One astute Guardian News reader has pointed out an anomaly on our highway signs.
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For nearly a whole year, the distance from South Macksville to Nambucca Heads has been signed as 20km.
It’s a bit of a laugh really, considering the distance according to Google Maps is only 14km via the old highway. And that accounts for the extra distance to the Post Office in the middle of town.
According to odometer readings taken by Peter Thomas, the correct distance is actually 13km between the Macksville sign on the M1 and the Nambucca Heads turnoff.
And Peter said that even allowing for the extra kilometres incurred from travelling to the centre of Nambucca Heads (a mere four kilometres) the distance would still be significantly under the 20km marked.
“To make matters worse the sign on the highway at Nambucca Heads, going in the southern direction ‘to Macksville’ reads 14km, when the Macksville exit is before the river and less than 14 km!” Peter said.
According to Roads and Maritime Services, distances marked on highway signs are measured using geospatial analysis, and also by driving from point to point.
But one wonders how this can be the case when there is a 7km discrepancy – or 35 per cent.
Now some of you might think this is splitting hairs, but remember, someone was paid to measure those distances, and as Peter said, “it must be confusing to tourists”.
An RMS spokesperson has said that “where discrepancies occur, Roads and Maritime Services will amend signs accordingly”.
Perhaps they should also check to see if their ruler is up to regulation standards.
Have you noticed any other distance anomalies on our signs?