WHAT COULD THIS SIGN POSSIBLY MEAN?
I have seen two of these signs now, and I'm really puzzled by the intent of the sign-makers. I mean, the highway department in Austin really enjoys a good surprise, judging from the lack of signs in some places and the playfully misleading signs in other places. This one, however, falls in neither of those categories. It is just weird.
There, on the side of the freeway, is one of these yellow diamond signs, that says, "Guard Rail Damage Ahead." Sure enough, a hundred or so yards later, there is a mangled section of guard rail. Well, on the one hand, the sign was both informative and true. One could hardly ask more from an informational road sign. On the other hand, I have to ask my self, Why would the highway department spend money erecting a sign to tell me about the damaged guard rail -- instead of spending some money to FIX THE DAMNED GUARD RAIL so that it works again.
My charitable interpretation is that they are leaving the damaged guard rail as a warning to other drivers that this may be a dangerous area. In California, and probably some other states, too, wrecked cars are often left as instructive sculpture at dangerous intersections. Could be the same thing.
