Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs

The amount of traffic on Marco Island and in Naples seems to have surpassed anything previously experienced. We live in a beautiful area of the world with a lot of sunshine and a magnificent beach and therefore, it is no wonder tourists and winter residents come from all over the world to get a part of it. However, I do wonder why, when they finally get here, so many people seem to have so little patience. Aggressive driving and all forms of road rage have become common. Often stopping to give professional people like UPS, FedEx, and other obvious business vehicles on the road a chance to get out of a driveway, or sideroad, results in an angry car horn from behind. And if one is unlucky, perhaps damage on the rear of your vehicle. Constant attention on the road is a must and the myriad of signs supposed to assist a driver have become a brain overload. Today there are over 50 traffic and directional signs on just one side of the road between the short stretch from Bald Eagle Drive to San Marco Road.

In 1982 when my family and I moved our base of business to the island, the corner of US41 and SR951 only had one business, a “U Pick Strawberry field.” We drove a two-lane road to the island and Collier County had just installed the first traffic light on the corners of Collier Boulevard and Barfield Drive. We are still in paradise on our island, but it could be so much nicer if all of us took a breather, stopped for a moment, went for a walk on the beach, and tried to be nice to our neighbor and on the road.

It is hard to imagine what the Romans started in 312 BC along the famous Appian Way out of Rome has morphed into the jungle of signs on almost every road in the world today. For many years I have wondered, scratched my head, or simply laughed about signs I have seen.

Indeed, the Romans had stones along roads indicating mileage to cities and towns away from the Italian capital. By late 1800 these signs had become directional signs as well and by 1913 numerous Automobile Clubs across the world had made a chaos of their individually designed signs. 1915 saw the first metal stop sign in Detroit and by 1935 countries tried to divide signs in three categories: Regulatory, Warning and Guide Signs. But it was not till 1968 that 35 countries met at the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. At the conclusion of this meeting, an agreement on conformity was reached and signed into an agreement. In general, one can understand most traffic signs from one country to the next although there are differences even within the European countries. For example, directional signs for motorways in France, the Netherlands and Germany are blue, whereas in Switzerland they are green. Temporary markings in Germany are yellow, orange in Switzerland and Russia and white in the United Kingdom. To confuse everyone a bit more, exceptions are common. 

There is no “turn-on-red” anywhere outside the United States and we have exceptions in cities like New York where it is not allowed either.

Paris, France did originally have one “stop” sign left on the Quai Saint-Exupery, but because of its fame as the only one, it got stolen so many times that with almost humoristic gallic logic the French gave up replacing the sign in 2016. According to authorities, it has made it easier for drivers to enter main thoroughfares from secondary roads! We already know that traffic in Paris is not for the weak of heart at the best of times and priority from even the smallest alleys on the right is something to watch. The only saving grace is that many “stop” signs were replaced by a myriad of traffic lights.

Road signs everywhere run from perfect to ridiculous and sometimes with a sense of humor. Over the years, I have acquired a collection of sign photos from all over the world.

At one time or another most of us, including myself, have gotten angry at another driver and made dumb moves in traffic as well. Afterward, we wonder how it was possible we did it, and once our heartbeat is back to normal, we are grateful we survived it. Let’s just slow down if someone goes crazy in front of us and enjoy the paradise we live in.