Daily conversation: What is the worst possible answer?

[GaryV]

02/05/2026:

A particular 4-way stop is known for being very dangerous and crash-prone. What would you replace it with?

White signal lights. Only autonomous cars allowed, unless you are closely following one.

[kphoger]

You take ownership and do what you want, including charging tolls and setting speed limits.

That would be really fun.  I would accept cash, but only foreign currency.  Anyone wishing to pay in USD would have to insert a credit or debit card into a coin machine, which would dispense USD coins.  Then, at the next window, there would be a foreign exchange window for drivers to exchange the USD coins for the foreign currency of their choice.  I would get to set the exchange rates to whatever I wanted.

It's a roadbuilding program put forth by conservatives to counter left-leaning politicians' efforts to abort highway-construction plans.

White signal lights. Only autonomous cars allowed, unless you are closely following one.

You guys are good at this.

[The_Ginger]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

You quite literally adopt a highway by taking over general maintenance, striping, and more. The state DOT (or equivalent agency) will evaluate you every three years to make sure that you are doing work that is approved by them.


(This one is the hardest one I've had to answer in a while)

[Max Rockatansky]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

You adopt a highway and then remind it everyday about how it was good of you take in an orphan.  Optional if you want it live in the closest under the stairs and not sit at the table when you have dinner with your real highways.

[wanderer2575]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

For only $19 a month, you can provide US-138 and I-238 with the love they deserve.

[1995hoo]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

You quite literally adopt a highway by taking over general maintenance, striping, and more. The state DOT (or equivalent agency) will evaluate you every three years to make sure that you are doing work that is approved by them.


(This one is the hardest one I've had to answer in a while)

[xonhulu]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

An excuse to put more signs up and keep the sign crews employed, especially since most of the signs are blank with no sponsor. Might as well change it to Apopt-A-DOT-Employee and support them directly.

[The_Ginger]

Hmm. As a West Virginian, I'm not used to seeing those types of signs. Here's the W. Va spec:

[kphoger]

You adopt a highway and then remind it everyday about how it was good of you take in an orphan.  Optional if you want it live in the closest under the stairs and not sit at the table when you have dinner with your real highways.

Sounds like you have a rescue highway of your own.

[kphoger]

Is that Clearview‽‽

Seinfeld, Season 8, Episode 16 — air date 20 FEB 1997

While the research that went into developing Clearview did begin the the 1990s, the final design of the glyphs wasn't until 2003.

[JayhawkCO]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

A program for people who complain about highway projects being stopped before even really getting started. A program which they then don't take part in.

[kphoger]

Is that Clearview‽‽

By the way... about your punctuation... just remember...

Interroblasts ... are in no way similar to interrobangs ... other than the symbol used and the function they serve.

they also happen to be identical to interrobangs.

And also:

logic uses only "2" and "‽" as logical elements, where "‽" represents "interrobang", and "interrobang" represents both "2" and "2".  "both '2' and '2'", however, is represented by "'‽'".

And don't forget, it is now all done in EBCDIC.

And lastly:

in print such as newspapers, they place the period outside the quotation marks but within the set of interrobangs.

[Dirt Roads]

06 FEB 2026

What is the Adopt-A-Highway Program?

You adopt a highway and then remind it everyday about how it was good of you take in an orphan.  Optional if you want it live in the closest under the stairs and not sit at the table when you have dinner with your real highways.

Wait.  That has happened several times in West Virginia already.  Here's the correct signage when an "orphan roads" gets adopted:


image originally posted by our own <formulaone>

[The_Ginger]

Wait.  That has happened several times in West Virginia already.  Here's the correct signage when an "orphan roads" gets adopted:


image originally posted by our own <formulaone>

Here's another instance, although these are long gone now.

Posted originally by the same formulaone.

[PColumbus73]

Wait.  That has happened several times in West Virginia already.  Here's the correct signage when an "orphan roads" gets adopted:


image originally posted by our own <formulaone>

Here's another instance, although these are long gone now.

Posted originally by the same formulaone.

(Future worst possible answer question) What other shapes could be used for WV state or secondary roads?

[The_Ginger]

7FEB2026

What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

The shapes must be closed.
You may not use squares, circles, triangles, pentagons, or diamonds.

[hotdogPi]

7FEB2026
What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24-cell

[1995hoo]

7FEB2026

What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

A d30, that is, a 30-sided die used when playing D&D. To accommodate the shape, West Virginia would become the first state to post signs in which the third dimension is more than a thin sheet of metal.

[Mapmikey]

7FEB2026

What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

The shapes must be closed.
You may not use squares, circles, triangles, pentagons, or diamonds.

Rectangles with telescopic horizontal sides that would designate how wide/narrow the road is.

[xonhulu]

7FEB2026

What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

The shapes must be closed.
You may not use squares, circles, triangles, pentagons, or diamonds.

I'll go with sine wave roads enclosed in clear plastic tubes with elliptical cross-sections. You can still enjoy the beautiful Appalachian scenery with every crest, node and trough.*

*You said routes, not route shields.

[kurumi]

7FEB2026

What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

The shapes must be closed.
You may not use squares, circles, triangles, pentagons, or diamonds.

Octagons.

White numerals on red background, for visibility.

"Why is traffic so slow on Highway 570P? We've signposted it so thoroughly!"

[TheCatalyst31]

7FEB2026

What other shapes can West Virginia use for numbered routes?

The shapes must be closed.
You may not use squares, circles, triangles, pentagons, or diamonds.

Every route should be signed with a regular polygon where the number of sides equals the route number. Fractional routes will use one polygon nested inside another. To avoid use of the Forbidden Shapes, numbers 5 and under are banned, so some routes may have to be renumbered.

[CoreySamson]

2/8/26:

Today is the Super Bowl. If an interstate could field a football team, what would the team's mascot be?

For example, I nominate the I-20 Confederates.

[GaryV]

2/8/26:

Today is the Super Bowl. If an interstate could field a football team, what would the team's mascot be?

The I-69 split squad scrimmage.

[Big John]

2/8/26:

Today is the Super Bowl. If an interstate could field a football team, what would the team's mascot be?

For example, I nominate the I-20 Confederates.

I-41 and I-43 unified cheeseheads.