ROANOKE, Ind. — We made signs before we could talk. And an Indiana man has taken that adage to a new level with his extensive collection of road signs.
Steve Salcedo, of Roanoke, said he has been interested in road signs from all parts of the United States -- new or antique, they have captured his eye.
Through the years, Salcedo has collected more than 400 signs.
“My mom told me that when we’d be driving, I’d be in the car seat, that I would make her read all of the overhead green signs on the interstate,” Salcedo told WANE.
As a youth, he enjoyed playing with toys like Hot Wheels because they involved traffic signs. That hobby blossomed as he grew older.
“I was obsessed with the Indiana driver’s manual because it has pictures of signs,” Salcedo said in a recent video. “And I would cut these signs out, glue them on toothpicks, stick them in styrofoam, and then drive my Hot Wheels along them as if styrofoam was part of the road.”
He acquired his first legitimate sign -- an advanced railroad crossing sign -- when he was 6.
He stressed that he is not aiming to collect every different kind of sign.
“That would be impossible,” Salcedo said. “There are literally thousands of different variations of street signs, messages, different sizes.
“And I’m not a completist.”
Salcedo has shared his collection over several social media platforms. His YouTube channel, “Sign Picker,” debuted in 2019 and now has nearly 900 subscribers.
He also has a presence on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Salcedo added that he has never spent more than $100 for a sign.
“It’s all about the thrill of the hunt,” he told WANE. “You never know what you’re going to find.”
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