And when you find that it's the exact same trail of vacuous stupidity each and every time, does that make you more or less encouraged to continue checking up on it?
i've always assumed it's because if there's traffic in front of you you're not able to read the sentence top to bottom. You're forced to read it bottom to top as the gap between your car and the car in front reveals each word in it's normal order. It's always weirded the hell out of me when there's no traffic though. Awesome xkcd :)
It is written the normal way in UK and Oz (probably any country that drives on the left) because the idea is you drive looking as far along the road as possible so you see the whole block in one go...
Not if you actually watch where you're driving instead of just looking at the road directly in front of your bumper. You'll also find you have to slam on your brakes less, since you'll see an obstruction coming with plenty of time to spare.
exactly. it's because at the angle of view from the car you'll see the nearest become legible first.
unlike the starwars text which the works the opposite way.
It's the same as 'toward' and 'towards'; 'forward' and 'forwards'; 'a-way' and 'a-ways' (not to be confused with 'away').
No-one really cares. There used to be a meaning behind the difference (something to do with plurals) but they've just turned into regional dialects, and even a spellcheck will agree with either case.
I believe it's common to have the "s" on the end of those words in British English but it's not generally accepted by professional editors in the US. Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
coincidently, for the first time in my life, i noticed "clear...keep" on the road today. I thought these Aussie's just had it upside down like everything else, but apparently its all over the place.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
I think the reason they do this is because of traffic. If there's a solid block of cars in front of you blocking the writing, if you keep enough distance, you can read the words one at a time as you move.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
This would make sense if you read words on the street as you drive over them. You don't. You see them in the distance, and therefore read top to bottom.
Yeah you have it right, I had it backwards... thanks!
Yeah, I haven't actually driven that stretch of road since I was in the dorms years ago... and I also don't really play golf...
but yeah, I always got the same reaction from that sign. We should form a secret coalition that pledges to the undying dream of applying a 'W' to that sign. For great justice.
When you read a page of text, you read top down, left to right (in English).
The signs sprayed on roads are written bottom up because highway engineers think you read the writing as you are rolling over it (I guess?!?!?!)
To anyone who says "it makes sense to write it that way, because you're driving the text", I have to ask: have you ever driven a car? In practice, I always end up reading it "AHEAD STOP" instead of "STOP AHEAD", and it's obvious that I'm not alone.
binky79Aug 18, 2010
This is the best xkcd ever!
solitaireroseAug 18, 2010
The next one will be even better!
pocketjacksAug 19, 2010
@one1plus1one - binky79 is famous for an achievement. Prince Charles merely popped out of a fortuitous ****.
bodiezAug 18, 2010
BINKY79 MY KING I WILL DIGG YOU UNTIL THE END OF TIME
pocketjacksAug 18, 2010
You got a little something on your nose...
punkfenixjtAug 18, 2010
You need to leave the house more...
llanowarAug 18, 2010
No, no it's not.
mizuhriAug 18, 2010
The site makes sense. I never know if I should bury him or not.
Closed AccountAug 18, 2010
This meme is getting old.
hazelnootAug 18, 2010
This time it's true !
dukeonkledAug 18, 2010
Getting?
boyprodigy1Aug 18, 2010
YOUR MEME IS GETTING OLD!!!!
cdnbmattAug 18, 2010
It has gotten to the point for me that I don't even look at the comic anymore. I skip straight to the Binky thread to see what it has evolved into.
atarioAug 19, 2010
And when you find that it's the exact same trail of vacuous stupidity each and every time, does that make you more or less encouraged to continue checking up on it?
joecool1986Aug 18, 2010
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……………………..”„:¸¸,„„„¸¸,-, : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :ƒ……BURY HIM!
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lethallinkAug 18, 2010
The next xkcd will be even better.
clouds31Aug 19, 2010
Only if binky says it is.
rumbeefAug 18, 2010
I just watched Shakes the Clown, and I have to say... it works for you.
cooterbrown000Aug 18, 2010
ever xkcd best the is this!
ldailey06Aug 18, 2010
Come on digg bury him...
dibbkdAug 19, 2010
ever!
xkcd
best
the
is
This
stoanhartAug 19, 2010
@timusca
It probably took longer to register the domain than it did to actually make the site.
truejournalsAug 18, 2010
I never really understood this...
mxm111Aug 18, 2010
Yoda/
this understood really never I
atarioAug 19, 2010
It might make sense if the lines were spaced dozens of yards apart, like the old Burma Shave signs.
Closed AccountAug 19, 2010
i've always assumed it's because if there's traffic in front of you you're not able to read the sentence top to bottom. You're forced to read it bottom to top as the gap between your car and the car in front reveals each word in it's normal order. It's always weirded the hell out of me when there's no traffic though. Awesome xkcd :)
antdudeAug 18, 2010
Clever.
maxamegalon2000Aug 18, 2010
But Star Wars wasn't released until 1977. Fail.
mentallyinhellAug 18, 2010
Well played sir.
salinungathaAug 18, 2010
Yeah but next year when I invent my time machine me and a bunch of others are going back to 1973 to do that
aceslick911Aug 18, 2010
did you wikipedia that or do you just know irrelevant 1970's facts?
mescadAug 18, 2010
What?! Star Wars is an irrelevant 1970's fact?
(must...control...nerd...rage...)
vstg005Aug 18, 2010
Back to form.
eupatorusAug 18, 2010
BACK TO FORMULA?!
Fixed.
goldyoshiAug 18, 2010
I came here to post something that has the same words front to back, and sounded funny... :(
eupatorusAug 18, 2010
Like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nej4xJe4Tdg
skibadoweebopAug 18, 2010
a man, a plan a canal. panama
explodingzebrasAug 19, 2010
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Bob
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nej4xJe4Tdg
kajaah117Aug 18, 2010
If it was written the normal way, you'd have driven your car over the last word before you get to read it. /justsayin'
.Sometimes Ground The On Written Is It As It Reading By Myself Amuse Do I ,Though Lie Can't IComment is buried, click here to see the rest.
wabbitseasonAug 18, 2010
It is written the normal way in UK and Oz (probably any country that drives on the left) because the idea is you drive looking as far along the road as possible so you see the whole block in one go...
quaxonAug 18, 2010
http://27.media.tumblr.com/9cyPFQbgCnrhuk16HVmUN2kCo1_500.jpg
reading is for gentlemen
dignan666Aug 19, 2010
I'll dig you up q, that made me laugh.
speedAug 18, 2010
Not if you actually watch where you're driving instead of just looking at the road directly in front of your bumper. You'll also find you have to slam on your brakes less, since you'll see an obstruction coming with plenty of time to spare.
Closed AccountAug 18, 2010
This is the most backwards xkcd ever!
magnet14Aug 18, 2010
This
Like
Write
They
When
I hate
aceslick911Aug 18, 2010
they should write it in a clever way where it means the same thing read in either direction..
alexhladunAug 19, 2010
R
I
S
E
T
O
V
O
T
E
S
I
R
mannamedtruthAug 18, 2010
ever!
xkcd
best
the
is
This
sloiAug 18, 2010
this!
post
to
in
came
I
lethallinkAug 18, 2010
better.
even
be
will
xkcd
next
The
immatellyouwhatAug 18, 2010
up
shut
dignan666Aug 19, 2010
f**k
you
you
f**k
packers2009Aug 18, 2010
THIS
ISN'T
BACKWARDS
backwards!)
wasn't
It
guys!
you
fooled
I
(Seriously
the_orichalconAug 18, 2010
ONLY
LANE
BUS
It'd make sense if the words were spaced further apart, but the text is usually clumped right together so you read it as a whole.
But here's the thing: I don't care. I'm not retarded, so I can put it together that I'm supposed to read it nearest to farthest.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
ontainAug 18, 2010
exactly. it's because at the angle of view from the car you'll see the nearest become legible first.
unlike the starwars text which the works the opposite way.
fritzekAug 18, 2010
You should visit your optician
usma1000Aug 18, 2010
I always thought you're supposed to say backwards with an "S" at the end, but I guess not. I'm learning!
tanethAug 18, 2010
It's the same as 'toward' and 'towards'; 'forward' and 'forwards'; 'a-way' and 'a-ways' (not to be confused with 'away').
No-one really cares. There used to be a meaning behind the difference (something to do with plurals) but they've just turned into regional dialects, and even a spellcheck will agree with either case.
basmasta7Aug 18, 2010
I believe it's common to have the "s" on the end of those words in British English but it's not generally accepted by professional editors in the US. Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
thelastelfAug 18, 2010
Dugg for xkcd title.
hamlockAug 18, 2010
coincidently, for the first time in my life, i noticed "clear...keep" on the road today. I thought these Aussie's just had it upside down like everything else, but apparently its all over the place.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
jokr004Aug 18, 2010
I think the reason they do this is because of traffic. If there's a solid block of cars in front of you blocking the writing, if you keep enough distance, you can read the words one at a time as you move.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
mothhAug 18, 2010
RIAA
THE
F**K
larsoncAug 18, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
cooldude777Aug 18, 2010
So should my wife.
bstew22Aug 18, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
stormdancerAug 18, 2010
They do... for oncoming traffic.
Like CoolDude777's wife. :p
cooldude777Aug 18, 2010
The words should be spaced out more if they insist on writing them last-to-first. It irritates me that I have to swap the word order every time.
orenyarokAug 18, 2010
Nickelback
comments
these
slapdedAug 18, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
labdiscoAug 18, 2010
This account has been closed by the user
mjdubAug 18, 2010
/yoda
amadorusaAug 18, 2010
I swear for the longest time I didn't understand what "CLEAR KEEP" was supposed to mean
s0nicfreakAug 18, 2010
This would make sense if you read words on the street as you drive over them. You don't. You see them in the distance, and therefore read top to bottom.
Closed AccountAug 18, 2010
If only I knew which lane EZPass was supposed to be in....still can't figure it out.
buckygradAug 18, 2010
xkcd has jumped the shark.
amaoicanAug 18, 2010
SHARKS
JUMPING
DIED
FRIENDS
BEST
MY
OF
TWO
YOU
F**K
mercanoAug 18, 2010
I've always read it that way; glad I'm not the only one.
d4nie1Aug 18, 2010
I can't remember ever seeing a sign written this way. Maybe they don't do that in Texas.
carbon916Aug 18, 2010
Another thing that has always irked me just a tiny bit is using 'XING" for crossing. As in PED XING. I'm not sure why.
ruthlesspirateAug 18, 2010
It took me until around Jr. High to figure out what "XING" meant.
ekard14Aug 18, 2010
Ha, same
chmpdogAug 18, 2010
I think its a latin reference.
cpmartinAug 18, 2010
xkcd sucks c**k n balls
mhuntAug 18, 2010
You say that like it's a bad thing.
pbakerAug 18, 2010
YES! everytime I stuff painted on the road I read it top to bottom and get pissed off.
DoubleRamboAug 18, 2010
I love the discalmier on the front page so funny about the liberal arts majors!
ilovedigg8dAug 18, 2010
Thankyou, this post was extremely helpful when I scrolled up quickly with the screen at an obtuse angle.
skibadoweebopAug 18, 2010
Go hang a salami I'm a lasagna hog
paraswarmAug 18, 2010
Reminds me of a sign on a road on Tinker AFB:
| NO |
| LEFT |
| TURN |
I've always wanted to graffiti a "W" onto the end of "NO":
| NOW |
| LEFT |
| TURN |
So people reading the sign correctly would see "TURN LEFT NOW" and many luls would ensue.
tom53086Aug 18, 2010
I'm commenting because I am currently stationed at Tinker and I know exactly where you are talking about :)
But isn't it
| TURN |
| LEFT |
| NO |
?
And yes, every time I go there I read it as "Turn left no" so this XKCD made me giggle. In a manly way of course.
paraswarmAug 18, 2010
Yeah you have it right, I had it backwards... thanks!
Yeah, I haven't actually driven that stretch of road since I was in the dorms years ago... and I also don't really play golf...
but yeah, I always got the same reaction from that sign. We should form a secret coalition that pledges to the undying dream of applying a 'W' to that sign. For great justice.
k3nt0456Aug 18, 2010
I'll take the bullet and ask someone to explain it please.
chmpdogAug 18, 2010
next time you drive your car watch the road. It knows all.
sxt173Aug 18, 2010
When you read a page of text, you read top down, left to right (in English).
The signs sprayed on roads are written bottom up because highway engineers think you read the writing as you are rolling over it (I guess?!?!?!)
yacksAug 19, 2010
You do read it as you go over it.. It's harder to read if you glance ahead and try to see what the first word of the sentence is...
doofdoofsfAug 18, 2010Staff
so true!!!
djanakinAug 18, 2010
I was just thinking abou this this morning when I saw guys painting "AHEAD ZONE SCHOOL SLOW" sign on the road.
mhugginsAug 18, 2010
Dugg for alt text.
Closed AccountAug 18, 2010
They're right to do it that way.
speedAug 18, 2010
To anyone who says "it makes sense to write it that way, because you're driving the text", I have to ask: have you ever driven a car? In practice, I always end up reading it "AHEAD STOP" instead of "STOP AHEAD", and it's obvious that I'm not alone.
yacksAug 19, 2010
you're doing it wrong..
threedee912Aug 19, 2010
Anyone traveling from NJ>NY frequently should know the
LANE
IN
STAY
painted in the Holland Tunnel (and maybe Lincoln?)
dr3wAug 19, 2010
I read the comic twice from the top down before getting it. And this xkcd wasn't trying to be all that sophisticated...
danconiaAug 19, 2010
Sucks
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