The Worst of Road Signs

[Zeffy]

Here's another comparison, I photoshopped (well GIMP'd) in a TO in FHWA Series E, as it would probably look if this sign were correct.

Your GIMP'd looks a tad crooked. 

I tried to fix its perspective to match up with the original. I'm pretty bad at it.    Mine was slightly drunk and couldn't stand up right, because it knew in the future an abomination would replace it. 

[Android]

Sorry for the poor quality image, I didn't have much time to grab the camera and snap this:

[hotdogPi]

Sorry for the poor quality image, I didn't have much time to grab the camera and snap this:

What's wrong with this? I see nothing wrong (except maybe the font, but that's not nearly enough for worst of).

Note: This is ethanman's sign because the image is 366 pixels high.

[vtk]

The 2 is in some manner of Clearview, while everything else is Series E.

✓ Negative-contrast Clearview
✓ Mismatched fonts within a single legend

Tough call.

[Zeffy]

✓ Negative-contrast Clearview
✓ Mismatched fonts within a single legend

Definitely ugly, but, I can't decide if it's the worst of.

[mass_citizen]

when in doubt, post here:   https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=11045.0

[Android]

Definitely ugly, but, I can't decide if it's the worst of.

What, after all that discussion of the word "TO" above?  lol  This is definitely worse than that! 

[hubcity]

I'm trying to wrap my head around the concept of that exit sign's creation. You've got a two-digit number to put on a sign. At what point does your brain seize so badly that you somehow choose a different font for each numeral?

[Alex]

One Carter photographed yesterday. What the heck is up with the number 24??

[agentsteel53]

apart from being completely incongruous for road use, those two numbers aren't terrible looking.  I'd rather have those, from an aesthetic perspective, than Clearview.

(also, nice older green guide sign.  looks like 1970s silver Scotchlite from here.)

[Brandon]

The 2 is in some manner of Clearview, while everything else is Series E.

✓ Negative-contrast Clearview
✓ Mismatched fonts within a single legend

Tough call.

Definitely a design error.  Now this,

One Carter photographed yesterday. What the heck is up with the number 24??

is fucked.  It looks so bad that it cannot be real, yet here it is, real as anything and fugly as sin.

[Zeffy]

One Carter photographed yesterday. What the heck is up with the number 24??

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Where's that smiley at...



But the sign on top? That's a nice one.

[vtk]

One Carter photographed yesterday. What the heck is up with the number 24??

The 4 is obviously a different font entirely, and it looks like a different shade of blue too.  The 2, on the other hand, looks like Series D, with the left edge of the digit compressed somehow.  Kind of like a xerox copy if you moved the page while the machine was still scanning.

[Brandon]

The 4 is obviously a different font entirely, and it looks like a different shade of blue too.  The 2, on the other hand, looks like Series D, with the left edge of the digit compressed somehow.  Kind of like a xerox copy if you moved the page while the machine was still scanning.

The 1 appears to be a decal placed partially over the 2.

[agentsteel53]

you are correct that the 2 is Series D with its left edge cut off.  the truncation makes it kinda look like a potential match for the 4.

the 4 is ... well, yes, yes it is.

[roadfro]

The 4 is obviously a different font entirely, and it looks like a different shade of blue too.  The 2, on the other hand, looks like Series D, with the left edge of the digit compressed somehow.  Kind of like a xerox copy if you moved the page while the machine was still scanning.

The 1 appears to be a decal placed partially over the 2.

If you enlarge the picture, it appears the 24 is on a decal covering something else. Note the continuous reflective background behind the 1, as opposed to solid white background behind the 24. The digits in 24 also appear to me to be a slightly darker blue than that used on the rest of the sign.

[Alps]

Looking closely at the "2", it's not actually in FHWA font - the curlicue starts to taper down. It was probably picked as the "closest font" to FHWA, and then the 4 came out in the wash.

[vtk]

Looking closely at the "2", it's not actually in FHWA font - the curlicue starts to taper down.

That's because it's not cut off, but squished at the edge.  I've recreated the effect in Paint Shop Pro:

[Brandon]

Looking closely at the "2", it's not actually in FHWA font - the curlicue starts to taper down.

That's because it's not cut off, but squished at the edge.  I've recreated the effect in Paint Shop Pro:

I'd agree.  It's definitely an FHWA "2" that's been squished somehow.

The "4" on the other hand is simply bizarre.  Almost like they took a "1" and modified it.

[Takumi]

The exit sign on the left...urgh.

[Zeffy]

^ Looks like someone played with the scaling tool and didn't hold down the control key to make sure it stayed uniform. 

[TrevorB]

Certainly not the worst I have seen...but that font looks like something a 3rd grader would use when they are messing around in MS Paint...

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.148247,-89.981556,3a,15y,110.85h,88.1t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1seAjgmD8mfjBHKz3LDCvPZQ!2e0

[Kacie Jane]

Certainly not the worst I have seen...

Pretty close though. Can't really find any redeeming qualities. Spelled correctly and correct background color I guess...

[mass_citizen]

that's definitely a worst of...what is that graphic in the middle of the sign?

[TrevorB]

That's the seal of the City of Memphis: