Here's your sign!

 

Signs have become a part of our landscape.  Some signs become so familiar that we disregard them completely.  A while back I started noticing signs that were unique to cyclists, bike paths, or just the places my bike took me.  I'd like to dedicate this post to a few signs that made me look twice.

Road closures and detours can be frustrating to say the least.  Well... it turns out they are not just a problem for motor vehicles.  (If you bike the San Gabriel river in LA county you might be familiar with these two signs).

I wish I had more pictures of street names to share.  Some of them appear impossible to pronounce, some can be taken the wrong way, and others are just plain strange.  Here are a couple that hold special meaning for me. 

Colima has special meaning for the twelve/thirteen year old boys that we take out biking.  We do not get many hills in LA county, so going to Whittier and spending some time on Colima means getting a workout.  We have a couple other fun hills we train on, but this one gets a response from the boys every time.



And really, isn't it awesome to ride on a street named Coffee?  Who can resist a street like that?!?  Warning: looking at the sign often triggers an uncontroled desire for a freshly brewed cup of joe!  Ah.............

Next are a couple of signs that you actually expect to see on or around a bike path, right?  The funny thing to me is that many times the signs overstate the problem.  For example, the downhill portion of the path where this sign was posted really wasn't very steep or a very long downhill section.  As for the single file sign, the road was not that narrow, there were no parked cars to contend with, and the street had very little traffic.

 

 

Have you ever seen a cyclist and horseback rider play chicken when meeting on a shared trail?  My money is on the horse.

 

Now there are some signs you really don't want to see.  I realize that it is good to warn someone that something dangerous or discusting may happen while you out enjoying some fresh air and exercise, but these signs make you feel like you are reading the warning label on a cholesterol medication.

CAUTION: Bike way subject to flooding & may become impassable!

                             
"Danger! Intermittent pump discharge. Keep clear." "Tsunami hazard zone: in case of earthquake go to high ground or inland!"


The last few signs are some crossing signs that I found humorous.  My only regret is that we never had a chance to stop for any of the designated pedestrians.