The Worst of Road Signs

[agentsteel53]

In Sullivan Square.

in New Hampshire.

[vtk]

In Sullivan Square.

in New Hampshire.

That's not even consistent as to whether it wants to use Hindu-Arabic or Roman numerals! (RT-I)

[roadman65]

  The mileage sign at bottom should be places above with the VMS as not only there is extra room, but it would be safer in the driver's best interest here.

[Mapmikey]

WOW!!!  Virginia is becoming the Oklahoma of the East Coast.  Inconsistent fonts, inaccurate directions, and DERP!  The middle photo has VA 166 continuing south on US 17.  VA 166's southern end is at this intersection. 

This picture is on a US 17 detour which utilizes the last southern part of VA 166.  So technically the road ahead is VA 166 south...

Once the construction is finished VA 166 south will run the opposite direction of travel in this photo.

Mapmikey

[Kacie Jane]

The mileage sign at bottom should be places above with the VMS as not only there is extra room, but it would be safer in the driver's best interest here.

I'm kinda curious why you felt the need to post this one in the Worst Of thread, and the other one in the Poor Sign Placement thread.  Even with the Clearview numbers, there's nothing remotely "worst" about it.  (And even the poor placement issue is debatable.  Personally, I'd rather have them separated, otherwise message loading can become more of an issue.)

[amroad17]

WOW!!!  Virginia is becoming the Oklahoma of the East Coast.  Inconsistent fonts, inaccurate directions, and DERP!  The middle photo has VA 166 continuing south on US 17.  VA 166's southern end is at this intersection. 

This picture is on a US 17 detour which utilizes the last southern part of VA 166.  So technically the road ahead is VA 166 south...

Once the construction is finished VA 166 south will run the opposite direction of travel in this photo.

Mapmikey

I see this now after perusing Takumi's Flashing Lights photos.  I did not realize how much construction is going into this project.  I had read that the new bridge was going to be 95 feet above the water and that US 17 was going to become a freeway, however, I did not know the parameters of this project such as a temporary routing for US 17 to the southern part of VA 166 and a major clearing out of the area south of the bridge.  I used to drive on Dominion Blvd when it was two-laned (with a four-lane right of way, albeit 1960's style as this road was completed around 1967) and it was VA 104.  I went this way to Nags Head (from the Western Branch area of Chesapeake) three or four times.  There was less traffic (compared to the old Battlefield Blvd two-lane road) and the drive was enjoyable.

[PColumbus73]

Here is a candidate for worst of street blades:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.8235,-78.672257&spn=0.000516,0.000603&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&layer=c&cbll=33.823451,-78.672246&panoid=zaYzy0mnR4md5jPPgPsWCA&cbp=12,234.38,,1,6.21&z=21

[Zeffy]

A lot of these examples are Clearview. Clearview doesn't automatically make something "worst of".

Additionally, a lot of these examples are likable because they're so bad. Most erroneous signs fall into this category, and they could even be considered "best of".

"Worst of" has to be so bad that it's not even likable. The first page has accurate "worst of" examples.

In the sign PColumbus73 linked, parts of '2nd Avenue' almost touch the borders of the sign. That's bad design practice, so I think it should be considered worst of. Then you have the 'y' in Toby that is larger than the rest of the lowercase letters but smaller than the capital T. That's just ugly.

I hate Clearview, but as long as it follows good design, I won't say it's worst of or even a bad sign. Unless it's in a route shield. Than I will thrash on that thing all day long.

[jakeroot]

Odd-sized roundabout sign near Tacoma, Wash:

S 66th @ Tyler



Disregard the off-centre circle. This whole interchange is full of strange signage (by Washington standards).

[ethanhopkin14]

A lot of these examples are Clearview. Clearview doesn't automatically make something "worst of".

Additionally, a lot of these examples are likable because they're so bad. Most erroneous signs fall into this category, and they could even be considered "best of".

"Worst of" has to be so bad that it's not even likable. The first page has accurate "worst of" examples.

I think a sign with two different fonts is a design error, regardless of the fonts. Yes I am a Clearview hater, but the fact that one sign is inconsistent with regards to font style is ugly in my opinion.

[PColumbus73]

A lot of these examples are Clearview. Clearview doesn't automatically make something "worst of".

Additionally, a lot of these examples are likable because they're so bad. Most erroneous signs fall into this category, and they could even be considered "best of".

"Worst of" has to be so bad that it's not even likable. The first page has accurate "worst of" examples.

I think a sign with two different fonts is a design error, regardless of the fonts. Yes I am a Clearview hater, but the fact that one sign is inconsistent with regards to font style is ugly in my opinion.

I posted the street blades nost as a Clearview bash, but because of the errors on the signs. Such as the lowercase 'Y' on Toby Ct. There is a major lack of consistency of the street blades in North Myrtle Beach.

Examples:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.818132,-78.674624&spn=0.001032,0.001206&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.818132,-78.674624&panoid=hJHzXRKRM5PmobbRQgtoIw&cbp=12,199.55,,2,0.33

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.821775,-78.68249&spn=0.000516,0.000603&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=33.821706,-78.682424&panoid=f9jxtigTs0SpuRaHLbwNtQ&cbp=12,222.62,,3,1.48

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.816649,-78.694454&spn=0.001032,0.001206&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.816583,-78.694453&panoid=vF0aA0oFHlXmvurUU7LbJg&cbp=12,56.71,,3,1.56

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.812306,-78.703855&spn=0.004129,0.004823&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&layer=c&cbll=33.812219,-78.703799&panoid=HgyZCkx42V2bmmpZYFc_Aw&cbp=12,34.02,,1,8.76&z=18

For that, I'd nominate the whole city for worst road signage.

[Zeffy]

I agree with that nomination for worst road signage in a city:

http://goo.gl/maps/MEja7
http://goo.gl/maps/pECfp



That's not the only Arialveticverstesk SPEED LIMIT 25 sign I've found in the city either...

[vtk]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.818132,-78.674624&spn=0.001032,0.001206&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.818132,-78.674624&panoid=hJHzXRKRM5PmobbRQgtoIw&cbp=12,199.55,,2,0.33

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.821775,-78.68249&spn=0.000516,0.000603&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=33.821706,-78.682424&panoid=f9jxtigTs0SpuRaHLbwNtQ&cbp=12,222.62,,3,1.48

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.816649,-78.694454&spn=0.001032,0.001206&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.816583,-78.694453&panoid=vF0aA0oFHlXmvurUU7LbJg&cbp=12,56.71,,3,1.56

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.812306,-78.703855&spn=0.004129,0.004823&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&layer=c&cbll=33.812219,-78.703799&panoid=HgyZCkx42V2bmmpZYFc_Aw&cbp=12,34.02,,1,8.76&z=18

Every one of those links includes an instruction to display search results for "north myrtle beach".  If you exit Street View and zoom out a bit, there's a marker pointing out the center of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

If I were to click any of these links on my smartphone, all I get to see is that marker in the center of North Myrtle Beach.  It doesn't matter if I use the mobile version of the website, or the Google Maps app – the search results override whatever Street View or map location you might have wanted to show me.

Please remove your search result from the map (uncheck it in the map layers menu where you switch between map/satellite view) before you copy a link to share on the forum.

This is already covered in this sticky thread – https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5716.0 – but I feel I have to repeat it from time to time because some people don't notice.

[PColumbus73]

EDIT for vtk:

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.818037,-78.674544&spn=0.001026,0.001206&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.818132,-78.674624&panoid=hJHzXRKRM5PmobbRQgtoIw&cbp=12,196.75,,2,-1.92

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.821706,-78.682424&spn=0.000513,0.000603&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=33.821706,-78.682424&panoid=f9jxtigTs0SpuRaHLbwNtQ&cbp=12,220.52,,2,0.38

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.816554,-78.694374&spn=0.001026,0.001206&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.816583,-78.694453&panoid=vF0aA0oFHlXmvurUU7LbJg&cbp=12,56.71,,3,1.56

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.812219,-78.703799&spn=0.000513,0.000603&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=33.812219,-78.703799&panoid=HgyZCkx42V2bmmpZYFc_Aw&cbp=12,30.48,,1,7.56

[ethanhopkin14]

A lot of these examples are Clearview. Clearview doesn't automatically make something "worst of".

Additionally, a lot of these examples are likable because they're so bad. Most erroneous signs fall into this category, and they could even be considered "best of".

"Worst of" has to be so bad that it's not even likable. The first page has accurate "worst of" examples.

I think a sign with two different fonts is a design error, regardless of the fonts. Yes I am a Clearview hater, but the fact that one sign is inconsistent with regards to font style is ugly in my opinion.

I posted the street blades nost as a Clearview bash, but because of the errors on the signs. Such as the lowercase 'Y' on Toby Ct. There is a major lack of consistency of the street blades in North Myrtle Beach.

Examples:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.818132,-78.674624&spn=0.001032,0.001206&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.818132,-78.674624&panoid=hJHzXRKRM5PmobbRQgtoIw&cbp=12,199.55,,2,0.33

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.821775,-78.68249&spn=0.000516,0.000603&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=21&layer=c&cbll=33.821706,-78.682424&panoid=f9jxtigTs0SpuRaHLbwNtQ&cbp=12,222.62,,3,1.48

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.816649,-78.694454&spn=0.001032,0.001206&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=33.816583,-78.694453&panoid=vF0aA0oFHlXmvurUU7LbJg&cbp=12,56.71,,3,1.56

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=north+myrtle+beach&ll=33.812306,-78.703855&spn=0.004129,0.004823&hnear=North+Myrtle+Beach,+Horry+County,+South+Carolina&t=h&layer=c&cbll=33.812219,-78.703799&panoid=HgyZCkx42V2bmmpZYFc_Aw&cbp=12,34.02,,1,8.76&z=18

For that, I'd nominate the whole city for worst road signage.

I wasn't talking about your blades, I think they are nice and ugly. Good job.  I was going to bat for my submission of a sign in both Highway Gothic and Clearview. Eight words on that sign and they couldn't even keep the font consistent.

[roadman]

  The mileage sign at bottom should be places above with the VMS as not only there is extra room, but it would be safer in the driver's best interest here.

What would be in the driver's best interest here would be to protect the right CMS stucture upright with guardrail.

[talllguy]

Grammar check much? #notMUTCD

[J N Winkler]

Every one of those links includes an instruction to display search results for "north myrtle beach".  If you exit Street View and zoom out a bit, there's a marker pointing out the center of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

If I were to click any of these links on my smartphone, all I get to see is that marker in the center of North Myrtle Beach.  It doesn't matter if I use the mobile version of the website, or the Google Maps app – the search results override whatever Street View or map location you might have wanted to show me.

Please remove your search result from the map (uncheck it in the map layers menu where you switch between map/satellite view) before you copy a link to share on the forum.

This is already covered in this sticky thread – https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5716.0 – but I feel I have to repeat it from time to time because some people don't notice.

I am sorry, but I don't think it is a workable solution to ask other users to go through extra steps to remove the "q" and "hnear" directives from Google Maps URLs that cause inconvenience for mobile users.  Many users, myself included, read the AARoads forum almost exclusively on a PC, so this problem does not even appear for us, let alone pinch our feet.  I have never seen the problem described clearly in fewer than four paragraphs, so there is a "too long, didn't read" factor at work as well.  Many forum regulars use Google Maps in ways that leave them with no reason even to realize that the search results pane can be closed, let alone that closing it generates mobile-friendly copiable URLs.  Finally, when you click on a URL someone else has supplied, there is no search results pane to close and thus no easy way to launder the "q" and "hnear" parameters out of the URL.

Isn't it possible to address this issue in an automated fashion, with no user intervention, e.g. by having the forum software strip the "q" and "hnear" parameters when processing a post for display?

[vtk]

Finally, when you click on a URL someone else has supplied, there is no search results pane to close and thus no easy way to launder the "q" and "hnear" parameters out of the URL.

Yes there is. In the map layers dropdown, where you select things like satellite view / terrain / traffic / 45°, the query is an item that can be unchecked, or removed entirely with the X symbol.

Isn't it possible to address this issue in an automated fashion, with no user intervention, e.g. by having the forum software strip the "q" and "hnear" parameters when processing a post for display?

Possible, yes. I could whip up a web tool to do this in less than an hour. Integrating this functionality in the forum is also possible, but I gather it would be a pain in the ass.  I don't think the admins want to implement custom code, so it would have to be added as an optional feature of Simple Machine Forums, available for every website that uses it.  And those guys might not want to accept the feature for one reason or another.

PS – I don't think it hurts to leave in the hnear parameter, as long as q is gone.

[Zeffy]

Isn't it possible to address this issue in an automated fashion, with no user intervention, e.g. by having the forum software strip the "q" and "hnear" parameters when processing a post for display?

I don't think that's possible in SMF. It might be possible with an addon - but I doubt that one exists that will do exactly what we want. Maybe it's possible to add BBCode for Google Maps that is able to use parameters to strip the 'q' and 'hnear' parameters? I have no clue though.

[vtk]

Isn't it possible to address this issue in an automated fashion, with no user intervention, e.g. by having the forum software strip the "q" and "hnear" parameters when processing a post for display?

I don't think that's possible in SMF. It might be possible with an addon - but I doubt that one exists that will do exactly what we want. Maybe it's possible to add BBCode for Google Maps that is able to use parameters to strip the 'q' and 'hnear' parameters? I have no clue though.

Better would be a BBCode feature similar to youtube, where the BBCode converts the link to an embedded Google Maps instance... but such a feature for general use would probably retain search results and may or may not be useable on mobile devices.

As for what's "possible" with SMF, you must realize that SMF can be reprogrammed.  Writing code to strip a single parameter out of a google maps link is hardly a challenge; but as I said before, getting the right people to put that code into use on the forum is a pain in the ass.  It's not a technical problem so much as a political problem.

[agentsteel53]

Google could probably save itself some bandwidth by allowing users to save street view snapshots with a quick URL.  instead of dynamically loading the entire street view application, they should just save the view as a JPEG.  storage is cheap; and they'd just have to share the 2MB or whatever the JPEG takes up, as opposed to the many megabytes of street view infrastructure.

the benefit to the user would be, of course, a much much quicker load time. 

[agentsteel53]

You can.

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/imageapis/ for more information.

I meant in a significantly more user-friendly manner.  like, a button similar to the "link" on the main google maps page.  not having to dig through API documentation.

[J N Winkler]

Finally, when you click on a URL someone else has supplied, there is no search results pane to close and thus no easy way to launder the "q" and "hnear" parameters out of the URL.

Yes there is. In the map layers dropdown, where you select things like satellite view / terrain / traffic / 45°, the query is an item that can be unchecked, or removed entirely with the X symbol.

I have now found it.  It is not very intuitive since it requires a click to expose and nothing about it indicates that it can be used for laundering the map URL.

Possible, yes. I could whip up a web tool to do this in less than an hour. Integrating this functionality in the forum is also possible, but I gather it would be a pain in the ass.  I don't think the admins want to implement custom code, so it would have to be added as an optional feature of Simple Machine Forums, available for every website that uses it.  And those guys might not want to accept the feature for one reason or another.

For that matter, I could probably write a batch file within fifteen minutes that launders the URLs.  But this would work only for me on my own local computer, and this still requires the user to jump through a hoop.

Some other possibilities to consider:

*  There doesn't appear to be an already-available SMF add-on with Google Maps URL laundering functionality.

*  Does the curse word filter support regexes?  If so, then q=[^&]* makes the problem go away nicely.

*  Is it possible to define a custom tag (which is essentially what the "youtube" tag is about) in such a way that it manipulates the URL that is actually displayed?

[6a]

Then you have the 'y' in Toby that is larger than the rest of the lowercase letters but smaller than the capital T. That's just ugly.

YES!  Just make the damn sign bigger.