Stupid Sign

[Fëanor]

So I was driving home from work today, and I saw a new School Zone sign put up. The speed limit on the road is 45mph.

So, here is roughly what was on the sign:

School
Max
15
Speed
7:30 AM to 9:15 AM
11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
2:30 PM to 3:45 PM

I spent so much time trying to read all the times on the stupid sign to figure out whether or not I needed to slow down 40mph, that I almost rear-ended the car in front of me.

Why couldn't they just make a single time range, from 7 to 4? It's a little hard to read fine print when you're moving at 45mph, and the guy in the left lane wants to pass the old grandma so he cuts you off, and the signal up ahead is changing, and a jaywalker is standing anxiously on the median, etc. etc.

I guess the city got too many complaints that people had to take an extra 30 seconds out of their day to slow down while the kids are in school.

They thought, "Ya know, we don't need to slow down while they're IN school. Just while they're COMING to or GOING from school."

Maybe they'll figure it out after a kid gets hit by a car whose driver was trying to read the School Zone sign.

[99 Fenix]

that is not needed at all. its more of a safety hazard than a incident reducer...navada must be needing to fill in their student fatality quota..so they used a sign as a diversion from the road!! LOL

[pf217]

Did you check the back of the sign for more information? There was probably some stuff that they couldn't fit on the front. Cripes.

[pujolsfan146]

That is pretty bad. The engineer who designed that sign must have had 30 cups of coffee prior to coming up with the layout.

When it comes to children it is not asking too much to slow down the entire time school is in progress. The small strip of the reduced speed limit would put drivers back maybe 5 seconds.

When I stop a person for speeding above the posted limit in a school zone the ticket is a no brainer.

[LeanG]

That's exactly the same signs that they have in Florida (with the exception of lunch time). The only difference is that we're all used to seeing it. This is the time, of course that kids are walking to, from, or just around the school.

[itnstalln]

If they wanted it to be that exact about the enforcement, I've seen plenty of areas that have signs saying, school speed when flashing. All you have to do is look to see if the little yellow lights are flashing or not. It's much more idiot proof.

PS did the sign have any provisions regarding enforcement and daylight saving time?

[VA Dutch]

There is (or at least it was there a few years ago) a traffic light in Harrisburg, PA (near US 15) at a busy intersection. Next to the light on the pole, there is a sign that says, THIS LIGHT NEVER TURNS GREEN.

It is in the right-turn lane, but I still think it looks very odd. Why not just put a stop sign there? People almost never stop for a right turn on red (come on - admit it) when no cars are coming, but at least most of us will halt for a stop sign under similar circumstances.


Another favorite is a "SPEED LIMIT 35" sign mounted above a sign that says "SPEED LIMIT 25" (because the yellow 'ahead' sign fell off). People assume that you can add both of them together and go 60 mph.

[JPatrick]

If the school zone speed limit really needs to be 15, then 45 is probably too fast for that road. All the times posted on that sign sort of defeat the purpose of the sign, which is to communicate.

Some of the traffic signs in New York City under Mayor Koch were amusing. Here's one.

Don't even
THINK
of parking here!

[Dinosaur32]

Problem around here with the flashing yellow school lights is failure to turn them off when school is not in session.....like at midnight.

[texaschickeee]

yeah yeah
all school zones signs say basically the same thing..and the same times....

notice it go the speeds listed as you know the typical signs say and be done with it.

[Loren Pechtel]

Yeah, we've got some of those around here. They're insane, you can't safely read them while driving.

[Fëanor]

All you have to do is look to see if the little yellow lights are flashing or not. It's much more idiot proof.

As a certified idiot, I can confirm that I never have any trouble slowing down for the flashing yellow lights

[Stewie]

Here in Nebraska ours are:

Speed Limit _ _

When Children are Present

[itnstalln]

Here in Nebraska ours are:

Speed Limit _ _

When Children are Present

That reminds me of the following signs. Depending on how you read it, can have different meanings


Slow
Children
Playing

[Loren Pechtel]

Here in Nebraska ours are:

Speed Limit _ _

When Children are Present

That reminds me of the following signs. Depending on how you read it, can have different meanings


Slow
Children
Playing

As for the earlier sign: Since when it is legal to give someone a child anyway? They're people, not property!

And how are you supposed to see what's inside the box to know it's a child?