quote: The Capital of the World is going lower-case.
Federal copy editors are demanding the city change its 250,900 street signs -- such as these for Perry Avenue in The Bronx -- from the all-caps style used for more than a century to ones that capitalize only the first letters.
Changing BROADWAY to Broadway will save lives, the Federal Highway Administration contends in its updated Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, citing improved readability.
At $110 per sign, it will also cost the state $27.6 million, city officials said.
"We have already started replacing the signs in The Bronx," city Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan told The Post. 'We will have 11,000 done by the end of this fiscal year, and the rest finished by 2018."
It appears e.e. cummings was right to eschew capital letters, federal officials explain.
Studies have shown that it is harder to read all-caps signs, and those extra milliseconds spent staring away from the road have been shown to increase the likelihood of accidents, particularly among older drivers, federal documents say.
The new regulations also require a change in font from the standard highway typeface to Clearview, which was specially developed for this purpose.
As a result, even numbered street signs will have to be replaced.
posted
The good part of this for us is that we can use that study to prove to our customers that all caps isn't necessarily what they need for legibility.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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bad journalism, or good journalism, depending on your viewpoint.
The story was written to gain a reaction, and to gain readers- that's typical journalism. It worked!
They say they replace 8000 street signs a year regardless, so in time they're theoretically mostly all going to be replaced at a cost that currently exisits, presumably under 'maintenance' in their budget. If done slowly, it won't be a big bite out of the money pocket.
BUT, whatever dill decided that lowercase is more legible, and uppercase is SHOUTING isn't applying the principle to the right environment. Street signs aren't Facebook or the internet. They're a mini billboard, and the background (air, space, sky) is part of the margin, so it is permissible to have a narrower margin around the text than a 'normal' sign.
They also forgot that changing to lowercase will make most of the text smaller, so less visible from a distance...causing more crashes as people peer at the signs from afar trying to read them.
I cannot figure out the bit about " even numbered street signs will have to be replaced" or what even numbered ones have differently from odd numbered ones. Can anyone enlighten me here?
Finally, the story starts with "Federal copy editors are demanding..." What is a "Federal copy editor", and what right do they have to demand anything- the word 'Federal' suggests it won't stop till every state has changed, even Hawaii, not just NYC ???
I wonder if this isn't just creative journalism, rather than an edict?
Thanks Glenn!
[ September 30, 2010, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
'The new diminutive signs, which will also feature new reflective sheeting, may also reflect a kinder, gentler New York, she said. "On the Internet, writing in all caps means you are shouting," she said. "Our new signs can quiet down, as well."
She's right. Every time I see a sign written in all caps I think, Good Lord, why in the world are they shouting?"
Back off a little and see if this e or this one E is the easiest to read at a distance.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
The guys who design book covers shd look to the Dept of Transportation for some advice of legibility. On more than half the books I own, the titles are in all-caps. The designers strive to attract book store browsers by making the titles as large as possible, and using foil printing and embossing, all the time remaining clueless about legibility. It's sad.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
Ill do it for 20 million and sub it out to grimco
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
posted
Haven't been to the big apple since 1968, don't plan to go back either. Nothing in that city surprises me anymore. Wait till Mr. Obama hears about this chick, he'll have her in DC in a heartbeat.
-------------------- Donald Miner ABCO Wholesale Neon 1168 Red Hill Creek Dobson, NC Posts: 842 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
Clearview strikes again. Studies prove (to those pusing it) that this is the way it should be.
The thing that bothers me is the government says this is what they want or push but we have to purchase the fonts.I'm sure to develope and study this move many tax $$$ were dished out in the form of "grants".
-------------------- Tony Teveris Gerber Software Engr South Windsor, CT Posts: 92 | From: South Windsor, CT | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Once agian stupidity makes the rules. If I were "Queen", I'd mandate that "Yes, we change the signs to upper and lower case letters". But only on the signs that may need replacement. I would not waste tax payer's money on signs that are in good condition. I would waste the tax payer's money on things more important like new calf's hide leather upholstery in my Alpha Romero!
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3816 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
Why even have a "national standard" for all street signs? Is the idea that every place in the country shd look just the same? Look at the street signs in countries that take some pride in their culture and traditions -- Madrid, Paris, Derry, London. In Berlin, they use Blackletter on a lot of their signs.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
I Realize this is about street signs but,we had a fellow run here who said "signs are are a blight on our community" Nice guy but I'd be out of business.One would think that a good sign would attract business and $ into the community.. hence tax dollars.A good sign is a sign of good business.Let's leave the decision to the business who is paying for their advertising
-------------------- Darcy Baker Darcy's Signs Eureka Springs. AR. Posts: 1169 | From: Eureka Springs, AR | Registered: Nov 2007
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