British and International road signs

[HAL9000]

Most of the UK modern road signs appeared around 1965 as result of work by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert.

I have a question about uk road signs, were British road signs adopted by other countries or did each country invent something themselves which was very similar? I had a quick google search and I couldn't find the answer.

Obviously America and Australia are excluded from this question, they're just strange.

Countries in red, black, and blue use European-style triangular warning signs while countries in yellow use MUTCD-style diamond warning signs.

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)

 

[existentialist]

*subscribes to thread*

The Little-Known Story Behind Britain's Road Signs

 

[pogofish]

I have a question about uk road signs, were British road signs adopted by other countries or did each country invent something themselves which was very similar? I had a quick google search and I couldn't find the answer.

This is one instance of Britain actually deciding that things were being done better abroad and deciding to copy them.

The initial internationalisation of UK road signs goes back to the recommendations of the Maybury Report of 1920:

"...the special danger to be guarded against shall be indicated by means of a clear and legible symbol, based upon the international symbols as far as applicable, together with a clear and simple title in letters 2 inches high, upon a vertical plate 12 inches wide and 21 inches long to be attached to the post below the danger sign...

Sir Henry Maybury

However in 1963-63, the Worboys Report spurred-on the decision to completely replace the UK's road signage with designs based Continental European practice but some steps towards this goal had already been taken after the Anderson Report of the mid 1950s, which set the basic design guidelines for Motorway signs and adopted the transport alphabet.

 

[Mrs D]

I have often wondered about this because near where I used to live I would often walk past this ‘weak bridge’ road sign that is a bit too wordy to take in without stopping:

 

[pogofish]

This was the original UK Motorway designation sign chosen by the Anderson Committee:

Quickly replaced by the more international version post-Worboys. A handful of other Anderson-era signs did however persist on older motorways, notably the "NO - Pedestrians, Mopeds, L-drivers, Animals etc, sign at the start of each motorway, one or two of these may still exist.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I spent a lot of time in continental Europe before I twigged that the stop signs always say 'stop' in English and not the local language.

 

[not-bono-ever]

these kinda signs were still in place in Germany in the late 80s. Always liked the old rendition of the mototbike being an obvious boxer twin

 

[not-bono-ever]

and this was the only one i could find that resembled of the old dogs sign of yore - its a very german Hund

 

[Maltin]

and this was the only one i could find that resembled of the old dogs sign of yore - its a very german Hund

View attachment 128351

Where are its rear legs? Does the sign mean no dogs with no rear legs?

 

[T & P]

Does anyone know why this country refuses to state what the national speed limit is on road signs, like just about every other country in the world does, and we get a white circular sign with the diagonal black stripe instead?

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Does anyone know why this country refuses to state what the national speed limit is on road signs, like just about every other country in the world does, and we get a white circular sign with the diagonal black stripe instead?

We have that in NZ as well. Baffling.

 

[19sixtysix]

Does anyone know why this country refuses to state what the national speed limit is on road signs, like just about every other country in the world does, and we get a white circular sign with the diagonal black stripe instead?

Came about because it used to mean end of speed limit (derestricted). Now it just means the national speed limit. Saved changing the signs.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Came about because it used to mean end of speed limit (derestricted). Now it just means the national speed limit. Saved changing the signs.

Ah! Well there you go. Makes sense.

 

[Cid]

We do also have two national speed limits, which can change quite frequently in various rural parts, so it probably saves on number of signs too.

 

[Poi E]

The NORTH. Heh heh.

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

Does anyone know why this country refuses to state what the national speed limit is on road signs, like just about every other country in the world does, and we get a white circular sign with the diagonal black stripe instead?

As well as the answers above, it also leaves scope for it to change. The limit of 70mph for dual carriageways was fairly arbitrary when it was introduced, in a rare moment of foresight it was decided that it may not always be so and changing hundreds of thousands of signs wouldn't be the best idea.

This is also a reason why streetlights are de facto 30mph repeater signs, and the absence thereof NSL repeaters.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Seeing this thread, reminded of this classic...

The English is clear enough to lorry drivers - but the Welsh reads "I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated."

BBC News - E-mail error ends up on road sign

 

[mauvais]

Does anyone know why this country refuses to state what the national speed limit is on road signs, like just about every other country in the world does, and we get a white circular sign with the diagonal black stripe instead?

What number would it have on it?

(also it's not unique to Britain)

 

[mauvais]

We do also have two national speed limits, which can change quite frequently in various rural parts, so it probably saves on number of signs too.

We have a lot more than two.

 

[keybored]

Does anyone know why this country refuses to state what the national speed limit is on road signs, like just about every other country in the world does, and we get a white circular sign with the diagonal black stripe instead?

Also the national speed limit varies depending on what vehicle you're driving (and whether you're towing).

 

[T & P]

Also the national speed limit varies depending on what vehicle you're driving (and whether you're towing).

True, though other nations have similar differences based on type of vehicle but still manage to state 70 mph/ 120 kph/ whatever
in their signs.

The other reasons given upthread make sense though.

 

[Steel Icarus]

I'm not having any joy finding the book Redirections which accompanied the 2015 exhibition at the London Design Museum (second post on the thread, by existentialist )

Can anyone help?

 

[Cid]

We have a lot more than two.

<sigh>

Fine...

Also we have several national speed limits outside 20, 30, 40 or 50 mph zones, these include but are not limited to: the limit for cars and motorcycles - 60mph on single carriage, 70mph on dual carriage; goods vehicles over 7.5t - 50mph and 60mph; the universally ignored goods vehicles under 7.5t - 50mph and 60mph, 70mph on a motorway... which can change quite frequently in rural parts, so it probably saves on number of signs too.

And this is why the British approach to detail doesn't work with roadsigns.

 

[peterkro]

We have that in NZ as well. Baffling.

Have you come across one of these yet, they are much less common than they used to be but still around:
LSZ: This means you can drive at the open road speed of 100km/h. Provided it is safe to do so. However, if conditions are hazardous because weather is bad, visibility is poor, there are people, animals, cyclists or lots of vehicles on road or the road is in poor condition then you must drive at 50km/h.

 

[krtek a houby]

I always wondered what this jellyfish was supposed to signify

... check your headlights, apparently

 

[T & P]

I always wondered what this jellyfish was supposed to signify

... check your headlights, apparently

In some countries you also see them with a question mark next to them when you come out of a tunnel, to remind you to to turn them off if it is daytime. Not sure if I've seen that in the UK though.

 

[paolo]

For anyone who likes spoken word stuff. And road signs.

This is mint. 30 minutes long, no quick dip. Fall asleep to it, or make your dinner, or drive.

Guerrilla Public Service Redux - 99% Invisible

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Have you come across one of these yet, they are much less common than they used to be but still around:
LSZ: This means you can drive at the open road speed of 100km/h. Provided it is safe to do so. However, if conditions are hazardous because weather is bad, visibility is poor, there are people, animals, cyclists or lots of vehicles on road or the road is in poor condition then you must drive at 50km/h.

View attachment 128385

No I haven't and given at least one of the conditions you list applies at pretty much any time on the roads here, we should all be doing 50kmph all the time!

 

[not-bono-ever]

Something that is common in central & Eastern Europe but totes alien to the brits

 

[not-bono-ever]

Without googling - anyone know ?