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It's about time! I have been a curmudgeon about this ever since I saw my first "To the left, to the left / Passing only in the lane to the left." Not only are

by jawns 3y ago

It's about time! I have been a curmudgeon about this ever since I saw my first "To the left, to the left / Passing only in the lane to the left." Not only are these signs not that funny, but they're likely to be confusing to lots of people -- immigrants, the elderly, those who aren't up on pop culture and have no idea that it's a nod to a Beyoncé song. Road signs should be clear and direct. Traffic officials should save their lame attempts at humor for their social media accounts.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
nomilk 3y ago
> those who aren’t up on pop culture Same reason I dislike google doodles; not only am I not up on pop culture, I very much don’t want to be.
- lukas099 3y ago
  At least you can click on a doodle and get the context
- itsoktocry 3y ago
  >Same reason I dislike google doodles; not only am I not up on pop culture, I very much don’t want to be. "I don't own a TV" Google doodles are hardly "pop culture"; they often honour scientists, artists etc. The point is to raise awareness. Seems like a strange thing to outwardly "dislike".
  - nomilk 3y ago
    An interest in science and art is not something most of us need to be reminded about; it’s the default. At best doodles are mildly informative, but mostly they’re patronising distractions.
    - ceejayoz 3y ago
      > An interest in science and art is not something most of us need to be reminded about; it’s the default. It really isn't.
avgcorrection 3y ago
Road safety: - What is "right of way"? - Would a Beyoncé reference confuse you while driving?
thepasswordis 3y ago
these are not the ONLY signs. They’re signs that usually are used for showing construction or travel times or burn bans or other weird things the government wants to convey. “Immigrants” aren’t stupid, and despite what some might think, do have the full ability to engage in normal human behaviors like humor. Edit: I think some of you are confused about this story. This has nothing to do with the normal road signs that are meant to be used for navigation etc. These are things which are usually blank, and sometimes turned on for information about road construction or things like that: https://www.kbtx.com/2024/01/17/no-joke-feds-are-banning-funny-messages-highways-signs/ https://www.kbtx.com/2024/01/17/no-joke-feds-are-banning-fun... Some people in the DOT realized they could put something kind of funny on them to encourage people to do stuff like wear their seatbelts, or not speed, or put messages discouraging drunk driving.
- Operyl 3y ago
  > do have the full ability to engage in normal human behaviors like humor. Sure, nobody is saying they are here. What we are saying is that it can be likely that it would take someone who is ESL more time to parse humor or a joke, or the elderly, or even those with English as a first language. That time is best _not_ spent while you're operating a multi thousand pound weapon down a highway at 70MPH, where reaction times are a must and this is distracting.
  - thepasswordis 3y ago
    Hey if you’re going to push to ban billboard, or writing on the sides of semi trucks, or giant signs on the buildings near freeways you absolutely have my support.
    - Operyl 3y ago
      Absolutely, frankly. One step at a time, this is a win, and where I live advertising billboards _are_ banned. There's only one in the entire city, and it was grandfathered in.
- tshaddox 3y ago
gregoriol 3y ago
The Beyoncé example is maybe not well known enough, but most of the time something that makes you smile is good: it's easier to remember an idea from a catchy funny phrase than a generic administrative wording. At least those seem to be additional signs, they add some information, they don't provide main/mandatory/security information.
- Throw84949 3y ago
  In UK they have signs that say "to the left"! Some people may get confused and panic for a moment. It is incredibly stupid and dangerous!
- nomilk 3y ago
  > something that makes you smile is good But something that keeps drivers’ eyes on the road is safer. It’s a trade off: a minor increase in excitement for a minor decrease in safety
  - thepasswordis 3y ago
    These don’t take your eyes off the road. They are literally right above the road. Unless you have such severe tunnel vision that you shouldn’t be driving at all, it would be impossible not to see these, so long as you were focused on the road.
aio2 3y ago
For your example, I just wanna say that even for people who don't get the reference, it still made sense. And honestly, a little humour shouldn't be worrying.

by jawns 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

nomilk 3y ago

> those who aren’t up on pop culture Same reason I dislike google doodles; not only am I not up on pop culture, I very much don’t want to be.

lukas099 3y ago
At least you can click on a doodle and get the context
itsoktocry 3y ago
>Same reason I dislike google doodles; not only am I not up on pop culture, I very much don’t want to be. "I don't own a TV" Google doodles are hardly "pop culture"; they often honour scientists, artists etc. The point is to raise awareness. Seems like a strange thing to outwardly "dislike".
- nomilk 3y ago
  An interest in science and art is not something most of us need to be reminded about; it’s the default. At best doodles are mildly informative, but mostly they’re patronising distractions.
  - ceejayoz 3y ago
    > An interest in science and art is not something most of us need to be reminded about; it’s the default. It really isn't.

avgcorrection 3y ago

Road safety: - What is "right of way"? - Would a Beyoncé reference confuse you while driving?

thepasswordis 3y ago

these are not the ONLY signs. They’re signs that usually are used for showing construction or travel times or burn bans or other weird things the government wants to convey. “Immigrants” aren’t stupid, and despite what some might think, do have the full ability to engage in normal human behaviors like humor. Edit: I think some of you are confused about this story. This has nothing to do with the normal road signs that are meant to be used for navigation etc. These are things which are usually blank, and sometimes turned on for information about road construction or things like that: https://www.kbtx.com/2024/01/17/no-joke-feds-are-banning-funny-messages-highways-signs/ https://www.kbtx.com/2024/01/17/no-joke-feds-are-banning-fun... Some people in the DOT realized they could put something kind of funny on them to encourage people to do stuff like wear their seatbelts, or not speed, or put messages discouraging drunk driving.

Operyl 3y ago
> do have the full ability to engage in normal human behaviors like humor. Sure, nobody is saying they are here. What we are saying is that it can be likely that it would take someone who is ESL more time to parse humor or a joke, or the elderly, or even those with English as a first language. That time is best _not_ spent while you're operating a multi thousand pound weapon down a highway at 70MPH, where reaction times are a must and this is distracting.
- thepasswordis 3y ago
  Hey if you’re going to push to ban billboard, or writing on the sides of semi trucks, or giant signs on the buildings near freeways you absolutely have my support.
  - Operyl 3y ago
    Absolutely, frankly. One step at a time, this is a win, and where I live advertising billboards _are_ banned. There's only one in the entire city, and it was grandfathered in.
tshaddox 3y ago

gregoriol 3y ago

The Beyoncé example is maybe not well known enough, but most of the time something that makes you smile is good: it's easier to remember an idea from a catchy funny phrase than a generic administrative wording. At least those seem to be additional signs, they add some information, they don't provide main/mandatory/security information.

Throw84949 3y ago
In UK they have signs that say "to the left"! Some people may get confused and panic for a moment. It is incredibly stupid and dangerous!
nomilk 3y ago
> something that makes you smile is good But something that keeps drivers’ eyes on the road is safer. It’s a trade off: a minor increase in excitement for a minor decrease in safety
- thepasswordis 3y ago
  These don’t take your eyes off the road. They are literally right above the road. Unless you have such severe tunnel vision that you shouldn’t be driving at all, it would be impossible not to see these, so long as you were focused on the road.

aio2 3y ago

For your example, I just wanna say that even for people who don't get the reference, it still made sense. And honestly, a little humour shouldn't be worrying.