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Previous: USPS Zip Code finder | Main | Next: Bank phone message
September 20, 2005 12:03 AM
Broken: Safeco Field garage sign
Emily Birch writes:
This is from the Safeco Field parking garage in Seattle, WA. There are three main streets you might want to exit on to. Two of the exits are labeled "2" and one is labeled "3" (there is no "1"). With the writing so small and the arrows so confusing, it can be very difficult to find your way out of the garage. This is not a garage where the same people park everyday, a lot of tourists and baseball fans park here just once or twice a year and have to stop their cars to stare at the signs to figure out which way to go.
The whole thing is confusing but what is really broken?
Have a vote on weather to build a new stadium, have it voted down. then give the team an even more sweetheart deal, and build the stadium anyway. pisssing away $500,000,000 of the publics money- big time broken
This is terrible design.
2. The worst offense is the size of the lettering.
2. The arrows are a lesser offense. I suspect that the arrows are not the primary navigational tool - it's the shapes. Follow the shapes (like in a hospital) and you'll be fine.
3. As for the lack of a 1, I am pretty sure that this is NOT a sequence of instructions or other list (1,2,3) I suspect those are highway numbers. They could have just as easily been 95 and 401.
"I suspect those are highway numbers."
My stupid mistake. They are not highway numbers (as witnessed by the fact that there ARE highway numbers on one of the signs).
I used to live in Seattle so I agree with Ron. But anyway, no, 3, 2 and 2 are not highway numbers. Interstate 90 and 5 are on sign 3.
I suspect they have two sign 2s because both lead you to 1st ave to begin with and then one takes you to 4th and one takes you to hwy 99.
Regardless, even though I understand those signs, I'm going to bet a lot of people do not and there's the fact that the writing is WAY too small. Like the traffic in Seattle isn't bad enough, they gotta make things worse?
Maybe the numbers refer to a level (storey) of the garage? One exit is on the third storey, and two are on the second? Or the two shapes marked 2 lead to stadium entrance or section #2?
Hey Ron, you from Indy too? Pisses me off...
1. The arrows should be directly over / next to the bits indicating what streets you're heading to.
2. Random shapes and colors, contrary to popular belief, are more confusing than helpful.
3. The most important part of the sign (aka street name indicators) should also be the largest/most readable.
Just from looking at the picture it's obvious that the sign could be twice as tall and a bit wider. No excuse in this design.
"Maybe the numbers refer to a level (storey) of the garage? One exit is on the third storey, and two are on the second? Or the two shapes marked 2 lead to stadium entrance or section #2?"
I thought that too, but it doesn't work when you go to the place.
I think the problem lies in the fact that the vast amjority of parking garages charge by the 30 minute interval. It isn't particularly difficult to spend 30 minutes in a parking garage in an unfamiliar city when you're lost. Maybe they're trying to keep people in their garages longer.
The numbers 2 and 3 refer to the level of the garage in which to exit to the routes to the specific highways. For instance to get to Interstate 90 or Interstate 5, you go out exit located on the third (3) floor. Edgar Martinez Dr. SW (Which is one of the roads to exit to) is on an incline, which is why you can exit out different floors.
The original poster is mistaken that the garage is not used daily. The front office employees us this garage to park every day.
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Previous: USPS Zip Code finder | Main | Next: Bank phone message
the arrows aren't what confuse me, what i find confusing is the random shapes they used and the lack of a "1".
Posted by: Jake at September 20, 2005 12:54 AM