Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/26/83; site ihuxn.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!hou5f!hou5a!hou5d!hogpc!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxn!res From: res@ihuxn.UUCP Newsgroups: net.misc,net.auto Subject: Re: Stop Signs Message-ID: <264@ihuxn.UUCP> Date: Thu, 23-Jun-83 16:45:51 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxn.264 Posted: Thu Jun 23 16:45:51 1983 Date-Received: Sat, 25-Jun-83 17:34:06 EDT Organization: BTL Naperville, Il. Lines: 22 I do not know the dates for the following, but I believe that the following is correct from my recollection. Back in antiquity (probably the mid-'50s) there were no standards for highway markings or other traffic control signals (such as STOP signs). In the 1950's timeframe a set of federal guidelines was developed which included such things as the sizes and colors of the signs (red octagons for STOP signs, orange rectangles for construction warnings, triangular YIELD signs, etc.). Over a period of time signs not following the guidelines have been replaced as they rusted out or whatever with ones that do meet these guidelines. I do not know if these rules are now strong enough to call "requirements" or not (that is, if failure to comply costs the states any cash). Subsequently, an international effort was made to standardize traffic signs and signals. The federal guidelines were modified to include the agreed-upon international signs (such as the red circle with a red diagonal to indicate prohibition of the thing denoted on the sign). The only American sign to become an international standard is the red octogon ... the friendly American STOP (or ARRET, or ... ) sign. Rich Strebendt ...!ihnp4!ihuxn!res