General Question

elbanditoroso's avatar

Does the wording on this highway sign make sense?

Asked by elbanditoroso (33578points) October 26th, 2019

It rained last night.

The Georgia Highway Department, rather than fix the drainage problem, uses those orange message signs to tell you about road conditions.

Today’s said:
POSSIBLE
WATER
ON ROAD

Wouldn’t it be better as:
WATER
POSSIBLE
ON ROAD
?

What is Possible water?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

10 Answers

rebbel's avatar

“Dear driver,
We would like to inform you, that, due to a drainage problem, that we are currently working hard on to fix, there is a possibility that there might be some liquid water on the road that you are driving on right now.
Careful now, and be home safe!

Sincerely, the Georgia Highway Department Public Service Announcer,
Bob Tyler”

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

@rebbel -Good thing I am a speed reader. XD

JeSuisRickSpringfield's avatar

According to a civil engineer that I used to work with, people are most likely to see/remember the middle word, followed by the bottom word, followed by the top word. Some designers don’t care and just write whatever message they want, but others try to put the most important word in the middle as long as it’s still passable English when read as a whole. It’s the same idea behind those automatic caution door signs.

This assumes that the words are all the same size. Word size and image placement can change where the eye is drawn to first.

kritiper's avatar

I think the first is more correct in it’s grammar. But what is most important of all, is that the reader understand the message.

Love_my_doggie's avatar

Excellent answer, @JeSuisRickSpringfield, and it explains those bizarre signs for:

GO
CHILDREN
SLOW

Yellowdog's avatar

I’ve seen signs that just say Slow Children and Slow Children at Play.

But to the point of the Original Poster, perhaps ‘possible’ IS the most important word in the message sign, After all, ANYTHING is possible on the road.

Response moderated (Unhelpful)
Response moderated
JLeslie's avatar

It makes sense to me, but either is ok.

LostInParadise's avatar

Shouldn’t it be possibly instead of possible? Otherwise the first sentence is saying that there is definitely something on the road and it may be water. The second statement says that it is possible to have a road with water on it.

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