I’ve expostulated on this subject before, to the extent that it’s threatening to become something of a personal obsession. What got me started again was our recent road trip, during which I saw some bizarre examples of irrational signage that seemed expressly designed to bamboozle travellers or send them the wrong way.
Example No. 1: on SH22, which is the back road from Raglan to Pukekohe (incidentally, a lovely route, worth taking if you’ve got the time), there’s an intersection near Waingaro Hot Springs where you can turn right toward Ngaruawahia and SH1 or left to carry on north toward Pukehoke, which is where we were going. But does the sign pointing left mention Pukekohe, Tuakau or any other recogniseable place name? No, it tells you that the road leads to a place called Te Akau – a mere dot on the map (Wikipedia describes it as a small farming settlement) that few people from outside the district would have heard of. Not recognising the name Te Akau and wanting to head north toward Tuakau, I headed down the wrong road for a couple of minutes before sensing there must be some mistake and turning back.
Here’s the thing: the only people wanting to go to Te Akau are likely to be locals, who of course already know where it is. Strangers to the area – i.e. the people who depend on signs to get them to the right place (are you listening, Waka Kotahi?) – are likely to be looking for names that mean something. Pukekohe, for example, or Tuakau.
I saw several other examples of utterly useless signs pointing to no-name places rather than to localities that travellers actually want to get to. Did you know, for example, that when you head west from Paihia, the big Waka Kotahi sign beside the road tells you you’re going to Puketona? That’s right: Puketona. Not Kerikeri or Kawakawa or Mangonui or Kaitaia or any other place that people have heard of and want to get to, but another dot on the map that appears to have been put on the sign for no better reason than that it happens to be on the intersection where the road from Paihia links up with SH1.
Here’s the thing: the only people wanting to go to Te Akau are likely to be locals, who of course already know where it is. Strangers to the area – i.e. the people who depend on signs to get them to the right place (are you listening, Waka Kotahi?) – are likely to be looking for names that mean something. Pukekohe, for example, or Tuakau.
I saw several other examples of utterly useless signs pointing to no-name places rather than to localities that travellers actually want to get to. Did you know, for example, that when you head west from Paihia, the big Waka Kotahi sign beside the road tells you you’re going to Puketona? That’s right: Puketona. Not Kerikeri or Kawakawa or Mangonui or Kaitaia or any other place that people have heard of and want to get to, but another dot on the map that appears to have been put on the sign for no better reason than that it happens to be on the intersection where the road from Paihia links up with SH1.
Oheawai in Northland is another case in point. Signs on SH12 repeatedly tell you you’re heading toward Oheawai – yet another tiny dot – but make no mention of the more substantial places people might be heading for. Like Puketona, Oheawai is at a junction. I suspect the nerdish mindset in Waka Kotahi is that junctions are important and therefore dictate what should be put on signs, regardless of whether the place names mean anything to anyone.
Example No 2: heading towards Auckland from Clarks Beach, on the southern shore of Manukau Harbour, wouldn’t you expect the signs to say just that: “Auckland”? Ha! Far too logical. Instead, the signs tell you you’re on the way to Papakura. Auckland doesn’t get a mention. Many New Zealanders have only a vague idea of where Papakura is and few strangers to the district are likely to be going there. They do, however, want to be sure they’re on the road to Auckland. But for reasons apparent only to itself, Waka Kotahi has decided that information isn’t necessary. What, I wonder, would overseas tourists make of it? Not having heard of Papakura, they would understandably worry that they must be on the wrong road.
And here’s another strange phenomenon: the case of the disappearing destination. I’ve encountered this frequently and struck it again on the northwestern motorway (SH16) out of Auckland, where the signs initially point, quite rationally, to Helensville. But then Helensville inexplicably drops off the signage and Wellsford pops up in its place. Later it’s Wellsford’s turn to vanish and Helensville is mysteriously reinstated. The result, for people navigating SH16 for the first time, is likely to be confusion, at the very least. It wouldn’t surprise me if flummoxed drivers pull off the motorway because they’re suddenly wondering whether they’re still on the right route. Consistency in signage is important.
There’s also the reverse phenomenon, where a place name is invisible until you’ve virtually arrived. Example: if you’re heading toward Raglan from the south and take the most direct route by turning off SH3 at Otorohanga, the signs tell you only that you’re on the way to Kawhia. Despite being a far bigger place (population 4000, compared with Kawhia’s few hundred), Raglan doesn’t rate a mention. It’s not till you get to a major intersection at Whatawhata, west of Hamilton, that the popular surfing and holiday town suddenly shows up on road signage. Waka Kotahi seems to assume that the only people travelling to Raglan are coming from the north and east. (I should add that as well as pointing only to Kawhia, the sign at Otorohanga is in a position where it’s very easy to miss – another regular Waka Kotahi flub.)
Anyone reading this rant might assume that I wrote it in a fit of rage after repeatedly taking wrong turns on our road trip, some of which was in unfamiliar territory. Not so. Only twice did I briefly get misled (the other time was at Herekino, in the Far North). I pride myself on knowing the country well enough, and having a sufficiently sound sense of direction, not to get bushed. But I did repeatedly curse misleading or ambiguous signs that made me pause and double-check, and I wondered time and again how much more confounding it must be for travellers with little knowledge of New Zealand geography.
Overall, I get the impression Waka Kotahi’s signage policy is determined by someone with a degree – possibly a PhD in critical signage theory – sitting at a computer in Wellington and applying a rigid theoretical approach (the emphasis on road junctions suggests this) rather than by people actually out on the road tackling the issue from a practical, common-sense standpoint – that is to say, constantly asking themselves: “What information are motorists most likely to need here?”. (I’m available to Waka Kotahi for a modest consultant’s fee. I certainly couldn’t do a worse job than whoever’s designing the signage now.)
A possible aggravating factor is that the AA appears to have withdrawn from its traditional signposting role. There was a time when every district had a resident AA agent who knew his territory intimately (I'm not being sexist - it was invariably a bloke) and whose duties included ensuring all roads were clearly signposted. But the AA these days is a very different beast and may have abandoned that useful function.
Whatever the explanation, I find it hard to believe that the designers of road signage ever put themselves in the position of the typical road user, still less consider the challenges faced by overseas travellers – of whom there are many – trying to navigate an unfamiliar country.
Perhaps the central planners assume every vehicle has Sat Nav and no one needs help, in which case Waka Kotahi might as well dispense with signage altogether. I can think of any number of places where they might as well do exactly that, given that the existing signs are often worse than useless.
Karl du Fresne, a freelance journalist, is the former editor of The Dominion newspaper. He blogs at karldufresne.blogspot.co.nz.
Example No 2: heading towards Auckland from Clarks Beach, on the southern shore of Manukau Harbour, wouldn’t you expect the signs to say just that: “Auckland”? Ha! Far too logical. Instead, the signs tell you you’re on the way to Papakura. Auckland doesn’t get a mention. Many New Zealanders have only a vague idea of where Papakura is and few strangers to the district are likely to be going there. They do, however, want to be sure they’re on the road to Auckland. But for reasons apparent only to itself, Waka Kotahi has decided that information isn’t necessary. What, I wonder, would overseas tourists make of it? Not having heard of Papakura, they would understandably worry that they must be on the wrong road.
And here’s another strange phenomenon: the case of the disappearing destination. I’ve encountered this frequently and struck it again on the northwestern motorway (SH16) out of Auckland, where the signs initially point, quite rationally, to Helensville. But then Helensville inexplicably drops off the signage and Wellsford pops up in its place. Later it’s Wellsford’s turn to vanish and Helensville is mysteriously reinstated. The result, for people navigating SH16 for the first time, is likely to be confusion, at the very least. It wouldn’t surprise me if flummoxed drivers pull off the motorway because they’re suddenly wondering whether they’re still on the right route. Consistency in signage is important.
There’s also the reverse phenomenon, where a place name is invisible until you’ve virtually arrived. Example: if you’re heading toward Raglan from the south and take the most direct route by turning off SH3 at Otorohanga, the signs tell you only that you’re on the way to Kawhia. Despite being a far bigger place (population 4000, compared with Kawhia’s few hundred), Raglan doesn’t rate a mention. It’s not till you get to a major intersection at Whatawhata, west of Hamilton, that the popular surfing and holiday town suddenly shows up on road signage. Waka Kotahi seems to assume that the only people travelling to Raglan are coming from the north and east. (I should add that as well as pointing only to Kawhia, the sign at Otorohanga is in a position where it’s very easy to miss – another regular Waka Kotahi flub.)
Anyone reading this rant might assume that I wrote it in a fit of rage after repeatedly taking wrong turns on our road trip, some of which was in unfamiliar territory. Not so. Only twice did I briefly get misled (the other time was at Herekino, in the Far North). I pride myself on knowing the country well enough, and having a sufficiently sound sense of direction, not to get bushed. But I did repeatedly curse misleading or ambiguous signs that made me pause and double-check, and I wondered time and again how much more confounding it must be for travellers with little knowledge of New Zealand geography.
Overall, I get the impression Waka Kotahi’s signage policy is determined by someone with a degree – possibly a PhD in critical signage theory – sitting at a computer in Wellington and applying a rigid theoretical approach (the emphasis on road junctions suggests this) rather than by people actually out on the road tackling the issue from a practical, common-sense standpoint – that is to say, constantly asking themselves: “What information are motorists most likely to need here?”. (I’m available to Waka Kotahi for a modest consultant’s fee. I certainly couldn’t do a worse job than whoever’s designing the signage now.)
A possible aggravating factor is that the AA appears to have withdrawn from its traditional signposting role. There was a time when every district had a resident AA agent who knew his territory intimately (I'm not being sexist - it was invariably a bloke) and whose duties included ensuring all roads were clearly signposted. But the AA these days is a very different beast and may have abandoned that useful function.
Whatever the explanation, I find it hard to believe that the designers of road signage ever put themselves in the position of the typical road user, still less consider the challenges faced by overseas travellers – of whom there are many – trying to navigate an unfamiliar country.
Perhaps the central planners assume every vehicle has Sat Nav and no one needs help, in which case Waka Kotahi might as well dispense with signage altogether. I can think of any number of places where they might as well do exactly that, given that the existing signs are often worse than useless.
Karl du Fresne, a freelance journalist, is the former editor of The Dominion newspaper. He blogs at karldufresne.blogspot.co.nz.
11 comments:
Karl, as a frequent user of the road I can agree with all your gripes. The signage is a joke. The worst would have to be SH1 spaghetti junction, 434 ABC, from memory. What the hell is that, Motorway junctions should be numbered in sequence 1,2,3 etc. The problem is NZTA put them up ,make a mess ,but never correct their stuff up.
By the way you can get to Tuakau from TeAnau. It’s a gravel road in parts but well worth the drive, the scenery is fantastic.
Sometimes getting lost on the roads leads you to a wonderful discovery.
On a straightforward drive from Wellington to Palmerston North, there is a similar display of road signs along the journey that appear to change the destination randomly.
Re: The "bilingual" road signs. Despite claims to the contrary, this will be very costly, especially with the long list of "consultants" that will inevitably cash in on this.
This is the same Wacka organization that last year spent $23,000,000 on TV adverts, instead of potholes and road maintenance !!
Spot on Karl. Without a GPS, even locals can be confused.
A stranger who manages to get to spaghetti junction is then faced with where to go from there.
Without local knowledge, a local navigator or GPS, my advice would be to stay on the motorway, do a 180 at the next roundabout and keep going until you find a place where sanity prevails.
Anon, you can get to Tuakau from Te Anau, via Cook Straight.
Tuakau from Te Akau is easier.
Road signs and road design needs to be run through a very simple "no surprises" test. It seems to me that this is something never considered!
My biggest gripe is not knowing how long a passing lane is before I start an overtaking maneuver. Simple information like this would improve safety. It shouldn't be hard to provide good information in a timely manner so that motorists can make good decisions and plan ahead.
No surprises, adequate time to plan would make such a difference.
Absolutely correct, it's a disgrace. And the last time I used sh58 on-ramp on to Transmission Gully there is no speed limit sign, anywhere? Whomsoever is in charge of this WK division needs a bloody rocket! With all this drive to safety with expensive and often mindless adds, they shouldn't be encouraging people (out of necessity) to be consulting their phones to find out basic direction information.
I agree Karl, irritating when you just are NOT heading to that next tiny junction town with a population of 50 but somewhere a bit further away... But think of it as an education.
Now, as a child my Mother and I and sometimes Father, would travel the length and breadth of the country often taking alternative routes. I learnt the placenames from my Mother who would tell me the meaning and correct pronouncistion, much to my Father's annoyance, you see she was a school teacher. You couldn't argue about it so best to just go along.
My Mother did tell me however that the smoking little island to the right as we travelled north was White Island and under no circumstances should you ever go there, you see we had geography lessons along the way as well! (I've just had to correct a grammatical error, a double negative, so I hope it's clear now!) I can't remember if we were told the Māori name of White Island or not.
I think it is Te Puia Whakaari, which is worth noting it's meaning. It makes you wonder.
There is a sign south of Palmerston North to Woodville. I thought it was the Pahiatua Track to Woodville but no, the road goes through Ashhurst and then over the Saddle Road to Woodville. No mention of Ashhurst on the useless sign.
MC
The New Zealand Transport Agency saw fit to rename itself, using a made up name.
I'll do the same, right here. My new name for this agency is:-
Whata Kokup
Describes their current activities (actually - lack of activity)
Junctions in insigniicant places pose a problem. Signs have to either state the locality or all the branch destinations. Few motorists nowadays carry a map of any sort, relying on their phone. A far better appreciatrion of the route and country is obtained from a printed map.
Karl, ignoring the fact that the NZTA has a mandate to 'affirm' Te Reo Maori in everything it does.......
Oh sorry let me start again.
Karl we cannot ignore the fact that the NZTA has a written and published mandate to 'affirm' Te Reo Maori in everything it does so by strange coincidence not only are we getting it seems bilingual signage with Maori much more prominent than the everyday, everyone understands English we are now getting signage in Maori for places of local interest as well (as you testify to).
IMO (as humble as it is) it is clear to any reasoned thinker that this is signalling virtue on steroids all due to the governments requirement that the NZTA 'affirms' Te Reo Maori in everything it does.
It is totally unclear otherwise why the NZTA whose responsibility to the NZ traveller is to maintain (and build) roads and roading infratructure to ensure safe travel to achieve their prescribed and heavily (taxpayer funded) promotion of road to zero.
I am lead to then believe that these machinations are just more tail wagging dog scenarios from a government more interested all things Maori than actually anything to do with what the NZTA used to be prior to 2017.
Anna Mouse,
Yes, Anna - you are quite right.
It is driven by the "transformational" government which is placing all things Maori (many of them invented) before all else.
For example - there are fantasy dreamed up "Maori" words for "cellphone", "television", "motorcar", "hamburger", "aircraft" etc, etc..
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