And By Signs and Portents…

Today, I’d like to tell you a story about signs. No, not the exodus from Egypt. That’s tonight — didn’t you read my post from yesterday? This is a story about some different signs; I’ve got to get this written up so I can go set the Seder table and listen to my favorite table setting music (Amazon). In particular, I sincerely doubt these are signs that Moses saw as he was escaping from Egypt.

Unless he was parking, that it.

Parking signs can be very confusing. Witness what is happening in Los Angeles, specifically in Hollywood. There the signs are extremely confusing with different rules for different hours and arcane limitations. Some claim it is intentionally predetory. The article cites dueling signs, four or five to pole, that go on and on:

Tow-Away No Parking Any time (arrow pointing left)

Tow-Away No Parking 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. (arrow pointing right)

2-hour parking Mon.-Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sun. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (arrow pointing right)

I could imagine it could be worse in San Francisco. There they have introduced demand-based parking, where the parking rate for a particular block changes monthly based on the demand for the space — spaces more in demand cost more. I would image they would need variable LED signage there!

New York City has attempted to resolve this problem in a different way. They are attempting to design parking signs that actually make sense, with a clear focus on the hours where parking or stopping is prohibited, stating the hours when parking is permitted, and identifying any commercial restrictions. Their signs look good; I’m not sure how they would work in Los Angeles with preferential parking districts added to the mix.

Lastly, I’ll note that it isn’t hard to make your own sign. That’s what I did recently. I ordered a custom “Reserved Parking Sign” for in front of our house where I park the vanpool van. Really nice aluminum sign. Of course, I attached it to the tree with wire-ties :-).

Now to go and set the table…

Music: An Evening With Sutton Foster – Live At The Café Carlyle (Sutton Foster): “Late Late Show”