Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly

[kphoger]

It would help if the signals had the name of the cross street on them so you could say "Oh, that signal says Mission Road on it, but I'm on Mission Road, so that's not my signal."

That would make some sense, if only Mission Road didn't basically end at that intersection, and if Southwest Blvd didn't make a turn at that intersection...

[wanderer2575]

OBSERVE
YOUR
SIGNAL

https://maps.app.goo.gl/8UwModp7TgJS7UGs5

That's sort of like the "Use only as directed" mumble at the end of every patent medicine ad. If you're not going to obey the signal, why would you obey the sign that tells you to obey the signal?

You're putting the emphasis on the wrong word—the sign is reminding you to observe YOUR signal, as opposed to observing SOMEBODY ELSE'S signal.

This sign is used in the Kansas City area in places where it might be confusing which signal applies to you. (I first saw it used in an application where there were two closely-spaced signals on a slight hill, so that your eyes would naturally be drawn to the signal further in the distance that didn't apply to you. They ended up adding a median to make one of the intersections RIRO, but ancient GSV exists of the old setup.)

I don't know that it helps, exactly, considering it doesn't really let you know which one is yours. At least with the example on 78th Street, they used it in conjunction with 3M signals to help with that. On Southwest Blvd. you're on your own.

When the first generation of computer/sensor-controlled signals went up at some intersections in Oakland County MI in the '80s, "Computer Signal Ahead -- Obey YOUR Signal" signs were posted on the approaches.  The intent was not to distinguish between side-by-side signal heads, but rather that if you saw opposing thru traffic move but you still had a red light (because the opposing leading left had a longer green), remain stopped until you got your green and don't assume the signal is malfunctioning.