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Previous: Kinkos.com form | Main | Next: Bellsouth errors in Miami
October 3, 2005 12:05 AM
Broken: Tropical stop sign
The McCorisons see this sign in Hawaii and ask:
And then what?
Well, the sign is correct, and at night in the rain, this reflective stop sign might be the difference between going off road into the jungle or not, especially if you are unfamilliar with the road.
This actually happend to me once. It was late, foggy and I was trying to find my campsite. I ended up driving down the boat ramp, I stopped just in time as I nottice my headlights bouncing off the lake, a few feet in front of me.
Correct as usual, JW, but a stop sign wouldn't be the correct sign to use here. Generally you'd use a guardrail with orange reflectors or an orange and white sign.
"...I ended up driving down the boat ramp, I stopped just in time as I nottice my headlights bouncing off the lake..."
...prompting the legendary line and subsequent Fox spin-off series:
"Come on honey, it's the best, most secluded campsite in the park! It's a little soggy, but I'm sure it'll dry out by noon..."
_@_v - looks like there was a road (and perhaps an intersection) there once till a lava flow took over and they never bothered to take down the sign.
This is the road fell into the crater in a big earthquake in 1975. If you walk just past that stop sign, the road ends at the edge of the caldera. They rebuilt the road some distance away, but they've left the old road and signs there so you can hike through it and see everything.
I would think that after you stopped, you would have to back up and figure out where you really meant to be. No need for the stop sign - obvious. BROKEN.
addition to previous comment...
I think they meant {STOP!!, OR DIE!!}.. they just forgot to put the {OR DIE!!} part on the sign...whatever, we all have to die somewhere/somtime.
p.S. i am not being morbid, but GET REAL (how 80's was THAT comment.
she-snailie_@_v,
My initial thoguht was laval as well, since I've seen video of other roads crossed over by lava, but I didn't think that the jungle would establish itself over the lava that quickly 10-20 years vs. 100-200 years.
Actually, you would be suprised by how fast the jungle can take over a lava feild after an eruption. Typically within a year algae and moss will form on the rock and break it down into dirt, which small ferns will then use to grow creating more dirt and holding water. Then larger and larger plants come. The forest can reclaim the whole area in only a matter of years. Look at Mt. Saint Helens, an area where the plants aren't used to eruptions, and plants are growing anew already.
I really have to question if this is "broken". Obviously this is a sign that was up before the event that caused the "jungle" to be there. Because of the jungle there is a definately need for some kind of a warning here. The sign in question does the job. I think I would add a sign in the middle of the road, but it is not borken as is. On the other hand it is a funny picture.
This sign needs no fixing.
I do like the idea of slapping on a "STOP OR DIE" sign/sticker/whatever on that intersection.
That is one of the wierdest signs I've seen in a while though.
Worthy of a good chuckle.:)
This looks as if it MIGHT have been a road at some time. It looks like its paved partway and has been overgrown. Maybe it is a DIRTROAD or used to be.
Could be a failed development or something.
Then what?
You:
A) turn right
B) turn left
C) back up (or make a U turn)
D) wait til the jungle dies, rots and clears.
Situation = NOT BROKEN
Question asker = BROKEN.
Actually, this may be one of those cases in Hawaii where there WAS once a road there, but a volcano errupted and covered it over.
From what I hear, it's a common occurance. True, they should replace the STOP sign with a DEAD END or guard rail or something else.
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Plant X-ing.
Posted by: gmangw at October 3, 2005 12:26 AM