Cryptic word messages on traffic signs

[Kacie Jane]

Apparently yellow traps are starting to be more common in Clark County since they've sprung up on many lights around here recently.  Honestly it's lazy signal programming... 

Anyone seen these before?

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

[Central Avenue]

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

I'm not usually one to criticize such things, but I'd think that would fall into the category of "so obvious it shouldn't need to be said".

[PurdueBill]

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

I'm not usually one to criticize such things, but I'd think that would fall into the category of "so obvious it shouldn't need to be said".

I like the Indiana version that says "WAIT DELAYED SIGNAL" with WAIT in tall letters...it's like it's yelling at you!  No "please"....

[NE2]

Apparently yellow traps are starting to be more common in Clark County since they've sprung up on many lights around here recently.  Honestly it's lazy signal programming... 

No it's not. It's good progression for through traffic.

[hbelkins]

Not necessarily a word message, but these are all over Virginia Beach.

[agentsteel53]

"NO FUCKING"?  they could've just borrowed a sign from Austria

[agentsteel53]

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

are there environments where that really needs to be spelled out?  maybe I'm just used to SoCal which has a lot of extremely non-intuitive signal progressions, but I never assume that when a given path gets red, mine will be next to get green.

[kphoger]

Not necessarily a word message, but these are all over Virginia Beach.

I simply assumed it meant, 'No Shit!'

[deathtopumpkins]

It actually means "No cursing". The signs are posted EVERYWHERE in Virginia Beach, and even on all Hampton Roads Transit buses. VB Police actually enforce it, at least around the oceanfront, but everyone always considered it a joke, and those of us from other local cities always laughed at it.

[agentsteel53]

It actually means "No cursing". The signs are posted EVERYWHERE in Virginia Beach, and even on all Hampton Roads Transit buses. VB Police actually enforce it, at least around the oceanfront, but everyone always considered it a joke, and those of us from other local cities always laughed at it.

is that even enforceable?  wouldn't there be freedom-of-speech issues present?  see Cohen v. California.

[Alps]

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

are there environments where that really needs to be spelled out?  maybe I'm just used to SoCal which has a lot of extremely non-intuitive signal progressions, but I never assume that when a given path gets red, mine will be next to get green.

In NJ, every time a light turns red on another path, you go.

[deathtopumpkins]

It actually means "No cursing". The signs are posted EVERYWHERE in Virginia Beach, and even on all Hampton Roads Transit buses. VB Police actually enforce it, at least around the oceanfront, but everyone always considered it a joke, and those of us from other local cities always laughed at it.

is that even enforceable?  wouldn't there be freedom-of-speech issues present?  see Cohen v. California.

It's probably dismissed if anyone ever actually goes to court. Presumably the only people who actually pay the fine are tourists who can't stick around until the court date. I've never actually heard of it being legally challenged though.

[NE2]

Burgess v. City of Virginia Beach

Because the City of Virginia Beach also enacted an ordinance proscribing abusive language, which has been limited by the Supreme Court of Virginia to prohibit only fighting words, we find that § 23-22 was meant to have a broader sweep than fighting words. If, as the City of Virginia Beach contends, Burgess' remarks rose to the level of fighting words, it was incumbent upon the City to charge him under Code § 23-12. While we in no way condone the language of Burgess, we hold that since the ordinance is susceptible of application to protected speech, it is unconstitutional. Therefore, we reverse the appellant's conviction thereunder.

§ 23-22 has since been repealed, leaving only § 23-12, which only applies to "fighting words":

If any person shall, in the presence or hearing of another, curse or abuse such other person, or use any violent abusive language to such other person concerning himself or any of his relations, or otherwise use such language under circumstances reasonably calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.

Fuck the police.

[deathtopumpkins]

Well there we go, I guess it's since been repealed.
I don't really follow the news down there anymore since I've moved.

[NE2]

Well there we go, I guess it's since been repealed.
I don't really follow the news down there anymore since I've moved.

The signs look recent, so it's a case of unenforceable signs being installed.

[Special K]

Fuck the police.

Them's fighting words.

[Brandon]

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

are there environments where that really needs to be spelled out?  maybe I'm just used to SoCal which has a lot of extremely non-intuitive signal progressions, but I never assume that when a given path gets red, mine will be next to get green.

In NJ, every time a light turns red on another path, you go.

Sounds like Chicago.  If the light for cross traffic turns red, you go, even if you don't have the green ball*.

*I've watched this happen on several occasions when the left turn lane gets a green arrow, and some doofus hits the gas and goes straight across the intersection in front of turning traffic.

[1995hoo]

In New Jersey, the opposite was quite common -- "DELAYED GREEN - PLEASE WAIT".  In otherwords, oncoming traffic gets the green first, so don't jump the light once cross traffic goes red.

are there environments where that really needs to be spelled out?  maybe I'm just used to SoCal which has a lot of extremely non-intuitive signal progressions, but I never assume that when a given path gets red, mine will be next to get green.

In NJ, every time a light turns red on another path, you go.

Sounds like Chicago.  If the light for cross traffic turns red, you go, even if you don't have the green ball*.

*I've watched this happen on several occasions when the left turn lane gets a green arrow, and some doofus hits the gas and goes straight across the intersection in front of turning traffic.

I see that happen frequently at an intersection near my house where there are two left-only lanes, two straight-only lanes, and two right-only lanes. The left-only lanes get their green arrows, the other lanes still have red lights, and it's not unusual for the first car in the left-hand straight-only lane to take off through the intersection despite the red light for his lane. What's unusual is how few of the opposing left-turn drivers blow their horns when that happens! The times I've been coming the other way, I blow my horn long and loud. Good number of the violators don't even look the least bit sheepish, either. (I have not been able to get a sense for how many of these idiots are mobile-phone users, though.) Astonishingly, I've never seen a collision at that intersection due to this sort of behavior.

I suspect, but cannot prove, that the people who do this aren't even looking at the light and are instead reacting to the cars to their left beginning to move. I often see people further back from the intersection waiting on line for the light to change who roll forward a few feet when the left-turners start moving, which makes me assume they're automatic-transmission drivers who take their foot off the brake when the left-turners start to move. I've never seen a rear-ending by any of these people, thankfully.

BTW, the situation Kacie Jane mentions sounds a lot like the so-called "Pittsburgh Left," where the guy waiting to turn left guns it off the line and cuts a turn before the people on the other side start moving.

[kphoger]

(1) Some people jump the green on purpose, so some of the drivers you see might be ignoring your horn blast for precisely that reason.

(2) Not blaring their horns doesn't mean people don't notice or don't care–just that they don't let it get to them.  I've noticed that, in places with lax adherence to traffic laws, people don't get as upset by that kind of thing and don't blare their horns.

(3) I often choose to not blare my horn in that kind of situation, because the last thing I want is for that offender to come to a stop in the middle of the intersection.  Better to let him/her through as quickly as possible rather than cause alarm or confusion.

[agentsteel53]

(2) Not blaring their horns doesn't mean people don't notice or don't care–just that they don't let it get to them.  I've noticed that, in places with lax adherence to traffic laws, people don't get as upset by that kind of thing and don't blare their horns.

indeed - hardly any horns in Mexico City, which is probably the least orderly place I've ever driven in.

[1995hoo]

Another possibility is that people are startled and simply don't react to honk. That happened to my wife on the street leading out of our neighborhood when someone, apparently pissed that she was "only" doing 30 in a 25 zone, passed her over the double yellow line and cut as closely as possible in front of her as he moved back over. She said that she was so startled she didn't react at all.

Not that it would have mattered, of course, when you get a dickhead like that.

[kphoger]

It's true.  Your first reaction is (should be) to make sure you handle the situation safely.  By the time your brain is done with that, the situation is often already over and there's no longer a need to honk.

[Brandon]

BTW, the situation Kacie Jane mentions sounds a lot like the so-called "Pittsburgh Left," where the guy waiting to turn left guns it off the line and cuts a turn before the people on the other side start moving.

I've seen that many times around here as well, often enough that "Chicago Left" could be an alternate term for it.

[vtk]

BTW, the situation Kacie Jane mentions sounds a lot like the so-called "Pittsburgh Left," where the guy waiting to turn left guns it off the line and cuts a turn before the people on the other side start moving.

That happens around here occasionally, particularly at an intersection of 3-lane roads where the left turn is sharper than 90°.  That geometry makes it so easy...

[deathtopumpkins]

BTW, the situation Kacie Jane mentions sounds a lot like the so-called "Pittsburgh Left," where the guy waiting to turn left guns it off the line and cuts a turn before the people on the other side start moving.

I've seen that many times around here as well, often enough that "Chicago Left" could be an alternate term for it.

Or "New England left". Drivers up here do it more often than not. I've even picked up the habit, since given the number of permissive-only left turns up here you often don't have a choice.