While some of us are able to get from point A to point B without a GPS, it would be much more difficult without a single road sign. Sure, I can now drive from Atlanta to Portland without pulling out a map, but I can’t rely on my memory to know where I am at any given moment.
Road signs are taken for granted these days. But they tell us what city is approaching, what gas stations are off the next exit, and where to switch highways to get to that world’s largest potato.
This video explores the invention of the road sign and why they are the color and shape that they are today. It’s interesting information!
As a former truck driver GPS is frowned on, especially if you’re to cheap to by a truckers GPS. So many new drivers try to use their GPS out of their car or phone and get themselves in trouble quickly with low overpasses, streets that don’t allow trucks, etc. As far as road signs being confusing I’ve only encountered 3 states that have VERY confusing signs, New York, TN, and GA. TN and GA will have you driving in one lane where 2 interstates merge together and suddenly you need to cross several lanes of traffic to continue on the road you were on. NY overpass signage is for measurements when 6” of snow is on the road, very confusing for an out of state driver of a high clearance truck or RV. Plus NY exits don’t coincide with mile markers, if you’re used to the rest of the country’s system you’ll be lost looking for your exit, and knowing how much further you have to go.
Road signs!!! The good, the bad, and the ugly. We have been full timing for a total of 10 years consisting of two periods in our lives. The first was before cell phones with GPS though one could buy a GPS unit. We declined the GPS and used maps & road signs for the first 8 years. Only occasionally do we use our smartphone GPS now. We have traveled most of Europe and find their signage superior to those of the USA. A good sign will indicate which lane to be in for a particular highway when exiting an expressway. Exiting a multi-lane expressway for another highway is inconsistent in the USA. For a right turn, you may need to turn left to go right but you are frequently not alerted to that in time to go from the right lane to the left lane when the traffic is heavy is bad signage. We have had to make U-Turns because of that. Then you have the sign that is hidden by a bush, tree, or maybe a temporary structure. That is ugly. Bad signage = poor fuel efficiency.
No road signs would be great… crazy, confusing, rage filled, dangerous… but the ride from Oregon to Georgia would be thrilling…!!!
Not for me, I have no desire to get off every exit to see if I’ve arrived or need something there. I will go back in time to Lady Bird Johnson’s campaign to clean up all the bill boards we are bombarded with as we travel although it can be beneficial to know the hotel you’re looking for is only 48 miles ahead. Lol