The Worst of Road Signs

[jakeroot]

Sorry for the double post.

When you combine this with the fact that the school crossing pentagon can also mean a simple school zone, then things are really confusing. (This was discussed in another thread).

I've never understood the purpose of school crossings. I understand the importance of drivers understanding when children are nearby. But, isn't that job accomplished by school zones (preferably, the type that flash)?

School crossing signs are like pedestrian crossings, informing drivers where school children are most likely to cross.

Some jurisdictions (such as Nevada) use the school pentagon sign solely for school crossings. Other jurisdictions will use it for that and to mark a school zone area in which traffic penalties increase.

While editing my comment, I deleted the bit where I said that normal pedestrian crossings would do just fine. Perhaps a "SCHOOL" plaque attached below the normal ped crossing sign (in the new bright green color) might be better, so as to avoid the school zone marking confusion (like in Nevada).

My "school crossing" alternative, which would be at marked crosswalks. The pentagonal sign would be installed at the beginning of the school zone (though I've never seen it used as such in Pierce County, Wash...most of our school zones are marked by these).

I suppose a 30 degree down arrow would also be attached to this sign, below the "SCHOOL" plaque:

[roadfro]

I think the school pentagon should be used for crossings, and a simple "School zone" text sign should be used to mark the zone itself.

Note in this context "school zone" refers to the bounds of a defined area for traffic enforcement purposes, and not specifically a school speed limit zone (as displayed in your link, and which is common in Nevada).

[cl94]

I was taught that the pentagon identifies a school crossing. In New York, for example, there are separate signs stating when one is entering (and often leaving) a school zone, at least on through roads.

[mrsman]

IIRC, when I was growing up school and school xing were distinguished by the crosswalk lines.

So I would like to see the crosswalk lines returned to all of the ped xing and scholl xing signs.

[jakeroot]

Here's a typical West Vancouver school crossing setup:

[jakeroot]

Definitely some issues here.

- the "5" in the I-5 shield is off-center
- having a black background for a Washington shield is not/never was common (I don't think I've ever seen it before and I don't like it)
- the I-5 and WA-512 shields are backwards (in this photo, you are merging onto 512 which then takes you to the 5).
- the sign is about to split in half?

And this doesn't count towards best-of because it's old -- this sign just sucks.

[national highway 1]

[sammi]

I thought it was impossible for Australia to have bad signs.

[national highway 1]

I thought it was impossible for Australia to have bad signs.

This one is in Victoria. Usually Queensland has the worst signs out of all the Australian states and territories.
Exhibit A:

[TEG24601]

Definitely some issues here.

- the "5" in the I-5 shield is off-center
- having a black background for a Washington shield is not/never was common (I don't think I've ever seen it before and I don't like it)
- the I-5 and WA-512 shields are backwards (in this photo, you are merging onto 512 which then takes you to the 5).
- the sign is about to split in half?

And this doesn't count towards best-of because it's old -- this sign just sucks.

It looks like they simply took a standalone SR 512 sign and stuck it on the BGS, because the black is common on the stand alones.  The old cutout may have worn out, or become illegible.

[freebrickproductions]

How about this Yield sign at Huntsville High School?

Non-standard Yield Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
They have several of these posted around the parking lot, along with several more standard ones.

[jakeroot]

Definitely some issues here.

- the "5" in the I-5 shield is off-center
- having a black background for a Washington shield is not/never was common (I don't think I've ever seen it before and I don't like it)
- the I-5 and WA-512 shields are backwards (in this photo, you are merging onto 512 which then takes you to the 5).
- the sign is about to split in half?

And this doesn't count towards best-of because it's old -- this sign just sucks.

It looks like they simply took a standalone SR 512 sign and stuck it on the BGS, because the black is common on the stand alones.  The old cutout may have worn out, or become illegible.

That does appear to be a possibility, though it seems to be the same age as the sign (ancient).

As a clarification, I am aware of Washington's shields using a black background on stand alones, just not on BGSs (a la New Jersey).

[national highway 1]

These trailblazers are also shocking...   

[jakeroot]

How about this Yield sign at Huntsville High School?

They have several of these posted around the parking lot, along with several more standard ones.

I think this sign is more erroneous, but nonetheless, I would have just left out the "Yield" text and left it as just a white triangle with a red border (though that would also be erroneous, so I think it would have been best for them to just buy official yield signs from a local sign shop (though maybe that was prohibitively expensive in the first place?)).

[roadfro]

How about this Yield sign at Huntsville High School?

They have several of these posted around the parking lot, along with several more standard ones.

I think this sign is more erroneous, but nonetheless, I would have just left out the "Yield" text and left it as just a white triangle with a red border (though that would also be erroneous, so I think it would have been best for them to just buy official yield signs from a local sign shop (though maybe that was prohibitively expensive in the first place?)).

Nothing erroneous about the content of the sign. That's a sign design error.

[jakeroot]

How about this Yield sign at Huntsville High School?.0
They have several of these posted around the parking lot, along with several more standard ones.

I think this sign is more erroneous, but nonetheless, I would have just left out the "Yield" text and left it as just a white triangle with a red border (though that would also be erroneous, so I think it would have been best for them to just buy official yield signs from a local sign shop (though maybe that was prohibitively expensive in the first place?)).

Nothing erroneous about the content of the sign. That's a sign design error.

Indeed. The font is erroneous but that ties more into a design error (as you've said).

[cl94]

This went up within the past 2 years in Buffalo. I think you can figure out what's wrong with it. Not far from there is this garbage on NY 198. Replaced all-text button-copy signage last year. Quite a shame. Those signs have company a couple miles away. And whoever did this needs needs to be ashamed.

[NE2]

This went up within the past 2 years in Buffalo. I think you can figure out what's wrong with it.

Unless you're nitpicking about the street name being on top or NYSDOT not following the MUTCD's ever-changing standards for option lanes, I don't see it.

[cl94]

This went up within the past 2 years in Buffalo. I think you can figure out what's wrong with it.

Unless you're nitpicking about the street name being on top or NYSDOT not following the MUTCD's ever-changing standards for option lanes, I don't see it.

The route shield has either too much white space or the incorrect font

Edit: I wish I had a picture of the signs that went up on NY 33 at I-90. Those are beautiful.

[roadfro]

This went up within the past 2 years in Buffalo. I think you can figure out what's wrong with it. Not far from there is this garbage on NY 198. Replaced all-text button-copy signage last year. Quite a shame. Those signs have company a couple miles away. And whoever did this needs needs to be ashamed.

Yeah, except in the last link, where the font is weird, I really don't see the issues...

[cl94]

This went up within the past 2 years in Buffalo. I think you can figure out what's wrong with it. Not far from there is this garbage on NY 198. Replaced all-text button-copy signage last year. Quite a shame. Those signs have company a couple miles away. And whoever did this needs needs to be ashamed.

Yeah, except in the last link, where the font is weird, I really don't see the issues...

Bad shields

[bing101]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=936840436345504&set=a.187942584568630.50648.100000586708549&type=1&theaterOdd Sign on I-80 @ CA-12 in Fairfield, CA for the Sacramento and Fairfield Control Cities on I-80.


This is the strangest sign I took a shot of.

[SignGeek101]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=936840436345504&set=a.187942584568630.50648.100000586708549&type=1&theaterOdd Sign on I-80 @ CA-12 in Fairfield, CA for the Sacramento and Fairfield Control Cities on I-80.


This is the strangest sign I took a shot of.

What's wrong with these signs?  I don't see it.

[Zeffy]

^ I'm going to assume it's the I-80 pullthrough sign that is overly huge for no apparent reason.

[bing101]

^ I'm going to assume it's the I-80 pullthrough sign that is overly huge for no apparent reason.

The Way the Control Cities were arranged was strange


https://www.aaroads.com/california/images080/i-080_eb_exit_043_03a.jpg


Here was the Pre-2013 version of the I-80 East in Fairfield @ CA-12 interchange sign in  that same location done by the AAroads crew.




https://www.aaroads.com/california/images080/i-080_eb_exit_013b_01.jpg


Or this one that seemed better than my recent shot.