The Worst of Road Signs

[Takumi]

Cutouts are always best of. I think even new signage on cutout-era specs (see Newport News and Williamsburg, VA, and the replacement signage from Staunton) is best of. I just find it more aesthetically pleasing.

[Bandon23]

Why i having a second language issue with it. But everyone mades a mistake for their language issue.

Ok is this old sign in California?

[Takumi]

Cutouts are always best of. I think even new signage on cutout-era specs (see Newport News and Williamsburg, VA, and the replacement signage from Staunton) is best of. I just find it more aesthetically pleasing.

The most recent picture was supposed to be a counterexample to what someone said, not a worst of picture.

...yeah, didn't see the new page when I posted that

[Kacie Jane]

Ok is this old sign in California?

I urge you to look closely at the bottom shield.  (Or perhaps even read the text Jake included with the post.)

[silverback1065]

http://mentalfloss.com/article/30143/10-crazy-confusing-traffic-signs

[vdeane]

#8 is from Alanland.

[amroad17]

More laziness from VDOT.  Instead of putting up a TO I-64/TO I-81 sign, it is showing you which way it is to the "interstates".

[mass_citizen]

I would actually consider an arrow inside an Interstate shield "best of". Erroneous is usually fun.

I agree, because tell me where you'll find another arrow lodged inside of an Interstate shield. Or any shield for that matter (one-pieces DO NOT COUNT).

https://www.google.com/maps?ll=42.385057,-71.072686&spn=0.000008,0.005879&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.385135,-71.072875&panoid=dZFNoUhT6Cft8H8yJMzeKA&cbp=12,19.78,,2,-2.12

sorry for the long link im in google map classic mode but this improv here is definitely a worst of.

[Brandon]

I would actually consider an arrow inside an Interstate shield "best of". Erroneous is usually fun.

I agree, because tell me where you'll find another arrow lodged inside of an Interstate shield. Or any shield for that matter (one-pieces DO NOT COUNT).

https://www.google.com/maps?ll=42.385057,-71.072686&spn=0.000008,0.005879&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.385135,-71.072875&panoid=dZFNoUhT6Cft8H8yJMzeKA&cbp=12,19.78,,2,-2.12

sorry for the long link im in google map classic mode but this improv here is definitely a worst of.

Arialveticverstesk - barf! :barf:

/we seriously need a "barf" smiley for times like this.

[1995hoo]

I don't necessarily think ALL uses of Arial (with or without the "veticverstesk" suffix) are necessarily "bad" or "worst of." The street sign seen in the Street View link below is one I pass just about every day and I think it's fine because it's clear and easy to read.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.77516,-77.134719,3a,75y,73.28h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1squkD0QbVBU-fHVrXpoAeEA!2e0

But those numbers on the sign "mass_citizen" posted are hideous.


Edited to add: Regarding ugly numbers, I spotted this last Wednesday afternoon near the Vienna Metrorail stop out near Fairfax City. I don't know whether VDOT or WMATA posted it, but either way, YUK, and I normally find Clearview easier to read than Gothic, too. (The time-stamp is wrong; I forgot to change the camera clock for DST.)

....

/we seriously need a "barf" smiley for times like this.

Right-click on one of these and then copy the image location and wrap it in "IMG" tags when you want to use it:

      

[Zeffy]

I don't necessarily think ALL uses of Arial (with or without the "veticverstesk" suffix) are necessarily "bad" or "worst of." The street sign seen in the Street View link below is one I pass just about every day and I think it's fine because it's clear and easy to read.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.77516,-77.134719,3a,75y,73.28h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1squkD0QbVBU-fHVrXpoAeEA!2e0

But those numbers on the sign "mass_citizen" posted are hideous.

I don't care if Arialveticverstesk is used on Street Name signs, but all other uses should be the FHWA font.

Also, the admins should add to the smiley list.

(BTW: Looking up barfing smileys while eating breakfast is... not the smartest idea.)

[sammi]

I don't care if Arialveticverstesk is used on Street Name signs, but all other uses should be the FHWA font.

Strangely, I actually like Helvetica on BC route markers.

[Zeffy]

Edited to add: Regarding ugly numbers, I spotted this last Wednesday afternoon near the Vienna Metrorail stop out near Fairfax City. I don't know whether VDOT or WMATA posted it, but either way, YUK, and I normally find Clearview easier to read than Gothic, too. (The time-stamp is wrong; I forgot to change the camera clock for DST.)

I don't care if Arialveticverstesk is used on Street Name signs, but all other uses should be the FHWA font.

Strangely, I actually like Helvetica on BC route markers.

Eww. Okay, I will say that I prefer Helvetica numbers greatly over Clearview numerals, but that's about it. The FHWA numbers look the best.

[hbelkins]

^^^

Obvious redundancy in that I-66 posting.

[Android]

Too bad there's a guard rail, someone should run over that redundant Clearview piece of junk...

[yakra]

https://maps.google.com/?cbp=12,45.8,,1,1.77&cbll=32.961137,-96.72707&layer=c&ie=UTF8&ll=32.961002,-96.727216&spn=0.007166,0.009559&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=0&panoid=44ebvY3PqqvxLZTF9gDfWw

[rickmastfan67]

I HATE ACORNS!!  This was still posted as of 3/16/14.

[JoePCool14]

I HATE ACORNS!!  This was still posted as of 3/16/14.

Anyone have a reason why U.S. shields got their shape? Because, it was a terrible idea, as its very open to 'creativity'... 

[NE2]

Anyone have a reason why U.S. shields got their shape? Because, it was a terrible idea, as its very open to 'creativity'... 

We just discussed this somewhere.

[vtk]

I HATE ACORNS!!  This was still posted as of 3/16/14.

Anyone have a reason why U.S. shields got their shape? Because, it was a terrible idea, as its very open to 'creativity'... 

No, it's not open to creativity. There's a standard drawing. It's not just a picture to be loosely traced; there are explicit dimensions and measurements given which completely define the shape.  And it's not even that complicated.

[CrystalWalrein]

I HATE ACORNS!!  This was still posted as of 3/16/14.

Anyone have a reason why U.S. shields got their shape? Because, it was a terrible idea, as its very open to 'creativity'... 

No, it's not open to creativity. There's a standard drawing. It's not just a picture to be loosely traced; there are explicit dimensions and measurements given which completely define the shape.  And it's not even that complicated.

That doesn't stop some cheap contractor from completely butchering what should be a simple shield. You would think even now with vector drawing programs that sort of error would have gone away. Then I start to think that maybe some of our signs were made in China like almost everything else....

[hbelkins]

No, it's not open to creativity. There's a standard drawing. It's not just a picture to be loosely traced; there are explicit dimensions and measurements given which completely define the shape.  And it's not even that complicated.

A standard drawing for whom? Shield shapes vary subtly (and not so subtly, sometimes) from state to state and even within a state. So in practice, it's very much open to creativity.

[Scott5114]

At least these days the path of least resistance for contractors is downloading a standard shield off Wikipedia, rather than drawing one from scratch.

[formulanone]

I HATE ACORNS!!  This was still posted as of 3/16/14.

I found a US 1 shield in North Miami-Dade and a US 90 in Marrianna with that same shape. Odd to see it in vastly different parts of Florida, but I saw them both within a two-week span.

I hope they're not spreading...

[ethanhopkin14]

Call me Ishmael!  I found a wonderful White Whale on the west side of Houston on south bound Texas State Highway 99 (Grand Parkway)  One of the very few instances of Highway Gothic and Clearview on the same sign.  I recently also found one in San Antonio but didn't get photographic evidence.