A mistake in GTA 5 seems to have gone unnoticed by players so far, as it revolves around a topic that only a few care about in the game: traffic regulations. However, a YouTuber is now taking a closer look and realizes that not everything in Los Santos is as compliant as it seems.
What has the YouTuber discovered? In a new video by YouTuber Any Austin, he examined an aspect of GTA 5 that probably no one has looked into: the conformity of the road signs in Los Santos.
GTA 5 is not exactly known for adhering to traffic regulations, which is why until now, no player has dealt with the realism of road signs and traffic laws. But that is exactly what captures the players’ attention: “This is the definition of ‘I’ve never even remotely thought about asking this question in my entire life, but now that you mention it, I’m extremely curious.'” (JollyGreenWizward on YouTube)
One might assume that a realistically themed game with real road signs at intersections, crossings, and construction sites would adhere to Californian law. However, the YouTuber finds out that Rockstar has not been as compliant as it initially appears.
Here you can see the trailer for GTA 6, in which no road signs have been analyzed so far:
“It’s not just dangerous, it’s also illegal – which is even worse.”
What does the YouTuber criticize about the road signs in GTA 5? While many of the 14 different types of road signs in GTA 5 are placed according to regulations, there are some outliers that make little sense even to untrained observers:
- Above all, the YouTuber praises signs with speed limits, prohibited turning options, and (some) one-way streets.
- Some stop signs do not face the direction of oncoming traffic but point directly at the road, making them difficult for drivers to read accurately.
- Some signs are obscured by streetlights or other poles, impairing visibility.
- Signs appear too frequently and are placed where no indication for the driver is needed.
- Some signs are located together on one pole, which creates contradictions and makes no sense at all.
These are just a few observations from Any Austin’s video, but he finds even more examples that undermine Rockstar’s otherwise loving attention to detail.
For anyone who wants to take a closer look at Any Austin’s road sign deep dive, we recommend watching his entire video:
What is the community’s reaction? GTA fans celebrate the YouTuber’s video in the comments, as everyone is aware of how irrelevant traffic regulations are in GTA 5 for most players. However, that is precisely what makes this analysis so exciting:
- rorot1210 says: “If my experiences as a driver in the USA have taught me anything, it’s that traffic signs are ignored, whether they are compliant or not.”
- Nyloxi writes: “This guy is going to delay GTA 6 by several years single-handedly.”
- ericph9 explains: “As a resident of California, I can assure you that plants and poles obscuring traffic signs occur so frequently that we joke about it being a conditional requirement.”
- brettymedley2366 remarks: “The lyrics of Bo Burnham ‘follow all traffic rules in Grand Theft Auto 5’ have never been so vigorously implemented.”
Who knows if a Rockstar developer tasked with the road signs and their placement in GTA 6 has become aware of Any Austin’s video and really needs more time to correct the legal errors. However, other players have already pointed out that the lack of consideration for the signs in Florida is a different caliber than that in Los Angeles. But that’s not the only reason why its predecessor GTA 6 could still be a thorn in the side: Analyst is confident: The biggest competitor of GTA 6 will be a 12-year-old game that continues to sell well
