Who makes those construction signs?

[adrian]

On my way to school this morning, along Kapiolani, by the Blaisdell Center, therew was this "changing construction sign" (the ones that has the time, date, and information about the upcoming construction/detour [its the one that flashes]). Anyway, TheBus passed by it, and I saw this spelling mistake: "rapair" instead of "repair". I chuckled a bit because I thought that was programed into the computer, and it stayed like that 24/7.

I can't recall any more details because I'm really hungry (I had class from 8 to 4pm today, and I didn't have money to eat lunch).

[dick]

Some dude (or dudette) comes along and types the message into the board. Whatever's written gets posted. Mistakes and all.

[Miulang]

Some dude (or dudette) comes along and types the message into the board. Whatever's written gets posted. Mistakes and all.
I always go looking for those signs and take pictures of 'em. Never know when I could use those somewhere, if only to point out the illiteracy of people these days. The one time I didn't have my camera and wished I did was when I was driving by a new condominium project and there was a big banner all the way across the side that should have said "Condominium" and instead said "Condom". :eek: The "inium" part of the banner had gotten folded under. The next time I drove by with camera in hand, they had fixed the sign. :D

Miulang

[pzarquon]

Well, to answer the exact question, the manufacturer of those illuminated roadway safety signs is ADDCO (http://www.addcoinc.com/). Hawaii seems to have a variation on the CMS (http://www.addcoinc.com/t_solar_a.htm), but I've seen some really large versions, so I suspect they've got a few of the modular "brick" systems that lets them make signs of various shapes. (Don't mind me, I'm a wannabe road geek (http://www.hawaiiroads.com).)

There are iffy uses of those things, to be sure. Especially when they decide to use a rotating set of two or three different screens to give a message. I hate when they go "H-1 WEST CLOSED" on the first screen, then "10/23-10/25 9PM-3AM" on the next -- 'cause when you see only the first half of the message, you think that the freeway is closed right then, and if you see only the second half, you're left wondering, "What does that mean?"

I think, by the way, that the "default" message on those things is "ACCIDENT AHEAD." Like, there's a set of pre-set messages in the system's ROM, and "ACCIDENT AHEAD" is, alphabetically, the first one. Because a couple of times I've seen those ADDCO boards declaring, "ACCIDENT AHEAD," and there's no accident anywhere. In fact, I don't think the state deploys those things for accidents.

I figure the power must've gone out or rain must've shorted something, and when they came back on, it says "ACCIDENT AHEAD" instead of, I don't know, blinking "12:00" or something. :)

But mistakes in signage in general? Oh, don't get me started. For example, there was this sign (http://www.lightfantastic.org/gallery/albums/200302/23gilrs2.jpg) inside the Pearlridge Macy's some time ago. :)

Stuff like parts of signs falling off or getting blocked is fun (when I was a kid, I loved when the big sign at Pearlridge would say "EARS"). But it's stuff like incorrect apostrophes that drive me nuts... especially when it's a big, expensive sign, where you figure there must have been dozens of people involved. Not one of them knows proper English? Grr.

There was a big sign on Kapiolani Blvd. for a long time advertising "USED CAR'S" -- I'd always growl, "Car's what?"

[adrian]

There was a big sign on Kapiolani Blvd. for a long time advertising "USED CAR'S" -- I'd always growl, "Car's what?" LMAO People can be so stupid these days.

If I had a camera, then I'd take that picture (but I'm glad that you guys understood my description).

[craigwatanabe]

A while ago in Waikiki on one of the side streets that intersect Ala Wai Blvd there's this apartment building called the "ESSEX HOUSE" At night it's illuminated with a neon backdrop behind the letters.

One night as I was passing by this young woman was leaning against one of the cement pillars supporting the second floor fronting the building's entrance under the signage wearing very tight shorts and a halter top. Little did she know the ES in ESSEX was not illuminated due to a faulty neon tube behind it.

So here she was leaning against a piller under SEX HOUSE.

[Miulang]

A while ago in Waikiki on one of the side streets that intersect Ala Wai Blvd there's this apartment building called the "ESSEX HOUSE" At night it's illuminated with a neon backdrop behind the letters.

One night as I was passing by this young woman was leaning against one of the cement pillars supporting the second floor fronting the building's entrance under the signage wearing very tight shorts and a halter top. Little did she know the ES in ESSEX was not illuminated due to a faulty neon tube behind it.

So here she was leaning against a piller under SEX HOUSE.

ROFL! Good one, Craig. Too bad you didn't have a camera for that one. That shot might have garnered a prize somewhere (very symbolic, no?). The National Lampoon used to have a page every issue devoted to kooky signs. And I know books have been put together with collections of things like this. Makes life in these states a little easier to take.

Miulang

[helen]

I saw the sign last week and it said RAPAIR, but I noticed since Thursday night that it now says REPAIR.

[adrian]

I saw the sign last week and it said RAPAIR, but I noticed since Thursday night that it now says REPAIR.
Wow. Took the people that long to fix that?

Gotta be the City.