Favorite [Speed Limit] design

[Eth]

Or the New York speed limit sign family:

Yuck... Too much text when we try to limit as much possible. NY state has horrible speed limit signs.

The only one I really have an issue with here is the last one. Who gives a rip what the speed limit was prior to the sign? That's useless. What's the speed limit now?

[jeffandnicole]

Or the New York speed limit sign family:

Yuck... Too much text when we try to limit as much possible. NY state has horrible speed limit signs.

The only one I really have an issue with here is the last one. Who gives a rip what the speed limit was prior to the sign? That's useless. What's the speed limit now?

The default state limit.

Don't know what it is?  Oh well.  States aren't required to post every single law out there (which would be a series of signs so lengthy that no one would ever read them).  In all but a few cases, the default limit is 55 mph, so you're pretty safe going with that.

[realjd]

This idea could work for big cities just like it is used in New York City, but not in smaller towns. Signages are important; no need to save on infrastructure. Some people may forget speed limits as well.

The idea behind those signs is that you don't have to post as many of them.  For example, a village needs only post "Village Speed Limit 30" at the entrances to the villages and then does not need to post a speed limit sign on any other road.  This is not just saving on signage, either; per NY state law, all roads in the state have a speed limit of 55 unless in a municipality or area with a lower blanket limit or NYSDOT does a speed study supporting another limit (and yes, it HAS to be NYSDOT, even for local roads nowhere near the state system).  In many states, a politician can pull a number out of his rear and set the speed limit on a certain road to be that number.  In NY, the only person with that power is Cuomo (though the segments at 65 were legislatively defined for a time; thankfully, they are no longer, aside from a prohibition on posting 65 downstate).

It works pretty well.  We tend not to have much speed variation here; almost all cities and most villages are 30, for example, and many of the smaller ones are so small you don't have a chance to forget the limit.  Also, almost all (if not all) roads within a city/village tend to have the same speed limit because nobody wants to pay NYSDOT to do a study without a very good reason.  It's not like other states where nearly every road in town has a different limit.

It works well for locals, and I completely understand the logic. Using default speed limits isn't exactly friendly for visitors however, unless they're implemented nationally like in the UK.

[Ace10]

I like any speed limit sign that lists units (like Canada's Maximum km/h sign), just because there's no ambiguity. One time when crossing back into Washington from British Columbia, on I-5 where the speed limit is 70 mph, I encountered a vehicle with plates from a Canadian province that I believe was going closer to 70 km/h than 70 mph. I flew past them in the left lane and hoped they realized they're now dealing in miles than kilometers.

For the record, for consistency's sake, I'd like the US to transition into metric, but seeing as it's been trying to do so for the past century, it's probably going to take a big push to get it to switch.

[NJ]

When you cross the border into Canada there are signs reminding you that they use metric system, and there speed signs says "Maximum" so it's different than Americas "Speed limit".

I like Canada's speed signs hands down... Very nicely designed

I like any speed limit sign that lists units (like Canada's Maximum km/h sign), just because there's no ambiguity. One time when crossing back into Washington from British Columbia, on I-5 where the speed limit is 70 mph, I encountered a vehicle with plates from a Canadian province that I believe was going closer to 70 km/h than 70 mph. I flew past them in the left lane and hoped they realized they're now dealing in miles than kilometers.

For the record, for consistency's sake, I'd like the US to transition into metric, but seeing as it's been trying to do so for the past century, it's probably going to take a big push to get it to switch.

[vdeane]

Or the New York speed limit sign family:

Yuck... Too much text when we try to limit as much possible. NY state has horrible speed limit signs.

The only one I really have an issue with here is the last one. Who gives a rip what the speed limit was prior to the sign? That's useless. What's the speed limit now?

Whatever it is for the zone you're in.  The most common example is if you're on a state highway, leaving a hamlet that had an area speed limit of 40 or something, and the speed limit reverts to the state default of 55 (it's 55 if not posted in NY).  However, it can also happen in over zones - for example, a village with a speed limit of 35 (a few do exist) but has a main street with a downtown segment posted at 25; the "end 25 mph limit" sign would signify the return to 35.

Think of speed limits in NY not as lines that correspond to the road (except in the rare case of a limit without one of the zone banners) but as polygons that overlay areas.

[Eth]

Or the New York speed limit sign family:

Yuck... Too much text when we try to limit as much possible. NY state has horrible speed limit signs.

The only one I really have an issue with here is the last one. Who gives a rip what the speed limit was prior to the sign? That's useless. What's the speed limit now?

Whatever it is for the zone you're in.  The most common example is if you're on a state highway, leaving a hamlet that had an area speed limit of 40 or something, and the speed limit reverts to the state default of 55 (it's 55 if not posted in NY).  However, it can also happen in over zones - for example, a village with a speed limit of 35 (a few do exist) but has a main street with a downtown segment posted at 25; the "end 25 mph limit" sign would signify the return to 35.

Think of speed limits in NY not as lines that correspond to the road (except in the rare case of a limit without one of the zone banners) but as polygons that overlay areas.

I see how that works; I just don't see the value from a signage perspective. When given the option of posting an "end 25 mph limit" sign and assuming the driver just knows intuitively what it is beyond that point, or posting a (same size and presumably the same cost) sign that actually says what the new limit is, why would you ever choose the former?

[SidS1045]

When given the option of posting an "end 25 mph limit" sign and assuming the driver just knows intuitively what it is beyond that point, or posting a (same size and presumably the same cost) sign that actually says what the new limit is, why would you ever choose the former?

I'd almost bet that's one of those things you're "supposed" to know.  The default speed limits in Massachusetts are part of the written (now computerized) exam for a learner's permit, so at least here they do expect you to know them.

[vdeane]

Doesn't Oregon also have this weird standard where the distance from a hospital emergency room is a factor in whether a road can be 70 or not?

The story I heard with ODOT was that the roads were supposed to be raised to 70 or 75 with allowances for exceptions where it wasn't safe.  ODOT promptly declared every mile of roadway in the state to be an exception, citing the ER factor as well as the three trailer "road train" trucks allowed in that state.  This is because Kitzhaber was staunchly against raising the limit and the bill allowing the limit to go up was passed by overriding a veto.

[corco]

Doesn't Oregon also have this weird standard where the distance from a hospital emergency room is a factor in whether a road can be 70 or not?

I believe that was cited as a reason why limits shouldn't be raised, but it's not a requirement.

It's all moot now- since ODOT didn't do its job, the most recent speed limit bill from this year (HB 3402) specifically calls out which highways should be posted at 65 and 70, so there's no objective criteria, just dictation from the legislature.

[bzakharin]

Conditions Permitting

Not that it's my favorite, but GSP and some ACE signs in NJ have this either at the top or the bottom

[NJ]

Conditions Permitting

Not that it's my favorite, but GSP and some ACE signs in NJ have this either at the top or the bottom

I always wondered what "condition permitted" means ??

[vdeane]

It means you shouldn't just blast through at 55 if the road is covered in snow.

[NJ]

It means you shouldn't just blast through at 55 if the road is covered in snow.

I thought it meant "night condition permitted" meaning you can drive faster at night (when fewer/no cars) 

It should have said "IF CONDITION PERMITTED"

[Zeffy]

It should have said "IF CONDITION PERMITTED"

Conditions permitting encompasses everything from inclement weather, to 2 miles of stop-and-go-traffic, to a pack of cows goats crossing the highway...

Okay, maybe not the last one, but conditions permitting is saying "use your best judgement" and don't do 55 when it's incredibly dangerous to do so (like if it's snowing and no one can see in front of them).

[DaBigE]

It means you shouldn't just blast through at 55 if the road is covered in snow.

I thought it meant "night condition permitted" meaning you can drive faster at night (when fewer/no cars) 

Logically that would make no sense, given night speed limits are virtually always lower than daytime limits.

[PHLBOS]

Another oldie for the Other category: