The Worst of Road Signs

[Pete from Boston]

I found this while cruising through GMSV on the Whitehurst Freeway (US 29) in DC:



That sign is most likely still there. It's been a year since I've seen it in real life.

East Street, huh?

Sure, why not?  There's a South St. and Western Ave. in Morristown, NJ

This sign is presumably for E Street, but there's a period in there.

[signalman]

I found this while cruising through GMSV on the Whitehurst Freeway (US 29) in DC:



That sign is most likely still there. It's been a year since I've seen it in real life.

East Street, huh?

Sure, why not?  There's a South St. and Western Ave. in Morristown, NJ

This sign is presumably for E Street, but there's a period in there.

Oh, sorry. I saw the period and assumed it was for East St. I didn't realize that it was meant to be E St.

[vdeane]

Hamden, Connecticut:



Just so all the possibilities are covered.

Maybe a programmer installed the signs?  It's pretty common for software developers to write code for a condition that is impossible to reach just in case.

[hbelkins]

Actually the arrow indicates that there is no parking to the left of the sign at any time. The way I would interpret this sign assembly is that 60-minute parking is permitted at and behind the sign, while no parking is permitted beyond the sign.

[Pete from Boston]

Actually the arrow indicates that there is no parking to the left of the sign at any time. The way I would interpret this sign assembly is that 60-minute parking is permitted at and behind the sign, while no parking is permitted beyond the sign.

"All other times" has to have some time for those times relative to which to be "other."  The only time specification here is no time at all, as in, "No Parking Any Time."

To me this reads like a logical conundrum designed to shut down a robot on like Star Trek or something.

[1995hoo]

Actually the arrow indicates that there is no parking to the left of the sign at any time. The way I would interpret this sign assembly is that 60-minute parking is permitted at and behind the sign, while no parking is permitted beyond the sign.

Given that I regularly drive in the District of Columbia, which is known for rapacious parking enforcement, I'd probably construe the signs as being potentially ambiguous such that it's in my wallet's best interest to obey the most restrictive sign, and I therefore wouldn't park at all. If there is another sign out of view to the right allowing parking to the right of the "No Parking Any Time" sign, that might change the analysis.

I always obey whichever sign is the most restrictive.

[Brandon]

Actually the arrow indicates that there is no parking to the left of the sign at any time. The way I would interpret this sign assembly is that 60-minute parking is permitted at and behind the sign, while no parking is permitted beyond the sign.

HB, I agree.  Were this Chicago, the 60 minute parking sign would also have an arrow pointing in the opposite direction of the no parking sign instead of "all other times".

[roadfro]

Actually the arrow indicates that there is no parking to the left of the sign at any time. The way I would interpret this sign assembly is that 60-minute parking is permitted at and behind the sign, while no parking is permitted beyond the sign.

"All other times" has to have some time for those times relative to which to be "other."  The only time specification here is no time at all, as in, "No Parking Any Time."

Although I agree with HB's analysis, there is ambiguity with the 60 minute parking sign. Almost as if the allowed parking sign should simply have an arrow to the right and "all other times" text removed--or, an additional parking restriction sign with right arrow should be present to pair with the 60 minute sign for it to make sense.

The 60 minute sign looks much older than the no parking sign, so I would theorize that an original parking restriction sign existed that had specific timed parking restrictions.

To me this reads like a logical conundrum designed to shut down a robot on like Star Trek or something.

I am imagining a scenario where Captain Kirk talks the parking sign to death, it explodes, and then Kirk parks the Enterprise wherever he damn well pleases. 

[agentsteel53]

Don't put a "best" sign in the "worst" thread.

don't tase me, bro; it was just an example.

[bigboi00069]

A brand new "Interstate I-595" sign was put up on I-595 in Broward County FL towards the end of the construction of the express lanes. I haven't yet gotten a picture of it, but it does show up in the newest street view images (new images are only in the other direction so the sign is kind of far away, but perfectly visible).

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1090025,-80.2914055,3a,15y,331.3h,89.83t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s7RetVbZi2V5tUNrmyZtZ-Q!2e0

[Alex]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2017.msg290173#msg290173 mentioned back in April.

Also posted on the main site:

A brand new "Interstate I-595" sign was put up on I-595 in Broward County FL towards the end of the construction of the express lanes. I haven't yet gotten a picture of it, but it does show up in the newest street view images (new images are only in the other direction so the sign is kind of far away, but perfectly visible).

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1090025,-80.2914055,3a,15y,331.3h,89.83t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s7RetVbZi2V5tUNrmyZtZ-Q!2e0

[bigboi00069]

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2017.msg290173#msg290173 mentioned back in April.

Also posted on the main site:

A brand new "Interstate I-595" sign was put up on I-595 in Broward County FL towards the end of the construction of the express lanes. I haven't yet gotten a picture of it, but it does show up in the newest street view images (new images are only in the other direction so the sign is kind of far away, but perfectly visible).

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1090025,-80.2914055,3a,15y,331.3h,89.83t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s7RetVbZi2V5tUNrmyZtZ-Q!2e0

Didn't think to look there... At least now i don't need to take a picture of it.

[1995hoo]

I found this while cruising through GMSV on the Whitehurst Freeway (US 29) in DC:



That sign is most likely still there. It's been a year since I've seen it in real life.

I passed this sign today. It's still there. The sign to its left says "K. Street" (with a period) and has an old-style US-29 shield. I'll try to upload a dashcam screenshot once the videos have downloaded and I figure out which one it is.

Edited to add this photo and the comment that it's mildly amusing to pass under a sign for I-66 WEST when you're headed almost due east (recognizing the ramp curves south and then I-66 turns west when it hits the Roosevelt Bridge).

[freebrickproductions]

Here's a rather bad crosswalk sign in Boaz, AL. These are all over the Albertville/Boaz area.

Weird Crosswalk Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

Weird Crosswalk Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[SignGeek101]

Here's a rather bad crosswalk sign in Boaz, AL. These are all over the Albertville/Boaz area.

Other than it being off centre, I don't think it's that bad. The pedestrian figure should be lower on the sign.

[jakeroot]

Here's a rather bad crosswalk sign in Boaz, AL. These are all over the Albertville/Boaz area.

Other than it being off centre, I don't think it's that bad. The pedestrian figure should be lower on the sign.

Agreed. More erroneous than worst-of.

[Brian556]

It looks like they used the old spec, but deleted the lines.

[cjk374]

It looks like they used the old spec, but deleted the lines.

Why don't they use the lines on the crosswalk signs anymore?  It seems erroneous not to use the crosswalk sign here.

[yakra]

I never understood why the lines were removed from the spec...

[Brandon]

I never understood why the lines were removed from the spec...

I never understood either.  Merely using an "AHEAD" plaque followed by an arrow pointing at the crossing seems to be a step backward to me.

[SignGeek101]

I think this BGS was designed quite sloppily. Seems like the words "airport" and "must exit" were slapped on with no respect to space. How is anyone supposed to be able to read this while travelling at highway speed?

Looks like there was a greenout near "south" but can't tell what it would have been.



GMSV: http://goo.gl/maps/lyFrA

[roadfro]

I never understood why the lines were removed from the spec...

I never understood either.  Merely using an "AHEAD" plaque followed by an arrow pointing at the crossing seems to be a step backward to me.

I've never understood this either.

When you combine this with the fact that the school crossing pentagon can also mean a simple school zone, then things are really confusing. (This was discussed in another thread).

[jakeroot]

I never understood why the lines were removed from the spec...

I never understood either.  Merely using an "AHEAD" plaque followed by an arrow pointing at the crossing seems to be a step backward to me.

I've never understood this either.

When you combine this with the fact that the school crossing pentagon can also mean a simple school zone, then things are really confusing. (This was discussed in another thread).

I've never understood the purpose of school crossings. I understand the importance of drivers understanding when children are nearby. But, isn't that job accomplished by school zones (preferably, the type that flash)?

[roadfro]

When you combine this with the fact that the school crossing pentagon can also mean a simple school zone, then things are really confusing. (This was discussed in another thread).

I've never understood the purpose of school crossings. I understand the importance of drivers understanding when children are nearby. But, isn't that job accomplished by school zones (preferably, the type that flash)?

School crossing signs are like pedestrian crossings, informing drivers where school children are most likely to cross.

Some jurisdictions (such as Nevada) use the school pentagon sign solely for school crossings. Other jurisdictions will use it for that and to mark a school zone area in which traffic penalties increase.

[jakeroot]

When you combine this with the fact that the school crossing pentagon can also mean a simple school zone, then things are really confusing. (This was discussed in another thread).

I've never understood the purpose of school crossings. I understand the importance of drivers understanding when children are nearby. But, isn't that job accomplished by school zones (preferably, the type that flash)?

School crossing signs are like pedestrian crossings, informing drivers where school children are most likely to cross.

Some jurisdictions (such as Nevada) use the school pentagon sign solely for school crossings. Other jurisdictions will use it for that and to mark a school zone area in which traffic penalties increase.

While editing my comment, I deleted the bit where I said that normal pedestrian crossings would do just fine. Perhaps a "SCHOOL" plaque attached below the normal ped crossing sign (in the new bright green color) might be better, so as to avoid the school zone marking confusion (like in Nevada).