The Worst of Road Signs

[Billy F 1988]

I don't know if this really belongs in the worst of road signs category.  It is certainly unique though.

If it isn't that bad, why would you submit it here then? Perhaps the contractor used the wrong width on the Hurontario Street/Orangeville panel by using Series D instead of E(M) like the one on the left, but that doesn't mean it's the worst. I'm starting to see a trend here where people find a photograph of sign panels of every kind that may seem worse but when examined up close, they don't appear that way.

[AsphaltPlanet]

It's the worst because the local sign for Valleywood Boulevard (a subdivision, not a park) is brown, not because the sign layout is poor.

To the above poster, I am thankful to not be that serious of a sign evaluator.

[mass_citizen]

I think we need to create a "bad" and/or "unique/interesting" sign thread to avoid the response when someone posts something that may not necessarily fit everyones description of "worst"

I know someone suggested the "signs with design errors" thread, but I think that also has its own definition that may not pertain to every sign posted here.

[Zeffy]

I think we need to create a "bad" and/or "unique/interesting" sign thread to avoid the response when someone posts something that may not necessarily fit everyones description of "worst"

I know someone suggested the "signs with design errors" thread, but I think that also has its own definition that may not pertain to every sign posted here.

Well, anyone can start a topic to be fair. The appropriate thread title could be 'Unique Signs' or something along those lines. While I won't be an ass and insult people who post to this signs to this topic that aren't really worthy of the 'worst of' designation, it probably would be a better idea in the long run to make a new topic for these types of signs - that way we can always go back and look at them without having to dig through this thread.

[Scott5114]

I couldn't find anything wrong with it because I'm not familiar with Canadian standards. Canada is generally just different enough to set me on edge. (In other countries that have greater differences, like the UK, it's obviously different enough that it doesn't feel "wrong".)

[national highway 1]

[NE2]

I see. Another foreign sign that looks fine to us dumb Americans. Well played, old chap.

[vtk]

Did that sign previously say something else?

[Molandfreak]

I think the point is that the sign arches over the sidewalk. It appears to be taller than the cars, so there's plenty of room for pedestrians to walk under it.

[agentsteel53]

Did that sign previously say something else?

looks like mileages 10 and 4 are greened out.

as for that Canadian gantry - those arrows: my eyes!

[Kacie Jane]

I think the point is that the sign arches over the sidewalk. It appears to be taller than the cars, so there's plenty of room for pedestrians to walk under it.

I think the point is the hideous alignment issues.  Granted it's caused by greening out the mileages, but I'm not convinced the original sign would be significantly better.

[Zeffy]

I think the point is the hideous alignment issues.  Granted it's caused by greening out the mileages, but I'm not convinced the original sign would be significantly better.

That's my guess... I don't see anything else but the alignment of the text that makes me think it's a bad sign.

[Brandon]

Did that sign previously say something else?

looks like mileages 10 and 4 are greened out.

as for that Canadian gantry - those arrows: my eyes!

What?  Those are standard Ontario down arrows from what I've seen.

[agentsteel53]

What?  Those are standard Ontario down arrows from what I've seen.

here I thought the standard down arrow was the vertical mirror image of the up arrow on the "40 ahead" sign in the background.  these look like something I'd see at the local municipal airport.

[sammi]

What?  Those are standard Ontario down arrows from what I've seen.

here I thought the standard down arrow was the vertical mirror image of the up arrow on the "40 ahead" sign in the background.  these look like something I'd see at the local municipal airport.

The MUTCD down arrow is the arrow you described, but strangely Ontario does differently.

[Brandon]

What?  Those are standard Ontario down arrows from what I've seen.

here I thought the standard down arrow was the vertical mirror image of the up arrow on the "40 ahead" sign in the background.  these look like something I'd see at the local municipal airport.

The MUTCD down arrow is the arrow you described, but strangely Ontario does differently.

The MTO is its own creature when it comes to certain things.  The down arrow (some of them actually just hang from the sign bridges), the lack of the word "EXIT" on the tabs and gore signs (Quebec at least uses something unique), downloading pieces of routes while leaving disconnected provincial route pieces all over the place (think ON-2 or ON-3), a love of parclos, etc.  It makes Ontario uniquely, for better or worse, Ontario.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Manitoba and New Brunswick also drop the word "EXIT" from the tabs; mostly because the signage is, at least under certain cicrumstances, bilingual.

The hideous down arrows are, however, Ontario-specific. So is the province's aversion for rounded sign borders and destination names (why the heck do they favour road names in rural areas?).

[1995hoo]

I think the point is that the sign arches over the sidewalk. It appears to be taller than the cars, so there's plenty of room for pedestrians to walk under it.

Why would that matter? There's a sign like that a mile or two from my house (see below) and I never thought anything of it until I saw your comment here.

[Molandfreak]

I think the point is that the sign arches over the sidewalk. It appears to be taller than the cars, so there's plenty of room for pedestrians to walk under it.

Why would that matter? There's a sign like that a mile or two from my house (see below) and I never thought anything of it until I saw your comment here.

Point taken. I guess the point was the sign's alignment issues (minor ones in my opinion).

[Alps]

To elaborate:
Destinations are supposed to be left-justified, not center-justified.
These sorts of signs aren't supposed to have distances on them, hence the greenouts.
Finally, I believe there's supposed to be a line between the ahead and left halves of the sign.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Manitoba and New Brunswick also drop the word "EXIT" from the tabs; mostly because the signage is, at least under certain cicrumstances, bilingual.

The hideous down arrows are, however, Ontario-specific. So is the province's aversion for rounded sign borders and destination names (why the heck do they favour road names in rural areas?).

Ontario's signage used to use more rounded down arrows (similar to those used in the US):


The angular arrows debuted when bilingual signage was first erected in the early 1990s.

Rounded sign edges were also used on Ontario's older signs as well:




I've never understood why in many jurisdictions road names cease to have importance on signage in rural areas.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Indeed. I love the province's older signage.

[briantroutman]

Found this on a FHWA video on the Internet Archive. I'm sure some people would want to add this to "Best of Road Signs"... Also notice the upside-down W for an M in Miami and the narrow, un-dotted sticks for lowercase Is.

The confluence of route numbers would seem to place it here, but it doesn't seem to fit any of the interchange geometry. I'm assuming the area must have been substantially reconstructed since then.

One thing that's confusing to me is that the sign lists "Miami Beach" over (I'm assuming) FL 826, which does go to North Miami Beach but would seem to be the long way around vs. taking I-95 to I-195 for the city proper.

[NE2]

The signs are mostly best but the way they're combined is worst.

[Alps]

EXP'WAY