In anticipation of my first ever trip to Slovakia this spring, I was surfing the web looking for some roadgeek stuff to check out while I am there. In varios photographs, I noticed that Slovakia uses a font, which I have never seen, for the guide signage. Could one of you let me know this font's name?
Here are two exmples:
http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%BAbor:Kri%C5%BEovatka_Belu%C5%A1a.jpg
http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%BAbor:R%C3%BDchlostn%C3%A1_cesta_R1-1.JPG
Also, in the Wikipedia articles about the major highways, I see that yet another font is used for the example route shields. What is this font's name?
Again, here are some examples:
http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BDchlostn%C3%A1_cesta_R1_%28Slovensko%29
http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia%C4%BEnica_D1_%28Slovensko%29
In my opinion, the latter font, if it is actually used on signage (that is, it is not a just a distortion on Wikipedia's part), is not very aesthetic, especially the way it treats the digit "1".
Ďakujem. Thank you.
Here you go:
http://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_grotesk
It may have been adapted for traffic sign use (possibly with the addition of a more condensed typeface, or reweighing of the glyphs to create a typeface appropriate for positive contrast).
The graphic on Wikipedia seems very approximate.
Newer signs also use the TERN font. Austria also introduced that font. I'm not happy about it but Austrian signage is among the most cluttered in Europe, so it can only improve.
TERN is also used in the Netherlands on VMS's (I believe it was originally intended as a standard for VMS's in Europe).
I went to eastern Slovakia in 2009 and saw about 10,000,000 different fonts. I took this photo below, and I think the font is "TERN"?
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.staticflickr.com%2F2498%2F4019838975_6087919bc8_z.jpg&hash=83f100be143bca70cc190a542dbbd958394da2ae)
Oh, yeah, and the tractor. Be prepared to sit behind a lot of tractors.
The route number cartouches look like TERN, but the destination legend looks like Grotesk. It is very difficult to tell, however, at 640 x 480 resolution. Can you post a link to a higher resolution?
TERN is available in multiple degrees of condensation (like the FHWA alphabet series, Clearview, the SNV alphabets, the old French L-series alphabets, the DIN-Schriften, . . .) but certain glyphs in the various TERN typefaces bear a striking resemblance to monospaced Letter Gothic typewriter script which is particularly evident in W and i. Lowercase l has a bottom curl, as in the Transport alphabets and Clearview. However, this sample does not include any of these distinguishing letters, so I incline to think the destination legend is Grotesk based on a general impression of its weight.
Edit: Found this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatguyinalittlecoat/4019838975/sizes/o/in/photostream/
It is definitely Grotesk for both destination legend and cartouches, not TERN. TERN specimens are here:
http://www.iiid.net/SOMS/Typeface%20Tern.aspx
Recent ASFINAG construction contracts (including one pure signing contract in Burgenland earlier this spring) have also had pattern-accurate drawings showing signs with TERN lettering.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatguyinalittlecoat/4019838975/in/set-72157622522797334
(larger)