Why is there a sign at the Grand/Garnet split in PB that says "La Jolla," with an arrow pointing south?

Dear Matthew Alice:

There's a sign east of the intersection of Grand and Garnet in Pacific Beach that shows with an arrow that La Jolla is to the left (onto Grand) with another arrow to the right labeled "Beaches." Did some wayward signmaker lose their way, or has La Jolla moved, and did Pacific and Mission Beaches move north while no one was looking?

-- Traveler Dave, on the road

Smart-pants:

Why is there a sign at the Grand/Garnet split in PB that says "La Jolla," with an arrow pointing south? Is this a covert ploy to divert tourists? If this is a trick to keep the Hawaiian shirts away from La Jolla, it isn't working.

by:-- Shannon, the net

This particular covert ploy dates from 1978, according to the city's sign writers. Twenty-two-year-old records are spotty at best, but as they reconstruct it, a business-owners association in P.B. decided that gawkers on Garnet, desperately seeking La Jolla, were making traffic even more miserable than it is normally. If the Zonies and the rent-a-car crowd aren't interested in stopping in funky PBeach for a smoothie or a tattoo, well, to hell with them. We'll route 'em down Grand -- a much wider street, principally residential, then north on Mission and get 'em through town fast. Besides, there's always the chance that they'll get confused and turn south on Mission and never be heard from again. But you say you're lookin' for a beach? Well, you're our kinda people. Motor on down Garnet to the pier, and spend lotsa money, and have a nice day.