Painted Road Signs - up or down?

[Alan]

Since I've being retired I guess I have had more time on my hands to notice things like those signs you see painted on roads as you drive around. Some are displayed top to bottom like in a book, while others are displayed bottom to top.

Usually a country has a standard and sticks to it but having just had a month in Ireland they seem to be arbitrary, depending on the local authority doing the roads.

Anyone else noticed this sort of thing? (anyone care?)

Examples

The USA always seems to be bottom to top

AT PLAY
CHILDREN
SLOW

The UK always seems to be top to bottom

SLOW
CHILDREN
AT PLAY


Anyone else noticed this kind of thing?

The bike trails where I live in the USA have the signs top to bottom (I guess that they figure you are cycling slow enough to read them in the usual book format)

NO
MOTORIZED
VEHICLES

 

[Walt34]

Anyone else noticed this kind of thing?

Um, no.

But I like the t-shirt!

 

[Tyro]

Anyone else noticed this sort of thing? (anyone care?)

Not as long as I can read 'em & figure out what they mean.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I have only seen bottoms up . Not frequently enough, either, that I understand it without having to think about it. Yes, top down would have to be on a slow road.

Your examples remind me of an Ogden Nash (I think) sign ditty:

Cross
CHILDREN
Walk

Cheerful
CHILDREN
Ride

 

[ERD50]

I guess I haven't noticed, as long as the point comes across, I guess it 'works'.

What I thought you were going to say, and what really bugs me is, it seems that more and more we have straight/turn lane arrows painted on the road, and no other signage. I guess this is usually in parking lots, going out to the main road.

If there are cars in front of me, I can't see the arrow painted on the road. More than once, I've gotten up there, and see this sliver of arrow passing by in the space between me and the car in front, and now I realize this is a right or left turn only, when I wanted to go straight (and there is a lane there). How about a sign too?

-ERD50

 

[Midpack]

I never noticed. Like the others, as long as I understand the sign, it's fine...

 

[Alan]

Coming from the UK to the US I did notice the difference but it didn't matter as one quickly gets used to it. It was only last month in Ireland that it is neither one way or the other that I wondered if it really matters at all, and I guess it doesn't.

As for painted arrows on the road, that has been an issue this last few days since Cornwall seems to over endowed with double roundabouts, with differing arrangements of who should give way (yield), and if you miss the arrow in the lane you ought to be in then you are struggling big time to get onto your correct exit road on the 2nd roundabout.

 

[packrat44]

The UK always seems to be top to bottom

SLOW
CHILDREN
AT PLAY

I thought those who put up signs like this are mean. They should not be referring to the children as being "slow".

 

[Alan]

I thought those who put up signs like this are mean. They should not be referring to the children as being "slow".

Over here they also have road signs approaching road works that say


SLOW
MEN AT WORK


A comma after SLOW would make it sound so much better

 

[packrat44]

Over here they also have road signs approaching road works that say


SLOW
MEN AT WORK


A comma after SLOW would make it sound so much better

That sign is more appropriate.

 

[MichaelB]

Here a compendium of images of signs and responses, courtesy of SomeECards. Smart-Ass Responses To Completely Well-Meaning Signs | someecards.com

 

[REWahoo]

Here a compendium of images of signs and responses, courtesy of SomeECards. Smart-Ass Responses To Completely Well-Meaning Signs | someecards.com

Some of those are absolutely hilarious!

 

[ohyes]

Some of those are absolutely hilarious!

+ 1

...forwarded the link to DH and my three kids. Thanks for sharing.

 

[MichaelB]

Some of those are absolutely hilarious!

To see such humor renews my faith in humanity

 

[Powor]

I've noticed quite a few different ones in the states now though. I don't think it is even a regional thing as I've seen some cities all over that seem pretty standard while others seem to be pretty random. Although, I think the varying one's I've found have been in private neighborhoods or schools.

 

[Ronstar]

The standards I've seen in state manuals are from bottom to top, probably because as one drives along, one reads the words as they become apparent.

 

[Htown Harry]

I've noticed quite a few different ones in the states now though. I don't think it is even a regional thing as I've seen some cities all over that seem pretty standard while others seem to be pretty random. Although, I think the varying one's I've found have been in private neighborhoods or schools.

If there are variations, it is due to lack of attention.

The U.S. DOT publishes a Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices every few years, which is in turn adopted by each state. Only minor variations are allowed.

The Manual covers every kind of sign, stripe and signal you can imagine, specifying size, shape, color and placement.

Here are some of the requirements for pavement word markings:

Section 3B.20 Pavement Word, Symbol, and Arrow Markings

Support:
Word, symbol, and arrow markings on the pavement are used for the purpose of guiding, warning, or regulating traffic. These pavement markings can be helpful to road users in some locations by supplementing signs and providing additional emphasis for important regulatory, warning, or guidance messages, because the markings do not require diversion of the road user’s attention from the roadway surface.

Symbol messages are preferable to word messages.

Word, symbol, and arrow markings, including those contained in the “Standard Highway Sign Designs for Texas” book (see Section 1A.11), may be used as determined by engineering judgment to supplement signs and/or to provide additional emphasis for regulatory, warning, or guidance messages. Among the word, symbol, and arrow markings that may be used are the following:

A. Regulatory:
1. STOP
2. YIELD
3. RIGHT (LEFT) TURN ONLY
4. 25 MPH
5. Lane-use and wrong-way arrows
6. Diamond symbol for HOV lanes
7. Other preferential lane word markings

B. Warning:
1. STOP AHEAD
2. YIELD AHEAD
3. YIELD AHEAD triangle symbol
4. SCHOOL XING
5. SIGNAL AHEAD
6. PED XING
7. SCHOOL
8. R X R
9. BUMP
10. HUMP
11. Lane-reduction arrows

C. Guide:
1. Route numbers (route shield pavement marking symbols and/or words such as I-81, US 40,
STATE 135, or ROUTE 10)
2. Cardinal directions (NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, or WEST)
3. TO
4. Destination names or abbreviations thereof

Standard:
Word, symbol, and arrow markings shall be white, except as otherwise provided in this Section. Pavement marking letters, numerals, symbols, and arrows shall be installed in accordance with the design details in the Pavement Markings chapter of the “Standard Highway Sign Designs for Texas” book (see Section 1A.11).

Guidance:
Letters and numerals should be 6 feet or more in height.

Word and symbol markings should not exceed three lines of information.

If a pavement marking word message consists of more than one line of information, it should read in the direction of travel. The first word of the message should be nearest to the road user.

Except for the two opposing \arrows of a two-way left-turn lane marking (see Figure 3B-7), the longitudinal space between word or symbol message markings, including arrow markings, should be at least four times the height of the characters for low-speed roads, but not more than ten times the height of the characters under any conditions.

The number of different word and symbol markings used should be minimized to provide effective guidance and avoid misunderstanding.

I found a British version here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...le/203667/traffic-signs-manual-chapter-05.pdf

The equivalent section is silent on the order of words, but the exhibits show multi-word messages as Alan has described them.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for looking up those regs Harry, I had guessed that since they were consistently the opposite of one another that there must be a standard. It was just seing the variations in Ireland that got me wondering.

Off to France in the morning for a few weeks and we won't have internet access so I'm goin to unsubscribe from this thread and thank everyone for their input.


Feel free to continue the discussion.....

 

[Bestwifeever]

....

I found a British version here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203667/traffic-signs-manual-chapter-05.pdf

The equivalent section is silent on the order of words, but the exhibits show multi-word messages as Alan has described them.

Of course the word order will be opposite in the UK as the driving side is opposite

 

[mickeyd]

To see such humor renews my faith in humanity

It took me about an hour of my limited free time today to scroll thru that crap. Time well spent. Thanks.

 

[Nemo2]

Of course the word order will be opposite in the UK as the driving side is opposite

And, since they're rapidly becoming Islamic, it'll read from right to left.

 

[Bestwifeever]

And, since they're rapidly becoming Islamic, it'll read from right to left.

So is Hebrew, and Asian languages can also be read right to left.