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Thursday, October 21, 2010
The signs are not good...No, really, the signs are NOT good...Can't you see that??
In a nod to the fading eyesight of the nation's growing number of aging Baby Boomers, the federal government is requiring communities around the USA to change street name signs from all capital letters to a combination of capital and lowercase letters. The government says that makes them easier to read.
Cash-starved localities also will have to dig deep for new, more reflective traffic signs to make them easier to see at night, especially by older drivers.
Under Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations, communities have until 2015 to improve the nighttime visibility of roadside signs — such as stop, yield and railroad crossing signs. The issue is how well a sign redirects light from an automobile's headlights back toward the vehicle. Signs that fail to meet minimum standards must be replaced. Communities will be allowed to change the street name signs as they wear out.
The changes are called for in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, an 816-page (plus appendixes) behemoth that sets standards for traffic control devices — signs, signals and pavement markings.
It is confusing to me as well. The signs they are speaking of are more recognized by their shape and distictive look, not their lettering. ANYONE who has been driviing for any length of time could, I believe, know what a sign means if there were NO words on them at all. Oh, well, I suppose am just jealous because I don't own stock in a steet sign manufacturing firm. That is the only reason I could see anyone support this policy. Those would be AMERICAN sign making jobs, right????? :)
Fiddling... while Rome burns.
ReplyDeleteBut c'mon, a STOP sign HAS TO BE ALL CAPS. THERE IS SIGNIFICANCE IN USING ALL CAPS, DON'T YOU THINK?
Traffic signs are supposed to yell at us.
Art
It is confusing to me as well. The signs they are speaking of are more recognized by their shape and distictive look, not their lettering. ANYONE who has been driviing for any length of time could, I believe, know what a sign means if there were NO words on them at all. Oh, well, I suppose am just jealous because I don't own stock in a steet sign manufacturing firm. That is the only reason I could see anyone support this policy. Those would be AMERICAN sign making jobs, right????? :)
ReplyDelete