# I'm Mr. Curious. Why the "Guardrail Damage Ahead" Signs?



## wisslbritches (May 27, 2004)

We've all seen them. Most times it's a bridge and we all look for the damage as we drive by, but what is the purpose of the "Guardrail Damage Ahead" signs? 

I tried a little research on my own and it appears Texas is the only state that performs this service of letting drivers know there will be something to look at on the roadside ahead. I could not find anywhere that explains why they are doing this for us. Any TxDOT experts on board that can 'splain it?

My thoughts are:

1. A crew had to actually go out and put these signs up. Why didn't they just fix the guardrail why they were out there?

2. Am I supposed to drive more careful? I don't have the benefits of a undamaged guardrail, so I better take it down about 10 mph?

3. It's a safety device. If I wreck and hit a guardrail, there's a really good chance I wasn't aiming for it. Telling me that one is damaged will not affect the outcome of whether it gets hit again when I lose control.

4. Don't wreck here. Please move on to the next bridge so we can put up another sign.

5. It's actually a sign to mark where the repair crew needs to go to perform repairs. It's not for the drivers.


----------



## InfamousJ (May 21, 2004)

some lawyer, some where......


----------



## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

All valid points. ??????


----------



## INTOTHEBLUE (Jun 21, 2011)

It must be #5 lmao


----------



## frank n texas (Aug 11, 2004)

No brainer...Sign is simply to warn you that the lifesaving guardrail is damaged and may not be saving your life if you strike it....


----------



## That Robbie Guy (Aug 11, 2009)

2. Am I supposed to drive more careful? I don't have the benefits of a undamaged guardrail, so I better take it down about 10 mph?


----------



## KEN KERLEY (Nov 13, 2006)

If you're going to run into the guard rail, you can't judge the extent of your damage unless you hit fresh rail. It's only polite to skip someone else's work.


----------



## justhookit (Sep 29, 2005)

You think like I do. That sign has always bothered the **** out of me. It's the worst one I think, but the "bridge may be icy", "slippery when wet", and "beware of falling rocks" are a little ridiculous too.



KEN KERLEY said:


> If you're going to run into the guard rail, you can't judge the extent of your damage unless you hit fresh rail. It's only polite to skip someone else's work.


That's one I hadn't come up with yet. :cheers:


----------



## tentcotter (Oct 23, 2009)

*More signs*

Always wondered that myself. I think they need signs for different occasions such as;

Roadkill Ahead
Potholes Ahead
Traffic Cones Ahead

etc


----------



## HarborHustler (Nov 30, 2011)

frank n texas said:


> No brainer...Sign is simply to warn you that the lifesaving guardrail is damaged and may not be saving your life if you strike it....


man theres been a couple of times ive seen those signs and boy am i sure glad they warned me... cause i had planned to crash into the guard rail on the way home. boy would my face have been red to have crashed into a safety guard rail that has alreaady been recently used!


----------



## wayne57 (Jul 10, 2006)

*Guard rail signs*

Have you noticed how fast they get them out there?---


----------



## Paul Marx (Nov 13, 2009)

So people in airplanes take note.


----------



## RRfisher (Mar 5, 2007)

I like #5.

I'm partial to the Road Humps Ahead signs


----------



## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

How long before highway workers sue for derogatory signs?? "SLOW WORKERS AHEAD"


----------



## HarborHustler (Nov 30, 2011)

True story, 
sitting in traffic on 59 south... i rolled down the window and asked the road crew that was just standing around what was going on... his reply.
"government road test"
i say ...whats that?
"test to see how bad we can screw up traffic on a thursday afternoon"


----------



## 68PVM (Sep 22, 2010)

justhookit said:


> You think like I do. That sign has always bothered the **** out of me. It's the worst one I think, but the "bridge may be icy", "slippery when wet", and "beware of falling rocks" are a little ridiculous too.
> That's one I hadn't come up with yet. :cheers:


Moving here from Canada, "The Bridge may be icy"......... always made me giggle.


----------



## Tigerfan (Jun 20, 2010)

*Road Signs*










So How do the Deer know where to cross?


----------



## bigbarr (Mar 9, 2010)

Dont you know ? everything is about liability these days


----------



## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

the prisoners get bored making the regular signs and it is job security for the road crews

mucho office paperwork
>site review by at least 3 TXDOT trucks

>site prep guys:
barricade crew and flagman 
cement pourer
shovel leaner-on-er
pole level holder upper
fill dirt leveler
sign bolter-on-er
another 3 truck inspection
turn in paperwork and go fix guard rail

later
weed sprayer and weedeater guy


----------



## boom! (Jul 10, 2004)

I wish that TXdot would post up the locations of these guardrail damaged sites and I would plan my route accordingly.


----------



## FishinFoolFaron (Feb 11, 2009)

The "damaged guard rail" sign is more proof that they breed, vote, and some even get elected.



Tigerfan said:


> So How do the Deer know where to cross?


At the sign, dummy. But just like people, most either ignore it, cross elsewhere in protest, or simply can't read (English).


----------



## longhorn daddy (Nov 10, 2009)

FishinFoolFaron said:


> The "damaged guard rail" sign is more proof that they breed, vote, and some even get elected.
> 
> At the sign, dummy. But just like people, most either ignore it, cross elsewhere in protest, or simply can't read (English).


QUE?


----------



## Life Aquatic (Oct 24, 2006)

orange sign = road construction

or as the case may be, they be fixin' to commence fixin'


----------



## osobrujo (Jan 13, 2005)

Some of the guard rail might be missing, or not visable if knocked down, at night, someone might think it's an off ramp, or end of bridge and try to drive off.


----------



## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

osobrujo said:


> Some of the guard rail might be missing, or not visable if knocked down, at night, someone might think it's an off ramp, or end of bridge and try to drive off.


Winner. That is the only logical explanation so far.


----------



## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

roadworkers suck, lazy, good for nothing tax payer money wasting ********. At least the ones I work with lol....



Sign is there to warn you there is guardrail damage ahead. Since it is legal to drive on the shoulder in Texas then when the guardrai is damaged warning signs have to be put in place. Repair has to be completed ASAP when it comes to guardrail and most all types of signage. Most of this is due to litigation over the years. I would suspect way back when some guardrail was damaged, someone was driving on the shoulder to let someone pass or for some other reason and was killed by the damaged rail some way. There could be other reasons as well.


Signs are temp and does not take TXDOT long to stand them, few minutes at best. So the theories of it being a money making event are incorrect. TXDOT has to go out and inspect the rail, clean up, etc... might as well spend a few minutes and put up a temp warning sign.


----------



## patwilson (Jan 13, 2006)

lmao! :wink:



CoastalOutfitters said:


> the prisoners get bored making the regular signs and it is job security for the road crews
> 
> mucho office paperwork
> >site review by at least 3 TXDOT trucks
> ...


----------



## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

Serious signs.


----------



## McDaniel8402 (Dec 7, 2011)

grayfish said:


> Serious signs.


That there is funny. I had to read it a second time before i caught it. lol


----------



## wisslbritches (May 27, 2004)

osobrujo said:


> Some of the guard rail might be missing, or not visable if knocked down, at night, someone might think it's an off ramp, or end of bridge and try to drive off.





Jolly Roger said:


> roadworkers suck, lazy, good for nothing tax payer money wasting ********. At least the ones I work with lol....
> 
> Sign is there to warn you there is guardrail damage ahead. Since it is legal to drive on the shoulder in Texas then when the guardrai is damaged warning signs have to be put in place. Repair has to be completed ASAP when it comes to guardrail and most all types of signage. Most of this is due to litigation over the years. I would suspect way back when some guardrail was damaged, someone was driving on the shoulder to let someone pass or for some other reason and was killed by the damaged rail some way. There could be other reasons as well.
> 
> Signs are temp and does not take TXDOT long to stand them, few minutes at best. So the theories of it being a money making event are incorrect. TXDOT has to go out and inspect the rail, clean up, etc... might as well spend a few minutes and put up a temp warning sign.


Make sense. Kinda like the warning sign on toasters to not use them in the bath tub.

I still find it interesting that Texas appears to be the only state that does this. :headknock


----------



## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

wisslbritches said:


> I still find it interesting that Texas appears to be the only state that does this. :headknock


All states have a Manual on Uniform traffic devices. These manuals following guides lines set forth by FHWA. There are differences from state to state, but they all follow the basic same guide lines. This is done so when you cross state lines then there is no major change in signage and safety devices. States can also improve on these guide lines. Texas is one of the leaders in this along with a few other states. Texas has a very strong in house engineering department and very often sets forth standards that are adopted by other states. There are a lot of things Texas does that other states do not. Most you would not notice unless you knew what to look for. If you are driving out of state pay attention to the markings along the highway aka Stripes. Most other states do a very poor job of this on there highways, it seems to be more of an after thought.

Federal Highways like interstates should have the same exact signage and safety devices no matter what state you are in. But like you have seen Texas and other states can add to the signage if it is an improvement.


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Might be to avoid something like this..........


----------

