Thanks Dave for clarification. I took my initial reference from a glance at Phil Baines' book 'Signs: lettering in the environment' but looking again his reference photograph for The Netherlands dates to 1996. Still, your post provides the potential for a good case study should anyone wish to research the economic implications of my initial point. And, you encouraged me to reacquaint myself with an older issue of Eye from my bookshelf. Regards, Robert.
On 13 Apr 2011, at 11:07, Dave Crossland wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On 13 April 2011 09:51, Robert Harland <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> the implications are potentially massive for the changes to the road
>> network signage in the US (first brought to my attention on this list -
>> possibly by Ken if my memory serves me well?), said to be
>> implemented over the next fifty years or so because of the cost.
>> If I recall, the argument is as much about reducing fatalities on
>> the road because of the poor legibility of letter shapes designed
>> by highways engineers.
>>
>> I've seen this same sign system in Malaysia and Brazil, and
>> it is used in Saudi Arabia, Canada, South Africa, The Netherlands
>> amongst other places.
>
> The Netherlands is actually using a different typeface, by Gerard
> Unger, and the re-design brief is legendarily absurd :-)
>
> - http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature.php?id=4&fid=10
>
> - http://www.gerardunger.com/allmytypedesigns/allmytypedesigns15.html
>
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