Signs, signs, everywhere a sign, blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind– that was the chorus of a popular song a while back. That refrain runs through my head any time I walk around the barrio. One thing is clear: Street signs in Costa Rica have a hard life. Between the scorching sun, the annual rains, dust, dirt, vandals, neglect and bad drivers, we have our share of signs that have seen better days.
Neighborhood Crime Watch: Faded Warning Sign
Exhibit A, this photo is only a few blocks from my house. It is meant to show that the neighborhood is organized against crime. You can see the words Barrio Organizado– barely. I doubt that any prospective criminals would be deterred by this. Maybe the barrio needs to get organized to make a new sign.
Highway Mileage Sign: Decade-Old Damage
This highway mileage sign has looked like this for a decade. Something– a wide load truck perhaps– struck it years ago, and it has never been replaced, nor an effort made to pound it straight. Seen from this angle, you will be going the wrong way if you follow the arrows for Pedregoso or La Palma.
No Pooping Zone: A Sign Under the Bridge
Here is an interesting sign. Located beneath a bridge, along the pedestrian underpass, this sign is aimed at either indigents or aliens. This is clearly a no pooping zone, although the pigeon in the photo was clearly exempt from the prohibition.
Hidden Stop Sign: Faded and Blocked by a Power Pole
The most oddly placed stop sign in the barrio. Not only is it faded but directly behind a power pole, so that it is almost invisible to oncoming traffic. Fortunately it is not a thru street and most everyone who drives here is aware that they are actually supposed to stop at the intersection.
Yield Sign at the One-Lane Bridge: Faded but Necessary
There are still hundreds of one lane bridges in Costa Rica, and for every one lane bridge, there is a faded and aged yield sign. This particular bridge is just off the downtown area of San Isidro de el General, and the oddest thing about the placement of the sign is that at least 90 percent of the traffic that approaches the bridge is coming from the side where the yield sign is located.
A Rare Find: A Precise Supermarket Sign
A rarity– a nice clean sign for a supermarket. What I most like about this sign is the exactness– not 300 meters, not 350, but 320 meters. In an imprecise world, be precise!
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Don Mateo
