The Worst of Road Signs

[Brandon]

And I-64 does, idiot...

Usually, IDOT posts both destinations.  Take a look at I-55/74 around Bloomington.

[Alps]

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]

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.

[agentsteel53]

The common joke is that IDOT can't even spell "idiot" properly. 

it was funny maybe the first two times in 1972.  maybe.

[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.

[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.

[Alex]

Two entries from Georgia, photographed yesterday:



Too cheap for directional banners.



Reverse order nonsense.

[Central Avenue]

Too cheap for directional banners.

And they're all South! You could just simply stick one "SOUTH" banner above each column of shields.

[Alps]

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"?

[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.

[Alps]

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]

(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]

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.

[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.

[hbelkins]

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." 

[mightyace]

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.

[yakra]

I'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.

[blawp]

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

[NE2]

[KEK Inc.]

How is this a road sign?

[NE2]

It's not. But the thread has already derailed.

[ctsignguy]

I WAS gonna  say we were all being 'trained'.....