Alright, this is a pretty strange topic, but here goes:
I've noticed that modern shields for any Highway 99 always seem to be misaligned. That is, the second 9 never seems to quite match up with the first one. This seems especially apparent on CA-99. Here are a few examples:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv45%2FNidoking%2FHighway%2520Shields%2520and%2520Concepts%2FFuture_I-99_Corridor.jpg&hash=d48d356f077e284291f9d45335d15942fba61b1c)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv45%2FNidoking%2FHighway%2520Shields%2520and%2520Concepts%2FCA19800991i1.jpg&hash=fe3f2002aa8a3aafb7a9e0d61b58c65c601ea75f)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv45%2FNidoking%2FHighway%2520Shields%2520and%2520Concepts%2FCA19790054i1.jpg&hash=f0d4860f68a6795efaed9ba96cffd09c8ee64e15)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv45%2FNidoking%2FHighway%2520Shields%2520and%2520Concepts%2FCA19630361i1.jpg&hash=e3923a56221d438184290fd452d4526c30c7a154)
Maybe it's just my eyes, or does anyone else see what I'm talking about? That second 9 always seems to be off a little bit. If this is truly the case, what might be causing such alignment issues?
Actually, I'm pretty sure it's just your eyes. In the last photo, yes one of the 9's is "lazy", which does seem to happen more with 9 than other digits, but not confined to 99's only.
I know it's not confined to just the number 99, but it seems to be the number that most often appears of. I'd go as far to say that almost every CA-99 shield I've ever seen has had a funny second digit.
When using sign making software, wouldn't it be very easy to perfectly line up the two numbers?
Agreed. Sometimes it looks like the 9's are falling over. It's probably more apparent in '99' because you have two of the numerals to compare.
Maybe '66' doesn't exhibit this because the numerals have a lower center of gravity.
I don't see any differences between the two 9's in any of the pictures apart from slightly different angles to the bottom of the 9's in the last picture. The only sure way to find out is to get the original pictures and copy and paste one of the 9's on top of the other then click undo to see if there's any movement.
I did see this in Indiana a couple of weeks ago. The 41 looks off centre and should be further to the right.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speedcam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk%2Fus41.jpg&hash=0d88b645a726cafd2ddacac6f916ce12015f9826)
25 always looks weird to me when the numbers are pushed to the edge of the shield
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.davidjcorcoran.com%2Fhighways%2Fco%2F25%2F392to34%2F1.JPG&hash=969124c59149d3e0653f01a97aabe68e20f1f3d2)
as opposed to
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.davidjcorcoran.com%2Fhighways%2Fwy%2F25%2F25glenrockto96%2F2.jpg&hash=c46084efeb327787816af7bf3208d3a0ced501f7)
(which as a side note has to be one of the ugliest sign assemblies in Wyoming)
49 is the worst.
(//www.aaroads.com/shields/img/LA/LA19880491i1.jpg)
Illinois has a tendency to shift the 7 over as much as possible on 72's and to cram the 7 and 4 together on 74's.
(//www.aaroads.com/wp-content/uploads/blog_images/midwest/us-067_nb_at_i-072_bl-072.jpg)
(//www.aaroads.com/wp-content/uploads/blog_images/midwest/i-074_eb_exit_149.jpg)
Quote from: Truvelo on November 19, 2010, 11:55:05 AMI did see this in Indiana a couple of weeks ago. The 41 looks off centre and should be further to the right.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speedcam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk%2Fus41.jpg&hash=0d88b645a726cafd2ddacac6f916ce12015f9826)
The standard instruction for placement of numbers on shields is that they shall be "optically centered," but what that means is never specified. It looks like the fabricators of this shield interpreted that to mean that the gap between the "4" and the "1" (assuming normal kerning for Series D) is to be centered precisely on the vertical centerline of the shield, which results in an off-balance appearance. The strategy I try to follow is to treat the number as an unit and try to center it within the message space. Other possible approaches are to use smaller digits so that faults in centering are less apparent, and to add extra space when thin digits like "1" are involved.
A related problem is intercharacter spacing in distances on mileage signs. "14" above "21" looks really strange when standard kerning is used.
There are some fugly I-79 and I-279 shields in the Pittsburgh area.