Flashing Lights

[Takumi]

Here's part 2. Now with actual Williamsburg! I take VA 5 to its east end.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/01/williamsburg-2012-part-2-rest-of-va-5.html

[Takumi]

Here's part 3. A bit of VA 143, I-64, and the rest of VA 199 I needed to clinch, which was most of it.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/01/williamsburg-2012-part-3-big-circle.html

[Takumi]

Part 4. I get out on foot some in this entry. There's more VA 143 and all of VA 162 and 132. Sadly, no VA 132Y photos turned out this year.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/01/williamsburg-2012-part-4-getting-out.html

[Takumi]

Here's part 5. More walking photos, with a bit more of VA 199, VA 321, and VA 322.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/01/williamsburg-2012-part-v-one-more-clinch.html

[Takumi]

Finally, here's the sixth part of the Williamsburg trip. Some VA 90003 (Colonial Parkway), VA 31 (including the Jamestown Ferry), VA 10, and more. It's a mix of roads and scenery.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/01/williamsburg-2012-part-6-nightspots.html

[Takumi]

Miscellany from the last few months of 2012, from around the greater Richmond area.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/01/road-sign-pictures-that-i-gone-and-done.html

[Takumi]

My first trip from 2013, mostly overhead signage and an authentic Hampton Roads traffic jam.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-i-64-trip-to-get-some-wheels-for-my.html

[Takumi]

My Valentine's Day trip to Fort Pickett. VA 40, tank crossings, US 460, and VA 153.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/02/return-to-tank-crossings.html

[djsinco]

I am not trying to be disrespectful, but this thread has too many pictures of things that are not of any interest to me. I mean, does anyone really want to see every VA sign ever placed? The historical stuff is cool, but much of the content is rather ho-hum. I appreciate the effort that you put forth, but I think you should consider more interesting locations for road trips, etc...

[NE2]

I am not trying to be disrespectful, but you, Mr. can't spell five, make too many posts that are not of interest to me.

(Yes, Takumi's stuff is not the most interesting, at least to non-Virginians, but you're not paying him, are you?)

[AsphaltPlanet]

Typical response from NE2.  You're right a photographer owes no debt to those that put photos online.  But feedback, even negative feedback, doesn't warrant a snarky response.

[Alps]

Typical response from NE2.  You're right a photographer owes no debt to those that put photos online.  But feedback, even negative feedback, doesn't warrant a snarky response.

Typical response from AsphaltPlant. Doesn't understand humor and fails to be able to critique someone who posts something dumb in a thread.

I am not trying to be disrespectful, but this thread has too many pictures of things that are not of any interest to me. I mean, does anyone really want to see every VA sign ever placed? The historical stuff is cool, but much of the content is rather ho-hum. I appreciate the effort that you put forth, but I think you should consider more interesting locations for road trips, etc...

Seriously? I really hope you're not serious. We don't exist to please you. In fact, no one does. You will learn this.

[Alps]

AsphaltPlant.

Unintentional, but hilarious.

[AsphaltPlanet]

i know god forbid someone have an opinion other than the moderator group think.

[Alps]

i know god forbid someone have an opinion other than the moderator group think.

jeez, you think we all agree? if you were a friend of any of us, you could look over that person's shoulder and see the "agreement" we have...

[Takumi]

Here's part 1 of my trip to Charlotte from last weekend. I-85 from Virginia to Charlotte. Exactly one photo was taken in Virginia on this trip.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-different-mecklenburg-saga-part-1.html

[1995hoo]

Man, I-85 through Durham looks almost unrecognizable to me. It's been 15 years this May since I graduated from Duke and the reconstruction had not yet started then. I've been back one time since then, a golf trip in 2002 when the construction was still in progress.

Totally unrelated–Takumi, I don't have time to go through your whole blog looking, but something cpzilliacus said in the Falls Church thread made me wonder whether you know of any of the old white-painted signposts still in service. As I was driving this afternoon I was trying to think of any, but I failed.

[Takumi]

Man, I-85 through Durham looks almost unrecognizable to me. It's been 15 years this May since I graduated from Duke and the reconstruction had not yet started then. I've been back one time since then, a golf trip in 2002 when the construction was still in progress.

I hadn't been that way in 10 years, and even then it was a lot different. My dad worked on a project in Durham 3-4 years ago, but I don't remember if it was on I-85.

Totally unrelated–Takumi, I don't have time to go through your whole blog looking, but something cpzilliacus said in the Falls Church thread made me wonder whether you know of any of the old white-painted signposts still in service. As I was driving this afternoon I was trying to think of any, but I failed.

I haven't seen any in years.

[cpzilliacus]

I haven't seen any in years.

I haven't either, but if I catch one (they are about as rare as cutouts in Virginia now) I will try and snap an image (if it can be done safely).

[1995hoo]

I haven't seen any in years.

I haven't either, but if I catch one (they are about as rare as cutouts in Virginia now) I will try and snap an image (if it can be done safely).

Same here.

It's funny, yesterday afternoon I went out to the library at the Fairfax courthouse and I took Braddock Road to Roberts Road on the way there and I was noticing how many signs we have that still use wooden posts, but none of them are white anymore. I suppose when you think about it there's really little sense to painting them white. I suspect I will not see one anywhere in Fairfax County unless there were to be one somewhere on one of the back roads in the Clifton or Great Falls areas, but even there it seems highly unlikely because (in the case of Clifton, in particular) there aren't any primary routes back there.


Edited to add: After I posted that, I recalled that I used to pass some cutouts all the time in Gordonsville just south of the roundabout going to and from Charlottesville for football games, so I pulled up that area on Google Street View. No luck–as of June 2011 the cutouts were still there, but the post was painted GREEN. (Kind of odd assembly: four cutouts and one non-cutout).

[agentsteel53]

I haven't seen any in years.

I haven't either, but if I catch one (they are about as rare as cutouts in Virginia now) I will try and snap an image (if it can be done safely).

I'm surprised.  in California, we have plenty of white-painted redwood posts which date back to the 10s-60s... with modern signage on them, of course.

[agentsteel53]

(Kind of odd assembly: four cutouts and one non-cutout).

awesome!!  that 16 1/2 x 16 1/2 black square is a very rare sign to find in Virginia. 

[cpzilliacus]

It's funny, yesterday afternoon I went out to the library at the Fairfax courthouse and I took Braddock Road to Roberts Road on the way there and I was noticing how many signs we have that still use wooden posts, but none of them are white anymore. I suppose when you think about it there's really little sense to painting them white. I suspect I will not see one anywhere in Fairfax County unless there were to be one somewhere on one of the back roads in the Clifton or Great Falls areas, but even there it seems highly unlikely because (in the case of Clifton, in particular) there aren't any primary routes back there.

I think VDH (Virginia Department of Highways, predecessor to VDOT) used whitewashed (or just white painted) timbers because they were more visible to drivers, especially at night.

Last sign I remember that was mounted on white-painted wooden posts in Northern Virginia was on northbound Va. 110 (Jefferson Davis Highway) in Arlington County - a small green panel with an I-66 shield and a "control city" of Falls Church (the only place I have ever seen Falls Church used that way).  I will snap a picture when I can do so safely.

Only primary highways in Great Falls are Va. 193 and I-495.

[1995hoo]

Whereabouts was the sign on 110? I don't use that road all that often, but I need to head down to the area around Nationals Park sometime prior to April 1 (Opening Day) to scout out whether my preferred parking option is still available (I have a place where I park on the street for minimal cost or for free). It'd be easy to detour up 110 to see if the white post(s) is(are) still there.

The point about the white being more visible at night is a sensible one when you consider how crappy car headlights used to be. I notice the difference immediately in the rare event I drive our '88 RX-7 at night, as I'm completely spoiled by the high-intensity headlights on my Acura!

[Takumi]

The point about the white being more visible at night is a sensible one when you consider how crappy car headlights used to be. I notice the difference immediately in the rare event I drive our '88 RX-7 at night, as I'm completely spoiled by the high-intensity headlights on my Acura!

You think your RX7's headlights are bad, you should see the ones on my '93 Prelude. They're passable when I'm on the interstate, but on a 2-lane back road at night, driving the car was absolutely terrifying before I installed the fog lights last week.

At any rate, part 2 is finally up. I've been very busy lately, but I should get the rest of the trip's photos up before the month is done.
http://lightsflashingbright.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-different-mecklenburg-saga-part-2.html