Signs of the times

There are sufficient oldtimers on the islands to help explain the signage on the roads. Oahu Highway signs tell you once, and only once, if your targeted destination lies ahead. The sign will list the name of the place, and an arrow showing you to keep driving. That’s it. Clearly, the sign means, “Your destination is ahead of you.” Good enough. Since you never see another sign, you can be flippant and just choose an exit, or you can keep driving and await further light. This light may come from the sunset as you drive into it. If, however, you decide that you must have missed the sign for your turn and manage to reverse direction, you will find along that roadway a sign stating the name of your destination, and an arrow showing you to keep driving. Come sunrise, you get the idea that they don’t give warnings on Oahu, the one sign is the only tip you’re going to get. This is easily solved, however, by driving with your eye on the left hand rear view mirror. You need to be adept at reading in reverse. If you get your sign, and keep driving, you can watch in your mirror for the same sign on the other side of the highway. You then know that your place is somewhere off one of the exits between those two signs. Besides, when find your place once, you know where it is. Then you’re an oldtimer and the road department has saved hundreds in superfluous signs (except on right turns in Honolulu.)

Maui has done well with its signage, and so far has proved the easiest island for me to navigate. In a few spots, their signs block each other from view until you are quite near them, but I’d call that a very minor fault. When you’re giving me directions, too much information is better than too little.

Kona has its doozy with the sign at the Y near Kainaliu that shows “Keauhou” and an arrow directed toward Holualoa. Keauhou as most newcomers know it is not on that turn. Signs are supposed to be placed to help the untrained. Now, my understanding is that there is a Keauhou Mauka that this sign intends (as told to me by an oldtimer). I’m sorry, but neither the sign nor the explanation are helpful to travelers.

Best of all is the practice of putting street names under signs for upcoming intersections, like we have on Alii Drive. We forget once we get to know a place that others still need to find their way around too. If we don’t want our Aloha driving patience stretched to snapping, we could always give visitors some help by giving clear direction. By way of this article, I give a hearty thank you to all who showed patience while I learned the lay of the land.

Hilo is a close second to Honolulu with restrictive and convoluted navigation, but the signs in Hilo are much clearer and larger to read. When you really want to get to somewhere in Hilo, do like a vulture and circle. You can do big circles, or little circles, but eventually, you’ll come across a way to get there from here. Once your circles are no bigger than a Hilo city block, you can consider yourself and oldtimer.