Comments

How soon will it be until you kill somebody with your driving? Let's see, first you pass a lady on a double yellow line because you had to get the paper and "change the world". I guess if somebody was coming up the other lane and you ran them off the road, it would at least change their world.
So now you're driving, talking on the phone, distracted, and the fault is lame signs? Ok, that makes complate sense, let's spend millions of taxpayer dollars having designers make signs so that idiots talking on the phone, not paying attention, crossing double lines will snap out of it and pay attention while driving.
Imagine that.

Posted by Chuck at February 9, 2005 2:27 PM

Having learned to drive in Massachussetts, signage in that state is simply insane. Ever tried to follow a state route through Boston? Impossible to do by the signage.

Washington state sticks out big "interstate" size and style green signs even at the corner of two state highways. A world of difference.

Posted by Steve Prevette at February 9, 2005 3:31 PM

Chuck is right. If you're defocused and distracted while you're driving, you're part of the problem regardless of signage.

However, you're so right about signage. There are some doozies in Central Texas. Temporary ones that read something like "TURN AROUND", on second view say "Turn around San Marcos, exit 2 miles ahead." There should be/maybe there is a website where inadequate or ambiguous signage can be reported and re-designed/re-drafted on the spot.

Any of you graphics companies?? Host this?

Posted by bc at February 10, 2005 2:31 AM

Tom, didn't you write several weeks ago about nearly having an accident while driving and talking on your phone?

Posted by doug at February 10, 2005 1:48 PM

Of course Chuck is right! Chuck rules!

Posted by tom peters at February 10, 2005 1:55 PM

I live in Ontario. Signage is pretty good, certainly better
then Mass, but the associated infrastructure is usually built
and maintained in a sort of practical dullness.

Arizona's transport infrastructure is completely
different, bridges and retaining walls nearly
always have integrated sculpture and art work
of a local character. The signage is good, but
is frequently not of the same aesthetic quality.

So, go one step further, make public objects fabulous, in general.

Posted by Stephen Dennis at February 10, 2005 2:08 PM

How do you enable people to naviagate from one point to the other without confusion? Signage is an important component, but by no means an exclusive means to this end.

What often happens in transportation, facility or public space projects is that signage usage and design is detirmined in a non collaborative method.

Use your bandwidth! Include architects, ADA experts, operations, custodial folks, non-english speaking customers, sign makers etc...at the beginning of your project. Integrate the distillations of the insights and comments into a holistic envornment-statement.

I have had the pleasure of working on wayfinding and signage projects for Seattle's Space Needle and Experience Music Project.

Here are a couple of links from firms that were integrated in to these projects. The examples here exemplify (among other things) great attention to the art and science of wayfinding:

http://www.pentagram.com/portfolio-signs.htm

http://www.girvindesign.com/port/exp/env_clients/microsoft.shtml

/rick

Posted by Rick Kennedy at February 11, 2005 1:45 PM

Rick, thank you. Brilliant post!

Posted by tom peters at February 12, 2005 10:30 AM

Reminds me of a quote attributed to a Lt. Barral from "Digressions sur la Navigation du Cap Horn, 1827:
"It is far better not to know where one is, and realize that one does not know, than to be certain one is in a place where one is not"

Posted by Marvin Reynolds at February 15, 2005 11:33 AM