BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game

Subject: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 09:46 PM

It's pretty common for highway exit signs in rural areas to include the names of two towns, often one if you exit right and another if you exit left. Occasionally, those two town names will accidentally create a first-and-last-name combination that would be a possible name for a real person

Here are a few I've come across in recent travels:

On Interstate 65 in Alabama:

Grace Garland*
Georgiana Starlington**
Hope Hull
Jemison Thorsby

On Interstate 10 in Florida:

Madison Perry


* Grace Garland is a real actress/singer's name. Whether she was named for the exit sign, I have no idea.

** Georgiana Starlington is the name of a band and also the name of a lovely waltz by Alabama fiddler Tom Morley. I'm 100% certain both owe their names to the exit sign.


Please add any you've come across.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Nov 16 - 10:00 PM

Rose Firth. About 35 miles north of here. When visitors ask I tell them that Rose and her sister, Shelley (also about the same distance away), used to treat local cowboys really, really nice.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 03:59 AM

I always remember: south of Birmingham (UK) in an area called Hollywood.

" Pink Green only " (a farm). It still says " Pink Green ".

& on the A38 approaching this city a sign used to say

" Derby
  Littleover 4 "

and there are plenty of things like "Old Sodbury" and "Old Sarum"

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 04:32 AM

In Cambridgeshire (UK) while prison visiting, I used to pass a sign saying The Wilbrahams'. It actually refers to two villages, Great Wilbraham and Little Wilbraham, but I always imagined a very popular couple who had lots of visitors and helpfully signposted their residence!

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 01:41 PM

In southern Indiana, Seymour is to the west of I65 and Fleming is to the east. I've driven past that exit many times but I don't remember the sign saying "Seymour Fleming", just "Seymour". A missed opportunity IMHO.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Mrrzy
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 02:26 PM

Deaf child.
Blind driveway.

Warning signs next to each other on a road I was on once...

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 04:23 PM

Can't think of any round here but thinking of place names reasonably close by rather than actual signposts I know, perhaps we could have a 3 way one and a Mr Trunch Gimingham-Trimingham - seems to have a ring to it.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 04:50 PM

Ha Jon, you must live near Cromer!

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 05:11 PM

I do.

Trying to think of one from N Wales now. I think this misses an 'a' that the name would probably have but I think you would find Conwy Chester or alternatively Chester Conwy on a road sign.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 06:06 PM

Very near us, one could set up a sign saying 'Elsing Fustyweed'. (a village and an adjacent hamlet in Norfolk) It sounds to me like a character from a Harry Potter film.

(Fustyweed are always getting their sign nicked. People can't believe it's a real name.)

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 29 Nov 16 - 06:55 PM

I guess between you and Aylsham, we could have a Salle (pronounced Saul) Cawston.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: BobL
Date: 30 Nov 16 - 03:56 AM

A road sign off the A418 near Aylesbury points to two villages, Dinton and Ford. I sometimes wonder if this, slightly modified, inspired the stage name of singer Clinton Ford.

Undeniably true: about a mile south of the town of Sandwich, in the county of Kent, there's a village by the name of Ham. About a mile-and-a-quarter south of Sandwich there is a road sign...

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Senoufou
Date: 30 Nov 16 - 04:35 AM

Haha Jon. Or Saul Heydon.

There's a sign saying 'The Snorings' near Thursford in N Norfolk. It refers to the villages of Little Snoring and Great Snoring. The ancient church there is called 'St Mary The Virgin Great Snoring'. She must be having a lovely long sleep.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 Nov 16 - 05:57 AM

"Seymour Fleming", just "Seymour". A missed opportunity IMHO.

Just my associations but was that a case of missing the (cough cough) spittoons?

I always remember a sign in Kings Heath district of Birmingham that pointed to "BPAS" (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) above "Ace Tube Manipulators". Ooer, missus!

FWIW I collect Street names that have curious juxtapositions. Too many to mention but town planners have a sense of humour that goes un-noticed sometimes.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 30 Nov 16 - 06:13 AM

I think I've been in that church, at least I seem to remember being told we were going to Great Snoring. We used to visit my grandfather in Norwich during parts of school holidays and my parents liked to visit Norfolk churches so even if I can't remember them, I was taken round a few. Salle, mentioned above possibly was my mother's favourite church - I believe quite a magnificent building.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Mike in Brunswick
Date: 30 Nov 16 - 04:16 PM

On U.S. Route 1, approaching the Belfast, Maine turnoff, there is a sign proclaiming

Belfast
Brooks
Freedom

It sounds like some kind of political statement, but actually refers to three towns in the area.

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: JennieG
Date: 30 Nov 16 - 04:33 PM

Not an exit sign, but a small gully an hour or two south of here which probably has water flowing through after heavy rain - "Willy Wally Gully".

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: David C. Carter
Date: 01 Dec 16 - 12:14 PM

Driving through Germany,the first sign we passed read "AUSFAHRT",My son who was driving,nearly left the road.
Near the border of Slovenia there"s a town called "FAAKERSEE",we always remember that place.

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 Dec 16 - 03:36 PM

A bit after the bridge from the mainland onto the island of Krk in Croatia you pass a big sign marking two of its towns - Krk one way, Vrh the other. There oughta be one saying "last vowel for 50 km".

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Senoufou
Date: 01 Dec 16 - 05:12 PM

I've always thought it a shame that Split and Bled are in two different E European countries. It would make such a nice road sign if they were one or two kilometres apart. (And the shortest accident report ever)

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Dec 16 - 06:14 AM

Cockermouth
has a road called The Mount, though which is a Belle Vue is a moot point!

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Dec 16 - 07:08 AM

Total thread drift (apologies) but aren't some house names daft? There's a small bungalow near us, pretentiously called 'Farm View'. It looks onto a huge brick wall. True, behind the wall is an old barn, but it hasn't been 'viewable' for hundreds of years, and the 'farm' was built over with modern housing.

There's also a house facing an abattoir in another village; they can watch the lorries coming in with condemned-for-slaughter animals, and hear their squeals (I couldn't live there if you paid me.) The house is cheerfully called 'Sunny Days'!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Highway Exit 'Name' Game
From: Tootler
Date: 02 Dec 16 - 07:44 AM

Place names in Co. Durham, UK

Snods End
Pity Me
No Place
Wallish Walls