The Worst of Road Signs

[hotdogPi]

My favorite oddball sign:

https://goo.gl/maps/wuFZUuZ6dCB2

If it's your favorite, it's not "worst of". "Worst of" makes you cringe, not laugh.

[dcbjms]

Probably the worst road signs I've seen are these hand painted signs that are common in this area along state highways in Jalisco, Mexico:

https://www.google.com.mx/maps/@19.7468972,-103.4625712,3a,46.4y,276.79h,81.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sENvlJX3nay1OwmxkqscBvg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

For anyone who doesn't know, these are supposed to be in either series D or C all caps. And it's strange because I've only seen those in that area, in southern Jalisco. Most signs on state and federal highways aren't that bad. Thankfully they've been slowly replacing them so there aren't that many anymore.

Is that a French-style road traffic font I see on that white sign?  That must be interesting to copy.

[cappicard]

Probably the worst road signs I've seen are these hand painted signs that are common in this area along state highways in Jalisco, Mexico:

https://www.google.com.mx/maps/@19.7468972,-103.4625712,3a,46.4y,276.79h,81.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sENvlJX3nay1OwmxkqscBvg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

For anyone who doesn't know, these are supposed to be in either series D or C all caps. And it's strange because I've only seen those in that area, in southern Jalisco. Most signs on state and federal highways aren't that bad. Thankfully they've been slowly replacing them so there aren't that many anymore.

Is that a French-style road traffic font I see on that white sign?  That must be interesting to copy.

The font used for "centro" on the green sign is ungodly hard to read.

[mapman1071]

The White on Brown Lit Street Signs at Signalized Intersections In Gilbert, Arizona
Easy to see from a Distance during the day but hard to see from a distance at night when lit (and even worse when the lights are burned out) 

[national highway 1]

The White on Brown Lit Street Signs at Signalized Intersections In Gilbert, Arizona
Easy to see from a Distance during the day but hard to see from a distance at night when lit (and even worse when the lights are burned out) 

Picture example?

[relaxok]

Nnnnnnope.

[TravelingBethelite]

I was just about to post this!  The original post said this was in Canada.

[jakeroot]

"NEW" signs are definitely more common in Canada. British Columbia has their alternative:

Nnnnnnope.

Not worst of. It's unique. Goes here: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11045.msg2106628#new

[TravelingBethelite]

In all honesty, although I don't know much about British Columbia's road and traffic regulations, that stop sign is UGLY with a capital U.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

So is the "new" sign in Canada equivalent to the orange flags used to indicate new traffic control in the US?

[steviep24]

"NEW" signs are definitely more common in Canada. British Columbia has their alternative:

Nnnnnnope.

Not worst of. It's unique. Goes here: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11045.msg2106628#new

Monroe County DOT (Rochester, NY) uses those "NEW" signs to indicate a new traffic control device.

[jakeroot]

In all honesty, although I don't know much about British Columbia's road and traffic regulations, that stop sign is UGLY with a capital U.

There isn't a lot of quality control up here. Many of the stop signs are Clearview now, but there are quite a few that look like that nonethless. Plenty are still in the FHWA font, but they are being phased out.

Monroe County DOT (Rochester, NY) uses those "NEW" signs to indicate a new traffic control device.

I was pretty sure I had seen them before (on the internet) outside of Canada.

[roadfro]

So is the "new" sign in Canada equivalent to the orange flags used to indicate new traffic control in the US?

The orange flags aren't necessarily meant to indicate new traffic control, but rather to enhance conspicuity of a sign.

The 2009 MUTCD add a "new" plaque that can be used, but it is just a yellow warning placard without the additional black/white pattern shown here.

[SignGeek101]

In all honesty, although I don't know much about British Columbia's road and traffic regulations, that stop sign is UGLY with a capital U.

Welcome to Helvetica. Most stop signs here use FHWA, even in Clearview rich provinces like Manitoba. But BC uses Clearview on their stop signs now too (I'll take Clearview any day over Helvetica). This was seen in Banff National Park, in Alberta.


Clearview Font Stop Sign by Sign Geek, on Flickr

(snipped)

Nnnnnnope.

This was posted in the unique board. The sign (not the font) is nearly Ontario standard, seen here:

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11045.msg2106673#msg2106673

"NEW" signs are definitely more common in Canada. British Columbia has their alternative:

(snipped)

Nnnnnnope.

Not worst of. It's unique. Goes here: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11045.msg2106628#new

That 'new' sign is used mostly across the country, not just BC. Except for Ontario as mentioned above.

[jakeroot]

That 'new' sign is used mostly across the country, not just BC. Except for Ontario as mentioned above.

I was reluctant to notice that, that sign was in Canada, and not the US. Otherwise, I would've said that the sign doesn't go anywhere, since it's a standard sign (in Ontario at least).

[1995hoo]

Saw this Wednesday afternoon, I believe somewhere on the "street portion" of FL-826 somewhere between the Golden Glades Interchange and A1A en route to Bal Harbour.

[signalman]

^ That thing is hideous! 3 di shield with ugly over sized numbers (I'm not a font or size guy).  It could also go in the poor sign placement thread.  I'm assuming it hasn't been there so long that a tree has begun to grow around it.  (Maybe it has been?)

[1995hoo]

^ That thing is hideous! 3 di shield with ugly over sized numbers (I'm not a font or size guy).  It could also go in the poor sign placement thread.  I'm assuming it hasn't been there so long that a tree has begun to grow around it.  (Maybe it has been?)

I have no idea. Perhaps one of the forum members from Florida knows.

[freebrickproductions]

I think these old Alt. US 72 shields qualify for "worst of":
Ugly Alt. US 72 Shields by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Ugly Alt. US 72 Shields by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
These are left overs from before Alt. US 72 was re-routed onto I-565.

[formulanone]

^ That thing is hideous! 3 di shield with ugly over sized numbers (I'm not a font or size guy).  It could also go in the poor sign placement thread.  I'm assuming it hasn't been there so long that a tree has begun to grow around it.  (Maybe it has been?)

It was probably lazily placed there after it fell over. It would take a few years for the tree's branches to grow around the sign.

Somewhere, I have a photo of a similar construction sign, but oddly (for Florida), with the state name.

[Jovet]

In all honesty, although I don't know much about British Columbia's road and traffic regulations, that stop sign is UGLY with a capital U.

The whole assembly is ugly!  Ugly with a capital Helvetica.  Or worse!

Why is the 3-WAY sign so large?  Why are the letters spaced so close together?
Why is the STOP sign so small?
Why is the NEW sign the largest of them all?

I would be embarrassed if I had put this up.

[jakeroot]

In all honesty, although I don't know much about British Columbia's road and traffic regulations, that stop sign is UGLY with a capital U.

The whole assembly is ugly!  Ugly with a capital Helvetica.  Or worse!

Why is the 3-WAY sign so large?  Why are the letters spaced so close together?
Why is the STOP sign so small?
Why is the NEW sign the largest of them all?

I would be embarrassed if I had put this up.

The only thing technically incorrect in that stack is the use of Helvetica for the "STOP" legend (should be Clearview). The 3-way plaque is 400mm wide, so that's not incorrect. The only thing that might be perceived as incorrect is the size of the "NEW" sign, but that's not an officially sanctioned sign in the BC manual, so it's not necessarily incorrect.

[slorydn1]

Saw this Wednesday afternoon, I believe somewhere on the "street portion" of FL-826 somewhere between the Golden Glades Interchange and A1A en route to Bal Harbour.

^ That thing is hideous! 3 di shield with ugly over sized numbers (I'm not a font or size guy).  It could also go in the poor sign placement thread.  I'm assuming it hasn't been there so long that a tree has begun to grow around it.  (Maybe it has been?)

Nope, wasn't there in June 2015 when the Google car last went through there (would have been directly even with the back glass of the Dodge Ram in the left lane in this GSV). My favorite Krispy Kreme is just east east of here on the right at the stop light. Whenever I am in town we always stop there at least once (a family tradition since 1980).

[Zeffy]

I just can't like this sign. I know, it's Oklahoma, but still...
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1570348,-96.0043925,3a,45.5y,67.24h,104.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGGCGtR2bnqhUNfjqHxHocw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[noelbotevera]

I just can't like this sign. I know, it's Oklahoma, but still...
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1570348,-96.0043925,3a,45.5y,67.24h,104.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGGCGtR2bnqhUNfjqHxHocw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Does the COncEssIOns sign beat that? Because that sign needs more help.