Daily conversation: What is the worst possible answer?

[xonhulu]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

"Your fly is open"

Followed shortly by.:

"Made you look!"

[GaryV]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

Nothing To See Here
Move Along

[PColumbus73]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

Today's stock prices.

The DOW is up 50,000 points

Forget the popular ones. Make it the less popular ones, cycling to a different one each minute.

Add the Memecoins, too

[hotdogPi]

A picture/video of a graphic car accident ahead with a BGS visible that makes it clear it's within a few miles. At the bottom, a message saying to exit at the next exit to avoid it "or you could be next".

Only, there's no such accident at that location.

[GaryV]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

A QR code, connecting you directly to a scammer. Message pops up: "Don't text and drive - pay us $150 or we will shut down your car."

[kphoger]

It should alert drivers to an incident on some other highway in some other place.

If there are no incidents on any other highways in the region, then it should just invent one.

Nobody wants to see their tax dollars wasted.

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

[wanderer2575]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

Personal injury attorney ads.

[Big John]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

Personal injury attorney ads.

Injured while reading this sign? Call us at xxx-xxx-xxxx

[NE2]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

White alert: when ICE is on the lookout for a certain vehicle.

[ModernDayWarrior]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

[kphoger]

Injured while reading this sign? Call us at xxx-xxx-xxxx

[kphoger]

From the movie L.A. Story:

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

[TheCatalyst31]

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

The over/under for annual traffic deaths, with a link to place your bets on the DMV website.

[kphoger]

Drive times to faraway locations in other countries.

17 FEB 2026

When there is nothing traffic-related to inform drivers of, what—rather than nothing—should be displayed on a full-matrix changeable message sign?

[kphoger]

18 FEB 2026

What new warning sign should be added to the MUTCD by flipping or rotating an existing one?

[GaryV]

18 FEB 2026

What new warning sign should be added to the MUTCD by flipping or rotating an existing one?

Turn over a Merge sign to create a new "Fork In The Road" ahead sign. Fozzy Bear would like it.

[Big John]

Signal ahead - Tipperary Hill ahead.

[kphoger]

I've got a few ideas.  Tell me which one you think is the worst.

W1-15a — 360° loop ahead



W7-1B — very steep hill ahead



W3-1L — stop right there



W2-4A — road ended a while ago, will resume at next intersection



W11-9R — dead invalids ahead

[Max Rockatansky]

The wheel chair symbol represents the movie Mac and Me.  Namely this glorious scene:

[xonhulu]

W7-1B — very steep hill ahead

I've seen this one posted in the field, but downhill instead of up:

[1995hoo]

W3-1L — stop right there

I have actually seen this sign used in that manner except that it points to the right, rather than to the left. It's on the exit ramp from the Whole Foods parking garage in Old Town Alexandria and it's a sensible application for that sign because you come up the ramp and there is a stop sign at the top, but it's around a 90-degree corner from what you can see as you come up the ramp.

Kind of hard to make it out in this Street View image, which is the closest one available, but you can see it there on the wall to the left. The stop sign is located to the right of where that white SUV is—most likely that driver was about to make a left turn to go down the ramp to the garage.

Edited to add: I found an image of it in an old post of mine. I knew I had posted a picture before, so I searched for my username and "Whole Foods" and found that it was from May 2012.

[1995hoo]

18 FEB 2026

What new warning sign should be added to the MUTCD by flipping or rotating an existing one?

Rotate R5-2 180 degrees to convey the message that it is illegal for trucks to overturn on that road. Other drivers who don't want to get stuck in the traffic jam resulting from a flipped truck will be grateful.

[kphoger]

Interestingly, this is not a case of the sign having been rotated 90° on the post, but rather the image having been rotated 45° on the sign.

I've seen this one posted in the field, but downhill instead of up:

[kphoger]

W3-1L — stop right there

I have actually seen this sign used in that manner except that it points to the right, rather than to the left.

This is what I had in mind:

[Sapphuby]

I've got a few ideas.  Tell me which one you think is the worst.

W2-4A — road ended a while ago, will resume at next intersection

Hang these from balloons with "Suitable road to land ahead" for our future flying cars.