Least useful road signs? (MUTCD... but can include other countries' signs)

[relaxok]

I agree that the Keep Right sign is basically useless. Duh keep right.

These signs have saved me many times, especially at night in complicated intersections in places I've never been before - sometimes it's not clear which 'opening' to turn into especially when it's not full of cars already.

[national highway 1]

Never seen a forklift pictogram before (it's supposed to be golden yellow):

True, but really?

Umm, where do you want to go now?

Kangaroo chasing emu, Wilsons Promontory, Victoria

Don't understand these:

Skiing kangaroo? (Blue Mountains, west of Sydney)

Really?!

Beware of car-eating cattle! (Queensland) 

[Kacie Jane]

Unique to be sure, but I don't really see how most of those are "useless".

Forklift crossing: could have just used a generic "slow vehicles crossing" sign, but definitely useful.
Intersection sign:  If you turn right at the intersection, beware, as there's another somewhat-blind intersection immediately afterwards
Kangaroo chasing emu: amusing, but presumably it's just meant as a wildlife warning -- kangaroos and emus may be crossing the roadway ahead, not necessarily in any particular order
The sealed road signs: Definitely useful.  The pavement ends, and the gravel road ahead becomes muddy and impassible in poor weather.
Leaves on road: Perhaps the road isn't maintained frequently enough to clear the leaves.  Driving on wet leaves is certainly not very fun.
Beware of cow: Not sure why the fancy sign was necessary as opposed to a regular diamond.  But yes, definitely a good idea to beware of cows on the roadway.

But I have no idea what's going on with the skiing kangaroo.

[Scott5114]

Probably a regular kangaroo sign that someone modified. Around here people like to stick hula hoop stickers on pedestrian signs, for instance.

[agentsteel53]

Probably a regular kangaroo sign that someone modified. Around here people like to stick hula hoop stickers on pedestrian signs, for instance.

deer signs as well.

deer signs also get a red dot on the nose.

no, I've never seen a pedestrian with a red dot.  I should go make one.

[Kacie Jane]

Probably a regular kangaroo sign that someone modified. Around here people like to stick hula hoop stickers on pedestrian signs, for instance.

Not sure how I didn't think of that.  Even in the blurry photo, you can tell that the ski pole is a different shade of black than the kangaroo.

[1995hoo]

"Reduced Speed Ahead." It's grammatically incorrect, for one–it's the speed LIMIT that's reduced ahead, not the "speed," especially given that most drivers ignore the lower limit on many roads. North Carolina's variant reading "Reduce Speed Ahead" is much better. But aside from that, when I see either version my reaction is, "So what's the new speed limit?" I much prefer the newer Canadian-inspired yellow warning signs that show what the speed limit will be up ahead.

I *much* prefer that newer variant of this sign. This way you know exactly what you're getting into. Reduced speed ahead is too vague. Am I going from a 50 zone to 25 (not unheard of), or just 45 to 40? This example from Allentown, NJ sticks with me: http://goo.gl/maps/4rNC

Edit: Fixed a change of thought in mid sentence

Agreed completely. When I posted that I was thinking of a speed limit drop from 70 to 55 on northbound I-85 approaching Greensboro in the 1990s (before the re-routing; don't know if it's still the same), but I didn't mention a specific example because I figured someone could think of a more extreme one.....and indeed someone did.

I suppose I prefer even the erroneous "Reduced Speed Ahead" to no warning at all, though. Some states down South seem to omit any sort of warning on non-freeways.

[Compulov]

I suppose I prefer even the erroneous "Reduced Speed Ahead" to no warning at all, though. Some states down South seem to omit any sort of warning on non-freeways.

With the local cops parked right behind the 25 mph sign... I actually mentioned Allentown because they have that reputation (not undeserved, either). Thankfully the bypass meant I never had to drive through downtown proper.

[bulkyorled]

Any variant of the "congested area" type signs:

I would think that warning sign could be useful because those on 405 doing 65-70 MPH over the pass should be aware of the potential for stopped traffic at the bottom of the hill at the 405-101 interchange.

On the other hand, 405 is so congested, there probably aren't many cars going 65-70 MPH which I guess would render this sign kind of useless. 

I agree that the others in that set are basically useless, this one however is actually useful. Right when you're coming out of the pass the 405 speeds up until we go down the hill entering the valley and everyone slams on their breaks. Almost as if everyone notices the sign and goes OH YEA I FORGOT WE CANT GO 80.

[agentsteel53]

I agree that the others in that set are basically useless, this one however is actually useful. Right when you're coming out of the pass the 405 speeds up until we go down the hill entering the valley and everyone slams on their breaks. Almost as if everyone notices the sign and goes OH YEA I FORGOT WE CANT GO 80.

how is that useful? 

a lot of the time, the only reason people slow down is because they are told they can't go fast.  why not keep going 80?

[kphoger]

Minnesota has "Left turning traffic/Next __ miles".  Ummmm, so.....on the other 300 miles of this highway, are people only allowed to enter their driveways from the other side of the road??

[PurdueBill]

Minnesota has "Left turning traffic/Next __ miles".  Ummmm, so.....on the other 300 miles of this highway, are people only allowed to enter their driveways from the other side of the road??

Indiana has a "Watch For Left Turn" diamond sign usually accompanied by a plate below with "Next X Mile".  They are usually where there are more people making left turns than on most of the road, and usually no passing blisters.

[cpzilliacus]

Another candidate is that European-system "!" sign.  WTF does that mean!?!  Name the hazard or show it in a pictogram, folks.

Like this one from Sweden:



The "I" means "other hazard" (used instead of the "!" in Sweden).

"Olycks-drabbad korsning" means "High-accident intersection."

IMO, that is useful.

[roadman]

Probably a regular kangaroo sign that someone modified. Around here people like to stick hula hoop stickers on pedestrian signs, for instance.

deer signs as well.

deer signs also get a red dot on the nose.

no, I've never seen a pedestrian with a red dot.  I should go make one.

About twenty years ago, a new "moose crossing" graphic sign was installed on Interstate 190 in Sterling (north of Worcester).  Shortly thereafter, the sign was amended to include a squirrel as well.   As I recall, a photo of the revised sign made the front page of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.  I also recall that, after the media attention, MassHighway crews replaced the sign within a week.

Much more common in Massachusetts are the "red nose" deer signs.

[Mr. Matté]

My posting is not of signs that are nationwide in the MUTCD, but the posting of minor/secondary/almost unsigned route shields. Unless the road actually travels a great distance and/or takes a lot of turns which may lead to driver confusion, I think it would be better off for the DOTs to save the money on posting the shields and reduce driver confusion.

Such routes would include some of Virginia's 6xx secondary routes and some of New Jersey counties' 600 county routes which may just be a long dead-end spur from a main road or minor NJ state highways that basically consist of bridges or short connector roads. For example, the new traffic lights at the intersection of Princeton-Hightstown Road (CR 571) and Cranbury Road in Princeton Junction (location) acknowledge the existence of NJ Route 64 even though it only consists of the railroad bridge over the NE Corridor. Especially since this is the only posting of that route out in the wild, I think it would be much better if they just sign it as P-H Road or CR 571 on the traffic light signs.

[Takumi]

^ Some counties in Virginia already don't use shields/rectangles for secondaries anymore; they just post the route number on the blade signs. Chesterfield and York are two I know of offhand.

[thenetwork]

Ohio has/had diamond yellow signs that simply said CEMETERY.  I really don't see the need for drivers to be warned of an upcoming graveyard...

...unless it's Midnight, with a full moon shining in the sky.

[kphoger]

Ohio has/had diamond yellow signs that simply said CEMETERY.  I really don't see the need for drivers to be warned of an upcoming graveyard...

...unless it's Midnight, with a full moon shining in the sky.

Huh?  Really?  Funeral processions certainly do affect traffic, and at small cemeteries it is often necessary to parallel park along the roadway.

Shortly thereafter, the sign was amended to include a squirrel as well.

That's not a warning:   That's a challenge!

[Special K]

"Accident black spot"

I had never heard of this.  I googled it.  I can't say I've ever seen such a sign, in any European country... not even the Czech Republic, though I have been there only briefly as an adult.

South Dakota has X Marks the Spot noting fatality accidents.

They still set those out?  I remember a particularly bad one when I was in HS on US37 from Mitchell to Huron.  Almost an entire family in a head-on crash while following their daughter's bus from a basketball game.  The result was a neat line of 7 signs posted at the site.

[1995hoo]

Ohio has/had diamond yellow signs that simply said CEMETERY.  I really don't see the need for drivers to be warned of an upcoming graveyard...

...unless it's Midnight, with a full moon shining in the sky.

Last week I saw diamond yellow signs reading "CHURCH" in various places in Florida and I found them odd. Never seen that sort of sign anywhere else.

[hbelkins]

Last week I saw diamond yellow signs reading "CHURCH" in various places in Florida and I found them odd. Never seen that sort of sign anywhere else.

Kentucky uses those.

[1995hoo]

Last week I saw diamond yellow signs reading "CHURCH" in various places in Florida and I found them odd. Never seen that sort of sign anywhere else.

Kentucky uses those.

Interesting. I think part of what I found odd about it is that there seemed to be no rhyme nor reason as to when the signs were posted–sometimes they were, sometimes they weren't; sometimes they were in towns, sometimes they were on rural roads; some big churches did not have the signs posted, some very small ones did.

[Eth]

Don't understand these:

What I'd love to know is why a gravel road would have a 100 km/h speed limit!

[national highway 1]

Don't understand these:

What I'd love to know is why a gravel road would have a 100 km/h speed limit!

That's what I wanted to know, hence why I posted this pic!

[WillWeaverRVA]

^ Some counties in Virginia already don't use shields/rectangles for secondaries anymore; they just post the route number on the blade signs. Chesterfield and York are two I know of offhand.

Prince William County does this on a fairly regular basis, but seemingly only at signalized intersections. Albemarle County does it everywhere.