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The Worst of Road Signs

Started by Scott5114, September 21, 2010, 04:01:21 AM

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Brandon

Quote from: NE2 on April 15, 2012, 09:27:59 PM
And I-64 does, idiot...

Usually, IDOT posts both destinations.  Take a look at I-55/74 around Bloomington.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton, "Game of Thrones"

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg, "Monty Python's Life of Brian"


Alps

Quote from: Brandon on April 15, 2012, 09:30:02 PM
Quote from: NE2 on April 15, 2012, 09:27:59 PM
And I-64 does, idiot...

Usually, IDOT posts both destinations.  Take a look at I-55/74 around Bloomington.
It's hardly a "worst of" - just because they left off the destination for one of the routes. That's not the most uncommon thing in the world, otherwise how do you have a triplex with a limit of two destinations? And for the record, people saying "IDiOT" instead of "IDOT" also pisses me off. You wanna tell me to fuck off too?

Brandon

Quote from: Steve on April 16, 2012, 06:17:00 PM
Quote from: Brandon on April 15, 2012, 09:30:02 PM
Quote from: NE2 on April 15, 2012, 09:27:59 PM
And I-64 does, idiot...

Usually, IDOT posts both destinations.  Take a look at I-55/74 around Bloomington.
It's hardly a "worst of" - just because they left off the destination for one of the routes. That's not the most uncommon thing in the world, otherwise how do you have a triplex with a limit of two destinations? And for the record, people saying "IDiOT" instead of "IDOT" also pisses me off. You wanna tell me to fuck off too?

Steve, that's very common in Illinois.  The common joke is that IDOT can't even spell "idiot" properly.  To anyone else who has a problem with it, get over it.
NE2's been a bit of a jerk about anything like that, and not just here on this thread, but others as well.  I'm a bit sick of seeing the snide little comments from him.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton, "Game of Thrones"

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg, "Monty Python's Life of Brian"

agentsteel53

Quote from: Brandon on April 16, 2012, 07:39:56 PM
The common joke is that IDOT can't even spell "idiot" properly. 

it was funny maybe the first two times in 1972.  maybe.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

J N Winkler

I don't want to step in this whole "IDOT" versus "IDiOT" controversy:  that is why I have been saying "Illinois DOT" rather pointedly all along.  I have my own complaints about the way Illinois DOT does things, the biggest of which is the huge (20,000+ SF) signing contracts they have long done by proposal book without any sign design sheets.  In this particular case, however, they have been shifting toward proper sign replacement contracts with separate plans sets, and after harvesting 135 new sign design sheets (close to my annual average since 2004) in the April 27 letting alone, I feel my concerns are being addressed.

No, the Illinois highway agency I have the biggest problem with is the Illinois Tollway.  They should not be farming out their plans distribution to private-sector blueprint companies.  B&H was long overdue to lose the Tollway plans contract because they charged the same for plans on CD as for plans on paper, but the current vendor (a small E-planroom out of Naperville) is equally useless for collecting electronic copies of the plans on an information-only basis.  The Illinois Tollway should have been following Illinois DOT's example from the very beginning (2004 in this case) and putting plans on the open Web in PDF format.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Central Avenue

For what it's worth, I'm another who finds the "IDiOT" joke has long overstayed its welcome.

It was funny the first couple times I saw it but when it's done every single time it just becomes grating.
Routewitches. These children of the moving road gather strength from travel . . . Rather than controlling the road, routewitches choose to work with it, borrowing its strength and using it to make bargains with entities both living and dead. -- Seanan McGuire, Sparrow Hill Road

Alex

Two entries from Georgia, photographed yesterday:



Too cheap for directional banners.



Reverse order nonsense.

Central Avenue

Quote from: Alex on April 17, 2012, 04:40:31 PM


Too cheap for directional banners.
And they're all South! You could just simply stick one "SOUTH" banner above each column of shields.
Routewitches. These children of the moving road gather strength from travel . . . Rather than controlling the road, routewitches choose to work with it, borrowing its strength and using it to make bargains with entities both living and dead. -- Seanan McGuire, Sparrow Hill Road

Alps

Quote from: Central Avenue on April 17, 2012, 12:44:43 PM
For what it's worth, I'm another who finds the "IDiOT" joke has long overstayed its welcome.

It was funny the first couple times I saw it but when it's done every single time it just becomes grating.
Well, we  have one interesting solution: We could set a filter to convert all IDiOT references to IDOT. But then if someone's stupid, you call them an IDOT as well. Hey, maybe that works for people.

agentsteel53

can we make the filter case-sensitive to "IDiOT"?
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

J N Winkler

The filter is a technological fix which addresses only the symptom, not the underlying problem, which is that many (if not most) people on here were willing to accept "IDiOT" the first few times with a smile, if not a chuckle, but now find the constant repetition grating.  My own experience as a forum moderator and firefighter has been that even in mild-mannered forums, ranty posts tend to test other participants' patience, even if they agree that the criticism seems justified:  it is the Thersites syndrome at work.  In this case "IDiOT" is a rant in a word.

I suggest that a better solution is to encourage respect for other posters' sensibilities, not solely (or even necessarily) as an end in itself but rather as an aid to acceptance of one's own point of view.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

Alps

Quote from: J N Winkler on April 17, 2012, 08:29:57 PM
The filter is a technological fix which addresses only the symptom, not the underlying problem, which is that many (if not most) people on here were willing to accept "IDiOT" the first few times with a smile, if not a chuckle, but now find the constant repetition grating.  My own experience as a forum moderator and firefighter has been that even in mild-mannered forums, ranty posts tend to test other participants' patience, even if they agree that the criticism seems justified:  it is the Thersites syndrome at work.  In this case "IDiOT" is a rant in a word.

I suggest that a better solution is to encourage respect for other posters' sensibilities, not solely (or even necessarily) as an end in itself but rather as an aid to acceptance of one's own point of view.
And when that fails, filter!

(Note: I checked, and either all filters are case-sensitive, or none are.)

tdindy88

And here I had thought that the problem with the Mt. Vernon sign was the font, but I've seen far worse in the Land of Lincoln.

corco

There's a threshold- if IDOT screws up massively, then it's not annoying to see them called IDiOT, but when they're called that for every little screwup it's incredibly obnoxious.

Stratuscaster

#1264
(I'll throw in with others - the "IDiOT" thing is a bit juvenile and overdone. I can ignore it - but it leaves an impression of folks I'd rather not have.)


More likely, that's what the original said, too - so the replacement just follows along.

After looking at Google Maps, it's not really an original replacement, since the new sign goes along with the new loop ramp that eliminates a left-hand signalized turn. But the sign for that left-hand turn also just said "Mt Vernon" as well.

InterstateNG

Quote from: corco on April 17, 2012, 08:48:14 PM
There's a threshold- if IDOT screws up massively, then it's not annoying to see them called IDiOT, but when they're called that for every little screwup it's incredibly obnoxious.

Sums it up perfectly.
I demand an apology.

vtk

The IDiOT thing doesn't bother me too much – I treat it as a synonym with which I don't choose to use myself (much like C-bus*) and I suppose I've managed to become numb to the intended insult.  It's almost like I filter it out like any other common spelling error.

*C-bus is a nickname for Columbus, coined by an outsider. I don't like it personally, but I tolerate it as a nickname. For the simple purpose of abbreviation, however, I believe Cols. is the preferred form.
Wait, it's all Ohio? Always has been.

hbelkins

Quote from: vtk on April 17, 2012, 11:37:56 PM
The IDiOT thing doesn't bother me too much – I treat it as a synonym with which I don't choose to use myself (much like C-bus*) and I suppose I've managed to become numb to the intended insult.  It's almost like I filter it out like any other common spelling error.

*C-bus is a nickname for Columbus, coined by an outsider. I don't like it personally, but I tolerate it as a nickname. For the simple purpose of abbreviation, however, I believe Cols. is the preferred form.

I've heard that folks in San Francisco become incensed when "Frisco" is used as a shortened version of that city's name.

And I have always referred to that city across the Ohio River from northern Kentucky as "Cincy" but the preferred abbreviation is "Cinti."

I think Jim Rome coined the C-bus abbreviation. Have a take and don't suck.

Idiot, as an insult, is overused. Myself, I prefer "buffoon" or "f-ing moron."  :bigass:
Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

mightyace

Quote from: vtk on April 17, 2012, 11:37:56 PM
The IDiOT thing doesn't bother me too much – I treat it as a synonym with which I don't choose to use myself (much like C-bus*) and I suppose I've managed to become numb to the intended insult.  It's almost like I filter it out like any other common spelling error.

*C-bus is a nickname for Columbus, coined by an outsider. I don't like it personally, but I tolerate it as a nickname. For the simple purpose of abbreviation, however, I believe Cols. is the preferred form.

Personally, I don't mind IDiOT.  For one thing, it lets me know that we're talking about Illinois and not Indiana or Idaho.

But, I will say, if the majority thinks that it has been overused.  Then it's use should be limited.


Then again, I told Cleveland jokes when I lived in NE Ohio and worked in Cleveland and don't mind this state's capital being called Nashvegas.
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

yakra

Quote from: hbelkins on April 17, 2012, 11:55:08 PMI've heard that folks in San Francisco become incensed when "Frisco" is used as a shortened version of that city's name.
Emperor Norton once issued a decree prohibiting the usage of that abomination of a word.
"Officer, I'm always careful to drive the speed limit no matter where I am and that's what I was doin'." Said "No, you weren't," she said, "Yes, I was." He said, "Madam, I just clocked you at 22 MPH," and she said "That's the speed limit," he said "No ma'am, that's the route numbah!"  - Gary Crocker

blawp

Boy that IDiOT making all those mistakes and whatnot...that shit cray.

NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

KEK Inc.

Take the road less traveled.

NE2

It's not. But the thread has already derailed.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

ctsignguy

I WAS gonna  say we were all being 'trained'.....
http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u102/ctsignguy/<br /><br />Maintaining an interest in Fine Highway Signs since 1958....



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