The Worst of Road Signs

[jakeroot]

I'm honestly not even sure the font is right.

http://i.imgur.com/liGqqwW.png

I thought it was Clearview at first, then I thought FHWA, and now I'm not sure it's either. Sounds like it's time for a FONT INVESTIGATION.

[Scott5114]

It's FHWA, it's just been stretched out of recognition.

[JoePCool14]

Yuck.

[iowahighways]

It looks like the letters on these street signs came from Home Depot. This is along IA 10 in Peterson, population a little over 300.

Link to the full-sized photo

[PColumbus73]

It looks like the letters on these street signs came from Home Depot. This is along IA 10 in Peterson, population a little over 300.

Link to the full-sized photo

If Walmart made road signs

[1995hoo]

I'm undecided whether I'd consider this "Worst of" or just plain flat-out ugly.

[Zeffy]

I can't really tell if that's Arial for the legend... and if it is, combined with that fugly placement of arrows, definitely worst of. If it's FHWA, then I guess it's just ugly.

[1995hoo]

I can't really tell if that's Arial for the legend... and if it is, combined with that fugly placement of arrows, definitely worst of. If it's FHWA, then I guess it's just ugly.

Yeah, sorry about the grainy image. It's a screenshot from a dashcam video. Here's a Street View. Looks like Arial to me:

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.849657,-82.669703,3a,75y,53.72h,100.88t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sLFwSU2yC6fCnz6w1CfjZwA!2e0

[Big John]

^^  That looks like the similar Helvetica to me.

[Alex]

I can't really tell if that's Arial for the legend... and if it is, combined with that fugly placement of arrows, definitely worst of. If it's FHWA, then I guess it's just ugly.

Yeah, sorry about the grainy image. It's a screenshot from a dashcam video. Here's a Street View. Looks like Arial to me:

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.849657,-82.669703,3a,75y,53.72h,100.88t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sLFwSU2yC6fCnz6w1CfjZwA!2e0

That is not the only Pinellas sign example with that font:

[Zeffy]

Yeah, sorry about the grainy image. It's a screenshot from a dashcam video. Here's a Street View. Looks like Arial to me:

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.849657,-82.669703,3a,75y,53.72h,100.88t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sLFwSU2yC6fCnz6w1CfjZwA!2e0

Yep, my guess was right. The things that gave it away was the S. I don't know what is so damn special about the FHWA S compared to the other Ses in other fonts, but I just instantly recognize it as different.

^^  That looks like the similar Helvetica to me.

Looking at the "a" glyph from the GMSV link... I would argue that it's Arial. Look at how (if you can actually notice it) the bottom tail of the "a" is nearly vertical and not slanted out (okay, that made no sense, so just take picture evidence):



Left: Helvetica, Right: Arial.

That is not the only Pinellas sign example with that font:

Is the "1" in 1 MILE the only thing that is correct in the main sign panel? Ugh...the kerning is completely out of whack, it looks like some of the letters are shorter than others...just all around YUCK.

[Scott5114]

Yeah, sorry about the grainy image. It's a screenshot from a dashcam video. Here's a Street View. Looks like Arial to me:

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.849657,-82.669703,3a,75y,53.72h,100.88t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sLFwSU2yC6fCnz6w1CfjZwA!2e0

Yep, my guess was right. The things that gave it away was the S. I don't know what is so damn special about the FHWA S compared to the other Ses in other fonts, but I just instantly recognize it as different.

^^  That looks like the similar Helvetica to me.

Looking at the "a" glyph from the GMSV link... I would argue that it's Arial. Look at how (if you can actually notice it) the bottom tail of the "a" is nearly vertical and not slanted out (okay, that made no sense, so just take picture evidence):



Left: Helvetica, Right: Arial.

No, this is clearly Helvetica. You cannot see the "a"s clearly because of the blurring that Google so helpfully provides. Look at the "G"...Helvetica and Arial G's are much more distinct, and it's clearly a Helvetica G.

[1995hoo]

While this isn't a road sign, I think this thread is the most appropriate place for it because I think it qualifies for "Worst of" due to being ambiguous or misleading. This is the Exit 9A ramp from southbound I-75 to Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines, Florida. All three lanes must turn right (note the no-left-turn sign, and you can't go straight because you'd be going the wrong way on the other exit ramp). I have no idea why the straight-ahead arrows are there. Even if you could go straight, this style would still be confusing.



(We were on the bottom left loop-around ramp seen on the map here: https://www.google.com/maps/@26.0069906,-80.3409311,17z )

[formulanone]

Even more puzzling, since that exit ramp has always been there for the sole purpose of  westbound traffic on Pines Boulevard.

FDOT uses that painted "keep going" arrow a lot on its ramps, but never that close to the road it will intersect with. It's kind of a pointless arrow to begin with, but usually they have reflectors embedded in them, to guide a driver if there's limited lighting within the interchange.

[1995hoo]

Even more puzzling, since that exit ramp has always been there for the sole purpose of  westbound traffic on Pines Boulevard.

....

Actually, we were going the other way–eastbound Pines Boulevard. Sorry, I should have been clearer. But you still can't go straight, and if you tried to go left you'd cause a wreck because traffic from westbound Pines to southbound I-75 gets the green arrow at the same time traffic on the ramp shown in my picture gets a green.

(We avoid Pines Boulevard west of I-75 in favor of Sheridan Street when possible. Fewer lights and less traffic.)

[xcellntbuy]

Yesterday, the same odd painted arrow set-up existed on the ramp from southbound Interstate 95 to Davie Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.  The straight arrows have embedded reflectors in the pavement surrounding the arrow outline while the curved arrows are just thermoplastic.

[Big John]

Those straight ahead arrows are meant  to stop wrong way traffic on the ramp.  In this case they should be painted further down the ramp.

[jbnv]

Yesterday, the same odd painted arrow set-up existed on the ramp from southbound Interstate 95 to Davie Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.  The straight arrows have embedded reflectors in the pavement surrounding the arrow outline while the curved arrows are just thermoplastic.

You can see the reflectors in the above picture. I would assume that they are red-white reflectors oriented in the proper flow of traffic (right way sees white, wrong way sees red).

[formulanone]

Those straight ahead arrows are meant  to stop wrong way traffic on the ramp.  In this case they should be painted further down the ramp.

You can see the reflectors in the above picture. I would assume that they are red-white reflectors oriented in the proper flow of traffic (right way sees white, wrong way sees red).

Ah, makes sense. Never thought of it that (wrong) way...

[Alex4897]

Not sure how well this qualifies for 'Worst of...', but every time I pass this sign I can't help but think it says 'NEXT 11/2 MILES'
It's on US 301 in Middletown DE, just north of Armstrong Corner Road.

[jakeroot]

Not sure how well this qualifies for 'Worst of...', but every time I pass this sign I can't help but think it says 'NEXT 11/2 MILES'
It's on US 301 in Middletown DE, just north of Armstrong Corner Road.

^^^^^^^^^

I personally would post the sign an additional half mile back and put "Next 2 Miles" instead. Though, I'm not sure you are allowed to do that.

[Billy F 1988]

Not sure how well this qualifies for 'Worst of...', but every time I pass this sign I can't help but think it says 'NEXT 11/2 MILES'
It's on US 301 in Middletown DE, just north of Armstrong Corner Road.

It isn't the best, but it isn't the worst either. I believe per AASHTO regulations, and the state DOT, it can be done to have the sign 2 miles back or however that works. The divider bar on this sign is one I'm not quite fond of. There are some things that allow the use of a divider bar, but not on this occasion. All three lines should be on one panel without the divider bar. I assume this was done by contractors.

[jakeroot]

Definitely a contractor sign. The flimsiness of the sign (how it's bent), the height of the sign (quite low) and its shape (not like most warning signs) indicate this. My redesign:



If you comment on the Clearview...

[VCB02FromRoblox]

- MD 216 shield is way too big
- Destination legend, "Scaggsville" either looks too big or too wide.
- Cardinal direction, "West" shouldn't be in Clearview and is probably slightly too big.
- Arrow should be to the right of the destination legend or between with the cardinal direction and the destination legend, which for some reason took up the whole bottom of the sign.

I'm pretty sure there are a few more errors with this sign that I haven't found yet.

I also think the BBS on the left of the sign should be replaced.

Here are my redesigns:

[JMoses24]

This is likely a private install (it's at the Florence Mall in Florence, KY). Either Arial or Helvetica. My guess is Helvetica.