-section towers. For WB Bailey Rd, there's two heads on the mast arm, one mast mounted corner head, and a near-side head, and all are five-section heads.

Yeah, that's pretty unusual! I know from looking around Chicagoland on street view, if there was going to be a part of the country with more than two (or all) 5-section signals on an approach, it would be in Illinois. Just about every intersection has some sort of right turn filter. I have never seen a right turn yield in that state.

[roadman65]

Not sure this 'except on [white arrow on green circle]' sign from Naperville, IL has been posted yet.  There's a near side one for WB traffic as well.

That's gotta be the first time I've ever seen all signal heads in one particular direction be five-section towers. For WB Bailey Rd, there's two heads on the mast arm, one mast mounted corner head, and a near-side head, and all are five-section heads.

Yeah, that's pretty unusual! I know from looking around Chicagoland on street view, if there was going to be a part of the country with more than two (or all) 5-section signals on an approach, it would be in Illinois. Just about every intersection has some sort of right turn filter. I have never seen a right turn yield in that state.

Its introverted lol!

[Revive 755]

Not sure this 'except on [white arrow on green circle]' sign from Naperville, IL has been posted yet.  There's a near side one for WB traffic as well.

That's gotta be the first time I've ever seen all signal heads in one particular direction be five-section towers. For WB Bailey Rd, there's two heads on the mast arm, one mast mounted corner head, and a near-side head, and all are five-section heads.

Yeah, that's pretty unusual! I know from looking around Chicagoland on street view, if there was going to be a part of the country with more than two (or all) 5-section signals on an approach, it would be in Illinois. Just about every intersection has some sort of right turn filter. I have never seen a right turn yield in that state.

They are a few in Illinois; there was a thread on it

[Max Rockatansky]

Noticed this outline US 101 shield on a BGS in Mountain View today.  Caltrans mostly posts solid white US Route shields on BGSs:

101USk by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[jakeroot]

Not sure this 'except on [white arrow on green circle]' sign from Naperville, IL has been posted yet.  There's a near side one for WB traffic as well.

That's gotta be the first time I've ever seen all signal heads in one particular direction be five-section towers. For WB Bailey Rd, there's two heads on the mast arm, one mast mounted corner head, and a near-side head, and all are five-section heads.

Yeah, that's pretty unusual! I know from looking around Chicagoland on street view, if there was going to be a part of the country with more than two (or all) 5-section signals on an approach, it would be in Illinois. Just about every intersection has some sort of right turn filter. I have never seen a right turn yield in that state.

They are a few in Illinois; there was a thread on it

Ah, so there are. Interesting that IDOT prefers signalised right turns. Most states seem to prefer right turns at intersection's, or slip lanes with yield signs, not a combo of the two.

[bzakharin]

Somehow I don't find this reassuring.

One of the other signs in the area has only "detour" blacked out on a "detour ahead".

[thefraze_1020]

Noticed this outline US 101 shield on a BGS in Mountain View today.  Caltrans mostly posts solid white US Route shields on BGSs:

101USk by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

That's because that sign is an old spec. I believe that dates to about 1960. The patch above the shield used to say "Bypass". When the 101 freeway was first opened between SF and San Jose, it was US 101 Bypass and El Camino Real was US 101 mainline. The switch came in 1964, likely when the patch was put up. Outline US shields are getting pretty rare in California.

[paulthemapguy]

A "No Trespassing" sign for a private residence, the installation of which is a trespass on county ROW.


20180524_104841 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

[jay8g]

I feel like this could be a candidate for Worst Of, but I'm vaguely afraid to post there.

I know it's greenout, but clearly Oklahoma doesn't have a monopoly on crazy mixed font sizes and cases...

Alaska State
FAIRGround

Also, I don't have any idea what the greenout could be covering.

[GenExpwy]

I feel like this could be a candidate for Worst Of, but I'm vaguely afraid to post there.

I know it's greenout, but clearly Oklahoma doesn't have a monopoly on crazy mixed font sizes and cases...

Alaska State
FAIRGround

Also, I don't have any idea what the greenout could be covering.

I have a suspicion it was two words: Fair Ground.

[Scott5114]

From the road sign game:

Madrid >> Dyersburg (Tennessee)



I-55 (MO) Exit 17A/B & 19 by TheInstrumentalist, on Flickr

I know MoDOT is the master of awkward arrow placement, but this takes the cake!

[akotchi]

Under the "interesting" category, I offer the following:

As part of the ongoing change of I-95 in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to I-295, contractors have been systematically changing exit numbers and route numbers, while also correcting control cities here and there.  Another thread captures the gory details, so I will just concentrate on this context.

For a short time, the weekend of June 9 and 10, the following sign sequence was visible.  The left photo is on I-295 WB (former I-95 SB) at the U.S. 1 interchange in Langhorne, PA.  The BGS reflects the new information -- exit number and control city changed (from Morrisville).  Following the cloverleaf loop ramp the BGS points to leads to the right photo, which is on U.S. 1 NB, with the I-295 overpass in the background.  The BGS still reflected the old information -- route and control city.  So . . . guidance to Trenton was a u-turn movement for that short interval -- though considering one would be leaving the Trenton area to pass through this sequence, it probably would not have been a big deal.  The sign has been replaced in the last week with I-295 East/Princeton.  (The right photo is actually GMSV since I did not catch it before it was replaced, but I can vouch that this sign combination did exist for a short time.)

As this is near my home and I go through this area frequently, I find these types of interim conditions during resigning projects (especially when not carbon copy replacements) to be interesting . . .

 

[plain]

All of us should ignore GPS lmao

This is White Oak Rd beginning at Williamsburg Rd (US 60) in eastern Henrico Co, Va. There are other ignore GPS signs on Williamsburg Rd itself approaching White Oak. None of these signs are on Street View yet (but other truck warning signs are), I'm thinking they are under a year old



SM-S820L

[TBKS1]

From the road sign game:

Madrid >> Dyersburg (Tennessee)



I-55 (MO) Exit 17A/B & 19 by TheInstrumentalist, on Flickr

I know MoDOT is the master of awkward arrow placement, but this takes the cake!

That took me forever to figure out. I had no idea about that arrow until you said it. lol

[MCRoads]

All of us should ignore GPS lmao

This is White Oak Rd beginning at Williamsburg Rd (US 60) in eastern Henrico Co, Va. There are other ignore GPS signs on Williamsburg Rd itself approaching White Oak. None of these signs are on Street View yet (but other truck warning signs are), I'm thinking they are under a year old



SM-S820L

NY NEEEEDS these, as apperently it is a common occurrence to have high trucks ram bridges there....

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

NY NEEEEDS these, as apperently it is a common occurrence to have high trucks ram bridges there....

More signs will not solve the problem of trucks ignoring signs...

Signage on most NY parkways has been recently updated and is more than sufficient–some trucks will *always* drive onto prohibited roads unless you can physically exclude them.

[bzakharin]

If they included "Ignore GPS" on BGS exit and entrance signs, GPS would actually read it to the driver (possibly). That might work at the expense of MUCD compliance.

[PHLBOS]

Under the "interesting" category, I offer the following:

As part of the ongoing change of I-95 in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to I-295, contractors have been systematically changing exit numbers and route numbers, while also correcting control cities here and there.  Another thread captures the gory details, so I will just concentrate on this context.

For a short time, the weekend of June 9 and 10, the following sign sequence was visible.  The left photo is on I-295 WB (former I-95 SB) at the U.S. 1 interchange in Langhorne, PA.  The BGS reflects the new information -- exit number and control city changed (from Morrisville).  Following the cloverleaf loop ramp the BGS points to leads to the right photo, which is on U.S. 1 NB, with the I-295 overpass in the background.  The BGS still reflected the old information -- route and control city.  So . . . guidance to Trenton was a u-turn movement for that short interval -- though considering one would be leaving the Trenton area to pass through this sequence, it probably would not have been a big deal.  The sign has been replaced in the last week with I-295 East/Princeton.  (The right photo is actually GMSV since I did not catch it before it was replaced, but I can vouch that this sign combination did exist for a short time.)

As this is near my home and I go through this area frequently, I find these types of interim conditions during resigning projects (especially when not carbon copy replacements) to be interesting . . .

 

Personally, I am very surprised that that particular BGS for I-95 northbound wasn't changed to list Princeton when its companion BGS along US 1 southbound was changed many years (if not a decade) ago.

Additionally & IMHO, changing the US 1 northbound control city from Morrisville to Trenton is more important for the BGS' along I-95 northbound (future I-295 eastbound) than it is from the opposite direction... most of that traffic is coming from the surrounding Trenton area.

[oscar]

From last week's day trip, an interesting sign entering the little village of Esmont VA (better than the unoriginal "Drive Like Your Children Live Here" signs I saw elsewhere in the village):

[csw]

I see that on variable-message signs in the Chicago area quite often.