Most absurd VMS messages

[steviep24]

I saw this on a portable VMS today on NY33 in Bergen, NY near the I490 interchange.

          RESPECT
            THE
            ZONE

          SO WE CAN
           MAKE IT
            HOME

Why is there a MassDOT message in New York?

I have no idea.


Actual message is RESPECT THE ZONE SO WE CAN ALL GET HOME. I've been seeing this on more VMSes in the Rochester, NY area.

Also being posted now is

     WATCH OUT
    FOR WORKERS

      EYES UP
     PHONE DOWN

[dantheman]

Why is there a MassDOT message in New York?

While this doesn't explain the Rochester-area example, there is one portable VMS that is semi-permanently installed on I-90 EB a few miles before the NY-MA state line that always shows whatever is on Massachusetts' VMSs. I think it is this one: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bt1wzN4SHDrdhonm7

The idea here is smart - it's before the last NY exit, and there is no exit from I-90 for the first ten miles inside Mass, so if something's going wrong you'd need to know before you get to the state line. Usually it's just showing some generic road safety message so it's not weird. (I think this might've been installed when Mass had some extended construction in West Stockbridge to realign the curve after the old barrier toll booth was removed, but not positive.)

In at least one instance I remember, this led to some conflicting messages... during a snowstorm, Mass had temporarily lowered the speed limit, while New York hadn't. So, there was a "Speed Limit 40" VMS in NY, miles before the speed limit actually took effect.

[Rothman]

I saw this on a portable VMS today on NY33 in Bergen, NY near the I490 interchange.

          RESPECT
            THE
            ZONE

          SO WE CAN
           MAKE IT
            HOME

Why is there a MassDOT message in New York?

There isn't.  There are NYSDOT messages in Massachusetts.

[Mr. Matté]

Whose message is this? TestDOT?

[74/171FAN]

Whose message is this? TestDOT?

I guess they wanted to test as much of the VMS as possible.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

[vtk]

That image doesn't load for me

[jlam]

That image doesn't load for me

No wonder. Look at this absolutely terrifying URL

Code Select Expand

https://scontent-mia3-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/538539793_1180384587463240_2243546007367064142_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p180x540_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=9nw0g9R10eEQ7kNvwFodb_i&_nc_oc=AdlUPdTATt3brysthn53tTaX86IAaS-dN-gkeY_sFCbgCBqfTs4_9TwwqthuxnL_-sw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-3.xx&_nc_gid=g6Op3YzikAOytto3IZOFxw&oh=00_AfWwgtqicsqhxYogywt4oH_9opYRlRvrkF1I48cdtmJ8uw&oe=68B3E694

[Scott5114]

That image doesn't load for me

No wonder. Look at this absolutely terrifying URL

Code Select Expand

https://scontent-mia3-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/538539793_1180384587463240_2243546007367064142_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p180x540_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=9nw0g9R10eEQ7kNvwFodb_i&_nc_oc=AdlUPdTATt3brysthn53tTaX86IAaS-dN-gkeY_sFCbgCBqfTs4_9TwwqthuxnL_-sw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-3.xx&_nc_gid=g6Op3YzikAOytto3IZOFxw&oh=00_AfWwgtqicsqhxYogywt4oH_9opYRlRvrkF1I48cdtmJ8uw&oe=68B3E694

I don't know who Mia is, but apparently she's content.

[kphoger]

That image doesn't load for me

No wonder. Look at this absolutely terrifying URL

Code Select Expand

https://scontent-mia3-3.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/538539793_1180384587463240_2243546007367064142_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p180x540_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=9nw0g9R10eEQ7kNvwFodb_i&_nc_oc=AdlUPdTATt3brysthn53tTaX86IAaS-dN-gkeY_sFCbgCBqfTs4_9TwwqthuxnL_-sw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-3.xx&_nc_gid=g6Op3YzikAOytto3IZOFxw&oh=00_AfWwgtqicsqhxYogywt4oH_9opYRlRvrkF1I48cdtmJ8uw&oe=68B3E694

I attempted to extract just the .jpg part, but that didn't work either.  When I paste the whole URL in, I get an error that says "URL signature expired".  When I paste just up to the .jpg part, I get an error that says "Bad URL hash".  Stupid Facebook.

[Revive 755]

In Illinois before the holidays:

NAUGHTY DRIVERS
GET TICKETS
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

On WB IL 64 at IL 53 recently, may not have the message entirely right:

LEFT TURN [this is the phase I think I might be forgetting something]
- -
WAIT FOR
GREEN
ARROW

Streetview indicates that left turn has required waiting for the green arrow for over 10 years.

[pderocco]

In Illinois before the holidays:

NAUGHTY DRIVERS
GET TICKETS
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

Funny that "naughty" gets associated with Christmas.

[kphoger]

In Illinois before the holidays:

NAUGHTY DRIVERS
GET TICKETS
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

Funny that "naughty" gets associated with Christmas.

Should have been...

NAUGHTY DRIVERS GET
TICKETS NOT COAL
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

[Big John]

In Illinois before the holidays:

NAUGHTY DRIVERS
GET TICKETS
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

Funny that "naughty" gets associated with Christmas.

Should have been...

NAUGHTY DRIVERS GET
TICKETS NOT COAL
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

in haiku

NAUGHTY DRIVERS GET
TICKETS NOT COAL NOW
OBEY THE SPEED LAWS

[TheCatalyst31]

In Illinois before the holidays:

NAUGHTY DRIVERS
GET TICKETS
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

Funny that "naughty" gets associated with Christmas.

Should have been...

NAUGHTY DRIVERS GET
TICKETS NOT COAL
OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT

in haiku

NAUGHTY DRIVERS GET
TICKETS NOT COAL NOW
OBEY THE SPEED LAWS

The middle line needs to be TICKETS INSTEAD OF COAL NOW for it to be a haiku.

[Big John]

On the WisDOT site, they posted
TURN SIGNALS
THE ORIGINAL
INSTANT MESSAGE

[pderocco]

On the WisDOT site, they posted
TURN SIGNALS
THE ORIGINAL
INSTANT MESSAGE

I think the middle finger predates it.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Because Buc-ee's is opening in Goodyear, AZ on June 22nd, ADOT got creative with their DMS:

DON'T RISK IT
FOR THE BRISKET
DRIVE WITH CARE

[Dirt Roads]

One that I thought we would never see during rush hour (albeit the reverse direction):

On I-85/I-40 near Mile Marker 160, in the past year or so the VMS has been changed to I-885 instead of the traditional I-540 target.  Today, the sign read (in the order that I saw it):

> Travel time to I-885
> Via I-85
> 28 miles = 28 min

which flips to

> Travel time to I-885
> Via I-40
> 27 miles = 22 min

That is about 73.6 MPH average speed.  Usually the travel time is listed about the same as the mileage or a minute faster.  I wonder if NCDOT is trying to have folks avoid using either the Durham Freeway (NC-147) or the East End Connector (I-885 itself) when I-40 is running free-flowing.

Not sure what happened, but this post got chopped off.

[pderocco]

Because Buc-ee's is opening in Goodyear, AZ on June 22nd, ADOT got creative with their DMS:

DON'T RISK IT
FOR THE BRISKET
DRIVE WITH CARE

If only Burma Shave had had VMSes.

[pderocco]

One that I thought we would never see during rush hour (albeit the reverse direction):

On I-85/I-40 near Mile Marker 160, in the past year or so the VMS has been changed to I-885 instead of the traditional I-540 target.  Today, the sign read (in the order that I saw it):

> Travel time to I-885
> Via I-85
> 28 miles = 28 min

which flips to

> Travel time to I-885
> Via I-40
> 27 miles = 22 min

That is

So on that concurrency, the speed limit depends on which route you're driving?

[Dirt Roads]

One that I thought we would never see during rush hour (albeit the reverse direction):

On I-85/I-40 near Mile Marker 160, in the past year or so the VMS has been changed to I-885 instead of the traditional I-540 target.  Today, the sign read (in the order that I saw it):

> Travel time to I-885
> Via I-85
> 28 miles = 28 min

which flips to

> Travel time to I-885
> Via I-40
> 27 miles = 22 min

That is about 73.6 MPH average speed.  Usually the travel time is listed about the same as the mileage or a minute faster.  I wonder if NCDOT is trying to have folks avoid using either the Durham Freeway (NC-147) or the East End Connector (I-885 itself) when I-40 is running free-flowing.

Not sure what happened, but this post got chopped off.

Since the original post got chopped off somehow, I have reposted the amended version above (just in case the chopcut led to any confusion).

So on that concurrency, the speed limit depends on which route you're driving?

Not on the concurrency, but after the split there are some minor differences in speed limits.  All of the Spine (I-85/I-40 concurrency) plus all of I-40 headed towards Chapel Hill and Raleigh are posted at 65 MPH.  I-85 is also posted at 65 MPH in Orange County, but drops to 60 MPH through the City of Durham.  Much of the Durham Freeway is posted at 55 MPH.  IIRC, the entirety of the East End Connector is posted at 65 MPH (but the I-85 speed limit in Durham is in effect until you pick up the first speed limit sign).

Anywhoosit, it is indeed rare to see the "28 miles = 28 min" posted at any time of the morning rush (heavy traffic) or evening rush (reverse flow) since the two northern routes drop the traffic into the worst of what RTP has to offer.  From RTP eastward, the rush hour is pretty rough in both directions morning and evening.

Historically, the rush hour traffic on I-40 has been predominantly heavier towards RTP in the mornings and away from RTP in the evenings (both from Raleigh and also from Durham, exactly backwards of most cities).  After the COVID boost to our local population, there is significant traffic volumes in both directions to/from RTP for both cities.  There is also a significant volume to/from Chapel Hill nowadays (mainly NC-54 at Exit 273).