Stop signs

[BruceZ]

I think 4-way stop signs should be a different color from 2-way stop signs. The difference is far more significant than the little caption underneath that says "4-way". You practically have to be right on top of the sign to read that caption, and sometimes it says something else like "traffic from the left does not stop". I mentioned this to someone that seemed to think it was a great idea, and one that he had never heard before.

[Dynasty]

One of the main reasons stop signs are red is because many people who drive can't read. If you change the color of the sign, those people may not recognize it as a stop sign.

[imported_Chuck Weinstock]

When I was a kid I remember that they were yellowish orange
I guess similar to a "Yield" sign these days.

[Clarkmeister]

How'd they pass the written exam?

[Gitz]

<font color="red"> </font color> /forums/images/icons/shocked.gif

[BruceZ]

They could at least put a border around it or something. The little sign they have now gets lost in the clutter of other signs they plaster everywhere. The failure to recognize a 2-way stop is the dangerous error, and these signs have absolutely nothing to distinguish them other than the absence of the little sign.

[Dynasty]

Does it matter how they got their license? Or if they even have a license? I hope your question isn't suggesting that everybody who drives a car is literate.

[TobDog]

Dynasty,

Looks like all those crazy Vegas drivers have gotten to you. The whole idea of teh stop sign is to make you stop and asses the situation for safety before moving again. I know this sounds hard, but many people(my wife included) who do not check for safety before entering the area in front of the stop sign, this is the problem, the signs do not mean anything to most people, different colors will not make them stop better. /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

[Clarkmeister]

I am suggesting the vast majority of legal drivers are literate. There certainly aren't "many" illiterate drivers as you suggest, at least not legal ones. I've had a license in 4 states and in every state it was required that I pass a written exam. I haven't ever heard of a state that didn't at least require a passed written exam for initial acquisition of a license for first time drivers. I'm sure someone on the forum will correct me if I'm wrong though.

[Homer]

I disagree. Even if someone can't read, they no doubt recognize the word "STOP", even if they don't actually read the word. I would guess they see it as a single object/shape (not as individual letters forming a word) and associate that object/shape with having to stop their car.

-- Homer

[Porcupine]

Bruce:

Nice recognition of a problem. Being a fellow engineer, I'll chime in.

I think a good solution would be to put a "4" in each of the spaces above and below "STOP". This would allow the shape, color, borders, etc. that allow everyone to easily recognize the sign stay.