The Worst of Road Signs

[vdeane]

I had to squint on that to make sure "Okla City" wasn't street view distortion.

[freebrickproductions]

I'm pretty sure all of these signs from Morgan County, AL qualify for "Worst Of":
This one's just inside Decatur, AL's city limits:
Restricted Bridge by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

The rest of these are from Hartselle, AL:
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Odd School Zone Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Odd School Zone Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Parking by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Parking by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Parking by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Dead End by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Rock & Hammitt by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Hammitt & Short Street by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Hammitt & Hickory by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Railroad Street by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Trucks Entering Highway by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

[brownpelican]

Those street signs are pretty terrible.

[The Nature Boy]

There had to become nepotism or dirty dealing involved in the rewarding of those contracts. There's no way a legitimate organization would make those.

[hbelkins]

There's no way a legitimate organization would make those.

Sure there is. Lots of local governments contract with local signmakers to make street signs. Kentucky cities' and counties' signs usually look different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, because each uses a different local company to make the signs. Some of the bigger governments may have their own sign shops, but the vast majority don't.

[The Nature Boy]

Wouldn't a sign company know the norms of the industry though?

[cl94]

There's no way a legitimate organization would make those.

Sure there is. Lots of local governments contract with local signmakers to make street signs. Kentucky cities' and counties' signs usually look different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, because each uses a different local company to make the signs. Some of the bigger governments may have their own sign shops, but the vast majority don't.

That's how it is in New York. Larger cities have their own sign shops, as do many counties. A lot of towns buy from their county sign shop, such as in Erie and Warren Counties. For example, with the exception of Cheektowaga, Tonawanda and Amherst (which have their own sign shops), just about every town in Erie County gets signs from the county shop in Lancaster, with street name blades being identical. Warren County roadways have a unique "private road" name blade that I haven't seen elsewhere. Villages and smaller cities throughout the state typically use local manufacturers of varying (typically worse) quality.

[empirestate]

There's no way a legitimate organization would make those.

Sure there is. Lots of local governments contract with local signmakers to make street signs. Kentucky cities' and counties' signs usually look different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, because each uses a different local company to make the signs. Some of the bigger governments may have their own sign shops, but the vast majority don't.

That's how it is in New York. Larger cities have their own sign shops, as do many counties. A lot of towns buy from their county sign shop, such as in Erie and Warren Counties. For example, with the exception of Cheektowaga, Tonawanda and Amherst (which have their own sign shops), just about every town in Erie County gets signs from the county shop in Lancaster, with street name blades being identical. Warren County roadways have a unique "private road" name blade that I haven't seen elsewhere. Villages and smaller cities throughout the state typically use local manufacturers of varying (typically worse) quality.

I think the pertinent question isn't whether a legitimate sign-making business would produce such abominations–clearly, they can and do–but rather, why it is that an area like Alabama or Kentucky might be plagued with terrible quality control, whereas large swaths of territory elsewhere seem to be enjoying an acceptable product from an assortment of equally small-scale companies.

[cl94]

There's no way a legitimate organization would make those.

Sure there is. Lots of local governments contract with local signmakers to make street signs. Kentucky cities' and counties' signs usually look different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, because each uses a different local company to make the signs. Some of the bigger governments may have their own sign shops, but the vast majority don't.

That's how it is in New York. Larger cities have their own sign shops, as do many counties. A lot of towns buy from their county sign shop, such as in Erie and Warren Counties. For example, with the exception of Cheektowaga, Tonawanda and Amherst (which have their own sign shops), just about every town in Erie County gets signs from the county shop in Lancaster, with street name blades being identical. Warren County roadways have a unique "private road" name blade that I haven't seen elsewhere. Villages and smaller cities throughout the state typically use local manufacturers of varying (typically worse) quality.

I think the pertinent question isn't whether a legitimate sign-making business would produce such abominations–clearly, they can and do–but rather, why it is that an area like Alabama or Kentucky might be plagued with terrible quality control, whereas large swaths of territory elsewhere seem to be enjoying an acceptable product from an assortment of equally small-scale companies.

It's not unique to that part of the country. Most of Upstate New York has equally crappy quality control.

[empirestate]

I think the pertinent question isn't whether a legitimate sign-making business would produce such abominations–clearly, they can and do–but rather, why it is that an area like Alabama or Kentucky might be plagued with terrible quality control, whereas large swaths of territory elsewhere seem to be enjoying an acceptable product from an assortment of equally small-scale companies.

It's not unique to that part of the country. Most of Upstate New York has equally crappy quality control.

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

[vdeane]

I think the pertinent question isn't whether a legitimate sign-making business would produce such abominations–clearly, they can and do–but rather, why it is that an area like Alabama or Kentucky might be plagued with terrible quality control, whereas large swaths of territory elsewhere seem to be enjoying an acceptable product from an assortment of equally small-scale companies.

It's not unique to that part of the country. Most of Upstate New York has equally crappy quality control.

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

Also, let's appreciate that the filename on Wikipedia is "Infamous Tonawanda Squares.jpg".

[noelbotevera]

I think the pertinent question isn't whether a legitimate sign-making business would produce such abominations–clearly, they can and do–but rather, why it is that an area like Alabama or Kentucky might be plagued with terrible quality control, whereas large swaths of territory elsewhere seem to be enjoying an acceptable product from an assortment of equally small-scale companies.

It's not unique to that part of the country. Most of Upstate New York has equally crappy quality control.

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

Also, let's appreciate that the filename on Wikipedia is "Infamous Tonawanda Squares.jpg".

The even more appreciable thing is that the description is "If Picasso was in charge of designing the Interstate Highway shields, he'd come up with something similar to this."

The even MORE appreciable thing is that the uploader is...Doug Kerr.

[hbelkins]

Wouldn't a sign company know the norms of the industry though?

Not the small businesses that you typically find in smaller towns and counties. Many of them are one-person operations and most of their business is doing signs for retail stores, etc.

[cl94]

Tonawanda (both city and town) and North Tonawanda have a bunch of crap.

This was installed before Queensbury started buying signs from Warren County. This one is worse. And there are a LOT more of those in the Capital District and southern Adirondacks.

[empirestate]

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

Also, let's appreciate that the filename on Wikipedia is "Infamous Tonawanda Squares.jpg".

Sure, we all know about the Tonawanda Squares; how many of them are there, though?

This was installed before Queensbury started buying signs from Warren County. This one is worse. And there are a LOT more of those in the Capital District and southern Adirondacks.

OK, looks like you've got a lower threshold for what you'd call horrible. That would explain why I haven't seen it. :-)

[NYhwyfan]

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

Also, let's appreciate that the filename on Wikipedia is "Infamous Tonawanda Squares.jpg".

Sure, we all know about the Tonawanda Squares; how many of them are there, though?

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0162429,-78.8789394,3a,90y,18.25h,69.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smbMBvOelSEPfsJQxES_llQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

[cl94]

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

Also, let's appreciate that the filename on Wikipedia is "Infamous Tonawanda Squares.jpg".

Sure, we all know about the Tonawanda Squares; how many of them are there, though?

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0162429,-78.8789394,3a,90y,18.25h,69.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smbMBvOelSEPfsJQxES_llQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Let's put it this way: if the City of Tonawanda installs a sign, it's a rectangle.

[empirestate]

Any examples? As a lifelong resident, I can't recall seeing anything quite that horrible in widespread use.

Also, let's appreciate that the filename on Wikipedia is "Infamous Tonawanda Squares.jpg".

Sure, we all know about the Tonawanda Squares; how many of them are there, though?

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0162429,-78.8789394,3a,90y,18.25h,69.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smbMBvOelSEPfsJQxES_llQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Let's put it this way: if the City of Tonawanda installs a sign, it's a rectangle.

OK, so we've got Alabama, Kentucky and Tonawanda. Can we narrow it down to certain local sign companies that might be responsible for the horridness?

[Zeffy]

OK, so we've got Alabama, Kentucky and Tonawanda. Can we narrow it down to certain local sign companies that might be responsible for the horridness?

Don't forget Oklahoma.

[Billy F 1988]

I'm pretty sure all of these signs from Morgan County, AL qualify for "Worst Of":
This one's just inside Decatur, AL's city limits:
Restricted Bridge by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

The rest of these are from Hartselle, AL:
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Odd School Zone Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Odd School Zone Sign by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Parking by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Parking by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Parking by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Dead End by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Rock & Hammitt by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Hammitt & Short Street by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Hammitt & Hickory by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Railroad Street by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
No Trucks by freebrickproductions, on Flickr
Trucks Entering Highway by freebrickproductions, on Flickr

God, no!

[cl94]

OK, so we've got Alabama, Kentucky and Tonawanda. Can we narrow it down to certain local sign companies that might be responsible for the horridness?

Don't forget Oklahoma.

Hell, that doesn't even do it for New York. Hmmm, let's see...

-Randolph
-Village of Lancaster (batch of restriction signs that are too new for GSV)
-Fort Edward thinks it's in certain parts of Canada[/url]

If I could remember where all of the signs were, I'd post more locations. There's a lot of crap in New York.

[Roadgeek Adam]

OK, so we've got Alabama, Kentucky and Tonawanda. Can we narrow it down to certain local sign companies that might be responsible for the horridness?

Don't forget Oklahoma.

Hell, that doesn't even do it for New York. Hmmm, let's see...

-Randolph
-Village of Lancaster (batch of restriction signs that are too new for GSV)
-Fort Edward thinks it's in certain parts of Canada[/url]

If I could remember where all of the signs were, I'd post more locations. There's a lot of crap in New York.

You should see Randolph & East Randolph's new signs since their demotion and merge. Those things are horrendous.

[cappicard]

https://goo.gl/maps/zZActNCQFzF2

How about this weird usage of a rectangle for a U-Turn Prohibited sign?

[riiga]

Hardly worst of, more like unique or odd. And it looks quite good since the height is the same as the lane assignment sign.

[Brandon]

OK, so we've got Alabama, Kentucky and Tonawanda. Can we narrow it down to certain local sign companies that might be responsible for the horridness?

Don't forget Oklahoma.

Oklahoma's in A cLASs bY itSelF.