The Worst of Road Signs

[Compulov]

Is that actually how a "2" is supposed to look in that font? Looked more like someone used an inverted "5" instead.

[agentsteel53]

that is correct.  here is a close-up.



I don't think I've ever seen any highway font in which an inverted 5 passes for a 2.  it's much less passable than 6/9.

[Ian]

New York's old font '2's look somwhat like inverted '5's as well.

[jeffandnicole]

That would look like an ugly 5 if it was flipped. 

[Compulov]

That would look like an ugly 5 if it was flipped. 

I'd have to agree upon further examination. The bottom part just looked really "5-like" when I first looked at it in the streetview. FWIW, I clipped and flipped it...

[Zeffy]

That would look like an ugly 5 if it was flipped. 

I'd have to agree upon further examination. The bottom part just looked really "5-like" when I first looked at it in the streetview. FWIW, I clipped and flipped it...

Definitely ugly. 

[Alps]

that is correct.  here is a close-up.



I don't think I've ever seen any highway font in which an inverted 5 passes for a 2.  it's much less passable than 6/9.

This sign should never show up in The Worst of Road Signs.

[empirestate]

This sign should never show up in The Worst of Road Signs.

I daresay that quite a number of the submissions here come nowhere near qualifying for the superlative!

[Alps]

This sign should never show up in The Worst of Road Signs.

I daresay that quite a number of the submissions here come nowhere near qualifying for the superlative!

Yeah, but there's "okay, not so bad" and "that's fucking awesome"

[jdb1234]

[NE2]

That's pretty OK. Font's a bit off but nothing seriously bad.

[Molandfreak]

I actually like that. The arrow is a bit ugly, but it is a pretty awesome sign.

[theline]

I think it's beautiful, even if not up to spec. It conveys the message clearly. That sign is nowhere near the "worst."

[Billy F 1988]

- ARGUMENT INVALID -

The 280 shield clearly isn't the best, but it is not the worst either. This should go into a category like "Not the best road signs, but still functional". Seems like a few signs submitted here that don't look that bad end up here in this topic. My brown ENTRANCE ONLY sign? That's legit. It's not that good at all with no border and crappy kearning with it being a reused sign that once was a NOTICE sign. This 280 shield is not worst.

[formulanone]

This should go into a category like "Not the best road signs, but still functional".

Signs With Design Errors, perhaps?

[jdb1234]

Well, I guess the sign looks better than I thought it did.

[Android]

that is correct.  here is a close-up.

I don't think I've ever seen any highway font in which an inverted 5 passes for a 2.  it's much less passable than 6/9.

Well, that's not really an inverted 5.  And, way earlier in this thread when I gave my diatribe on "Funky Fives" I posted this image, a much less organic 2/5 hybrid, the other way around, and I think it's worse!

[Zeffy]

All I can say is... well, DUH? And for anyone wondering, it's in Arlington County, Virginia, where apparently accidents involving cars rear-ending each other is common.

[NE2]

But it's OK to hit the bike in front of you.

[ET21]

But it's OK to hit the bike in front of you.

Especially when they don't follow the signals and blow every red light

[NE2]

But it's OK to hit the bike in front of you.

Especially when they don't follow the signals and blow every red light

Quit trolling.

[kkt]

All I can say is... well, DUH? And for anyone wondering, it's in Arlington County, Virginia, where apparently accidents involving cars rear-ending each other is common.

Sorry I hit you, dude.  I didn't see your brake lights because I was reading the VMS.

[Brandon]

But it's OK to hit the bike in front of you.

Especially when they don't follow the signals and blow every red light

Quit trolling.

Obviously you've never biked, walked, nor driven in Chicago.  Maybe they're better in central Florida.

[Molandfreak]

But it's OK to hit the bike in front of you.

Especially when they don't follow the signals and blow every red light

Uhh... Seriously? None of you see what's wrong with this picture? This suggests that when cyclists don't obey the traffic laws, go ahead and give them some serious "tough love."

Just don't come crying to me when you're charged with vehicular manslaughter. The cyclist may have been set straight by a horn and a middle finger alone.

[Brandon]

But it's OK to hit the bike in front of you.

Especially when they don't follow the signals and blow every red light

Uhh... Seriously? None of you see what's wrong with this picture? This suggests that when cyclists don't obey the traffic laws, go ahead and give them some serious "tough love."

Just don't come crying to me when you're charged with vehicular manslaughter. The cyclist may have been set straight by a horn and a middle finger alone.

Actually, we had a case a few years ago in Chicago.  A motorist struck a bicyclist at an intersection.  As it turned out, the bicyclist had gotten into an impromptu race and blew through a red signal.  The motorist was doing was he was supposed to be doing while proceeding straight on a green signal (30 mph, no phone, etc).  There were no charges brought against the motorist as it was the bicyclist's recklessness (blowing through a red signal) that led to his own demise.  It was no different (and should be treated as no different) than if the bicyclist had been operating a motor vehicle instead.

The main problem is one of predictability.  If bicyclists (or anyone else for that matter) ignore red signals and stop signs, it introduces a lot of unpredictability to the road, thereby making it very unsafe for all users (pedestrian, bicycle, car, truck).  In order to use the road properly, there must be predictability in the movements of all road users.  This is why it is recommended that bicyclists ride with traffic (and not on the sidewalk), while pedestrians should cross at intersections, and why cars should stay out of the blind spots of trucks.  This is why a lot of pedestrians and motorists complain about the habits of certain bicyclists (read, not all bicyclists, maybe not even a majority).