PED X-ING

What the hell does PED X-ING mean?

It means Pedestrian Crossing. Fine. Many people use the word pedestrian all the time. And using X to mean "cross" is acceptable, I guess. But ask any 16 year old today, in 2008, what PED X-ING means and they'll just stare at you.

That's because PED X-ING is not relevant anymore, even though it is still necessary. Signs that communicate that humans may be crossing the street are still useful. But why use language that most people don't use? After all "people" is a shorter word than "pedestrian". More importantly, why use terminology that requires abbreviation in the first place? Aren't signs, by definition, supposed to provide clarity of information? My assertion is that PED X-ING creates confusion and makes visual work where none is needed. There is a better, more relevant solution.

Often times, the picture does the majority of the work of communicating what needs to be communicated anyway. Does seeing PED X-ING support the graphic or detract from it? And what is the most important message anyway? How do we quickly parse important information as we drive by? A combination of color, shape, graphic, words and context, I would imagine. How important are the words in that recipe? And which word is MOST important?

Much of this work was done in the 1950's when Ladybird Johnson declared that America's design imperative was beautifying the interstates. Many serious and talented design minds set about figuring out a systematized and humane visual language for the masses (and did a damn good job I should mention - not an easy task). Gas-Food-Lodging graphics are ubiquitous in almost every country on earth because of this design effort. But times change and syntax and language change and what people demand from information changes. What should the sign look like today? What would make a 16 year old, the primary target of safe driving initiatives, notice and understand?

I think we should get the best information designers for on screen apps to redirect for a while and focus on the roads. Can you imagine what would happen?