AMERICA’S SIGN POSTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19695, 23 January 1926, Page 19

AMERICA’S SIGN POSTS.

Nob until yon have toured the United States by road do you realise iiow much sign-posts can do to help you and make j tlie journey interesting. Every State has j ideas of its own in the matter, but most of j them are effective, enough and many have a grim irony that fixes them in the 1 memory. On one precipitous road in Colorado an arrow points straight into an abyss where rest tho mangled remains of dozens of cars, so far below they look like toys. Under the arrow is a sign which says: “Step on tho gas and follow these.” A frequent railroad-crossing sign bears i tho skull and crossbones, while a popular I small town sign reads : “Co slow and see ! our town. Go fast and see our jail !” j “Don’t he. a speeding fool,” pleads j another tvne of sign-post, which sometimes ( adds ; “How would you like to kill your ; own children?" i .Although it is doubtful if there ss_ a i village or town in the United States which i does not impose a. snecd limit of 15 miles, j very few inform the motorist- when be ! may speed up again, '.A few do. adding | the universal slogan: “Thank yon: come again. ” It is possible to travel through almost every Slate without mans and know at each mile-post-how far you are from all the adjacent towns and cities. One had exception is lowa, which 1 ill has mud ! roads and had sign-posts. The. curves arc ; particularly well marked everywhere. An 1 arrow on the sign indicates the direction 1 of the curve fir else vnu read “Curve. L. ’ or “Curve ll.’’ .-Ml the main highways have their distinguishing numbers and, colours, and tho striped band of colour and the number arc ; placed on the posts at regular intervals, making it unnecessary to ask the way even ■ in the hearts of the log cities. Dr; on i s are the worst things a motorist has to face in .Ani'Viei. It is heart-break-I -e - sometimes to have to leave a wonderful concrete road for a crumpled sidetrack. lint even these detours arc plainly marked at frequent interval* with an arrow and the word “detour.” When tiie roads o? America arc good ■ they are verv, verv good, but when they i are bad they are wicked! Some of Ihe main highways in .-Arizona give real Wild West;- tlmills, and anyone craving oxeite- ; rnrnt should travel on the slippery mud i loads of lowa in wet weather. Even with j chains and travelling in low gear, it is j impossible to avoid going crab fashion, I with an occasional excursion into the ' ditch. —Daily Mail.