One of the threads of investigation and debate that persisted across the decades I knew my dad was: what *should* signs warning that bridges see ice formation in higher temperatures than roads do actually say? The constraint was: assume the message cannot be longer / use more ink than the standard. I stuck with “Ice may form on bridge,” which he said was insufficient to make the point that it would happen before it did for the roadway. In Texas, state troopers unfold signs about this in winter months, allowing for less contextual messaging, but that has labor costs. We spent our lives on issues like this and we enjoyed it.
Fully agree that “to freeze” is not as accurate as “to ice”, which can either mean to change into ice (synonym with freeze) **OR** to cover with ice, as here. See also, glaze. My issue is not just with “ices” though, it’s the “before” too. I’m thinking physically before, in front of. So, where I get to is: there are Bridge Ices (some kind of retro frozen rainbow sherbet dessert?) in front of the road. Which is misleading.
New Hampshire Part 1
One of the threads of investigation and debate that persisted across the decades I knew my dad was: what *should* signs warning that bridges see ice formation in higher temperatures than roads do actually say? The constraint was: assume the message cannot be longer / use more ink than the standard. I stuck with “Ice may form on bridge,” which he said was insufficient to make the point that it would happen before it did for the roadway. In Texas, state troopers unfold signs about this in winter months, allowing for less contextual messaging, but that has labor costs. We spent our lives on issues like this and we enjoyed it.
Fully agree that “to freeze” is not as accurate as “to ice”, which can either mean to change into ice (synonym with freeze) **OR** to cover with ice, as here. See also, glaze. My issue is not just with “ices” though, it’s the “before” too. I’m thinking physically before, in front of. So, where I get to is: there are Bridge Ices (some kind of retro frozen rainbow sherbet dessert?) in front of the road. Which is misleading.
Loved this, Jill!