Unused traffic signs in Austria

Most countries post signage, known as traffic signs or road signs, at the side of roads to impart information to road users. Since language differences can create barriers to understanding, international signs using symbols in place of words have been developed in Europe and adopted in most countries and areas of the world. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1016 KB)Temporary traffic signs waiting to be used at a building site in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1016 KB)Temporary traffic signs waiting to be used at a building site in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, Austria. ... Mountain road with hairpin turns in the French Alps For other uses, see Road (disambiguation). ... World map showing the location of Europe. ...

Definitions

Annexe 1 of the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals of November 8, 1968 defines eight categories of signs: A typical warning sign, as defined by the convention. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1968 Gregorian calendar. ...

• A. Danger warning signs
• B. Priority signs
• C. Prohibitory or restrictive signs
• D. Mandatory signs
• E. Special regulation signs
• F. Information, facilities, or service signs
• G. Direction, position, or indication signs
• H. Additional panels

However, countries and areas categorise road signs in different ways. In the U.S., the type, placement, and graphic standards of traffic signs and pavement markings are legally regulated — the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices is the standard. A traffic warning sign is a type of traffic sign that indicates a hazard ahead on the road. ... Categories: Stub | Traffic signs ... Prohibitory traffic signs Prohibitory traffic signs are used to prohibit certain types of manoeuvres or some types of traffic. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... A Pavement marker is any kind of device or substance that is used on pavement to convey information. ... The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. ... The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to specify the standards by which traffic signs, road markings (see lane), and signals are designed, installed, and used. ...

History

Roman milestone

The earliest road signs were milestones, giving distance or direction; for example, the Romans erected stone columns throughout their empire giving the distance to Rome. In the Middle Ages multidirectional signs at intersections became common, giving directions to cities and towns. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 235 KB) Summary Roma, Campidoglio: il Miliarium, punto di partenza delle vie consolari by Lalupa Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Roman road ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 235 KB) Summary Roma, Campidoglio: il Miliarium, punto di partenza delle vie consolari by Lalupa Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Roman road ... A Spanish kilometre stone A milestone on the Boston Post Road in Harvard Square, Massachusetts, USA Slate milestone near Bangor, Wales A milestone or kilometre sign is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of the road or in... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Traffic signs became more important with the development of automobiles. The basic patterns of most traffic signs were set at the 1908 International Road Congress in Rome. Since then there have been considerable change. Today they are almost all metal rather than wood and are coated with retroreflective sheetings of various types for nighttime and low-light visibility. 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area  - City 1,285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban 5... Retroreflectors are clearly visible in a pair of bicycle shoes. ...

New generations of traffic signs based on big electronic displays can also change its symbols and also provide intelligent behavior by means of sensors or by remote control. In this sense, "road beacons" or RBS based in the use of RFID special transponders buried in the asphalt arise as an innovative evolution for on-board signalling.

Yet another "medium" for transferring information ordinarily associated with visible signs is RIAS (Remote Infrared Audible Signage), e.g. "Talking Signs®" for print-handicapped (including blind/low-vision/illiterate) people. These are infra-red transmitters serving the same purpose as the usual graphic signs when received by an appropriate device such as a hand-held receiver or one built into a cell phone. Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) was developed by Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute so that print-handicapped people (blind/low-vision/illiterate/foreign) would be able to access the information presented through textual graphics on signs in the built environment. ...

North America and Australia

Yellow and black warning signs for Kangaroos are common in Australia.

ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1184x888, 303 KB) Summary Kangaroo warning sign in Canberra. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1184x888, 303 KB) Summary Kangaroo warning sign in Canberra. ... Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus Macropus antilopinus A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae. ...

Categorization

• Regulatory signs
• Warning signs
• Guide signs
  • Route marker signs
  • Expressway signs
  • Freeway signs
  • Welcome Signs
  • Informational signs
  • Recreational and cultural interest signs
• Emergency management (civil defense) signs
• Temporary traffic control (construction or work zone) signs
• School signs
• Railroad and light rail signs
• Bicycle signs

Regulatory signs are intended to instruct road users on what they must or should do (or not do) under a given set of circumstances. ... A traffic warning sign is a type of traffic sign that indicates a hazard ahead on the road. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... For specific systems, such as the Autobahns of Germany, see list of highway systems with full control of access and no cross traffic. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the 1914 Charlie Chaplin film, see Recreation (film). ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... // Emergency management (or disaster management) is the discipline dealing of with and avoiding risks. ... The old United States civil defense logo. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Students in Rome, Italy. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... “Velo” redirects here. ...

Color schemes

The North American and Australian colours normally have these meanings: World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

• green with white letters for informational signs, such as directions, distances, and places
• brown with white for signs to parks, historic sites, ski areas, forests, and campgrounds
• blue with white for rest areas, food, gasoline or petrol, hospitals, and lodging
• white with red or black letters for regulatory signs, such as speed limits or parking
• yellow with black letters and symbols for warning signs, such as curves and school zones
• orange with black letters for temporary traffic control zones and detours

Regulatory signs are also sometimes seen with white letters on red or black signs. In Quebec, the usage of blue and brown is reversed, and many black-on-yellow signs are red-on-white instead. Many U.S. states now use fluorescent orange for construction signs, and fluorescent yellow-green (FYG) for school zone, crosswalk, pedestrian, and bicycle warning signs. Fluorescent pink signs are sometimes used for incident management warning. Mossy, green fountain in Wattens, Austria. ... A white rose. ... Brown, when used as a general term, is a color which is a dark orange, red or rose, of very low intensity. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... A historic site is a location where pieces of history have been preserved. ... A ski area is a place where one goes to participate in the sports of skiing and snowboarding. ... A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, a wooded area set aside for hunting). ... A campsite (or campground) is a place used for camping. ... YOU SUCK!!!!! ... Rest stop redirects here. ... Gasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Gasoline, as it is known in North America, or petrol, in many Commonwealth countries (sometimes also called motor spirit) is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... A hospital today is an institution for professional health care provided by physicians and nurses. ... 1. ... A white rose. ... Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625–750 nm. ... Black cat, thought by some to cause bad luck (see superstition) Black is the shade of objects that do not reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum. ... A road speed limit is the maximum speed allowed by law for road vehicles. ... Underground parking garage at the University of Minnesota. ... A yellow Tulip. ... A school zone refers to the area of a street near a school, where the speed limit is reduced to protect student pedestrians. ... The orange, a fruit from which the modern name of the orange colour comes. ... Detour is a 1945 film noir film about a young man who takes the identity of a dead gambler, and plunges into danger. ... Motto: Je me souviens (French: I remember) Capital Quebec City Largest city Montreal Official languages French Government - Lieutenant-Governor Pierre Duchesne - Premier Jean Charest (PLQ) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 75 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area  Ranked 2nd - Total 1,542,056 km² (595... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... Fluorescence induced by exposure to ultraviolet light in vials containing various sized cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots. ... This crossing in London was famously featured on the cover of The Beatles album Abbey Road. ... Fluorescence induced by exposure to ultraviolet light in vials containing various sized cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots. ...

Highway symbols and markers

Every state and province has different markers for its own highways, but use standard ones for all federal highways. Many special highways, such as the Queen Elizabeth Way or Trans-Canada Highway, or originally on U.S. highways like the Dixie Highway, have used unique signs. Counties in the U.S. sometimes use a pentagon-shaped blue sign with yellow letters for numbered county roads, though the use is inconsistent even within states. The Queen Elizabeth Way (commonly referred to as the QEW, Q, QE, or Queen-E) is a vital 400-Series freeway in Ontario, Canada. ... The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins all ten provinces of Canada. ... Dixie Highway in St. ... Look up pentagon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Units

Most U.S. road signs measure distances in miles rather than kilometres although the federal Department of Transportation has developed metric standards for all signs. A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ... km redirects here. ...

In Australia, Canada, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, distances are measured in kilometres. km redirects here. ...

Languages

Multilingual road signs in Mistissini, Quebec in Cree, English and French.

Signs in most of Canada, the U.S. and Australia are written in English. Quebec uses French, while New Brunswick uses both English and French and a number of other provinces such as Ontario and Manitoba use bilingual French-English signs in certain localities. Mexico uses Spanish. Within a few miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, road signs are often in English and Spanish, and indigenous languages, mainly Nahuatl and Maya, have been used as well. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (468x641, 161 KB) Road signs in Mistissini, Quebec, showing street names and the stop directive in Cree, English and French. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (468x641, 161 KB) Road signs in Mistissini, Quebec, showing street names and the stop directive in Cree, English and French. ... Mistissini (Cree for Big Rock) is a Cree town located in the south-east corner of the largest natural lake in Quebec, Lake Mistassini (120 km long by 30 km wide). ... Cree is the name for a group of closely-related Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 50,000 speakers across Canada, from Alberta to Labrador. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope restored) Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Official languages English, French (the only constitutionally bilingual province in the country) Government - Lieutenant-Governor Herménégilde Chiasson - Premier Shawn Graham (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 10 - Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation... The international border between Mexico and the United States runs a total of 3,141 km (1,951 miles) from San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east. ... Nahuatl is a native language of central Mexico. ... Maya may refer to: // The Maya, Native American peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America Maya peoples, the contemporary indigenous peoples Maya civilization, their historical pre-Columbian civilization Mayan languages, the family of languages spoken by the Maya Yucatec Maya language, specific and most widespread Mayan language, frequently referred...

Typefaces

The typefaces predominantly used on signs in the U.S. and Canada are the FHWA alphabet series (Series B through Series F and Series E Modified). Details of letter shape and spacing for these alphabet series are given in "Standard Alphabets for Traffic Control Devices," first published by the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) in 1945 and subsequently updated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It is now part of Standard Highway Signs (SHS), the companion volume to the MUTCD which gives full design details for signfaces. The FHWA Series fonts (often informally referred to as Highway Gothic) are a set of sans-serif typefaces developed by the United States Federal Highway Administration and used for road signage in the U.S. and Canada. ... The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. ... The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. ...

Initially, all of the alphabet series consisted of uppercase letters and digits only, although lowercase extensions were provided for each alphabet series in a 2002 revision of SHS. Current Series B through Series F evolved from identically named alphabet series which were introduced in 1927.

Straight-stroke letters in the 1927 series were substantially similar to their modern equivalents, but unrounded glyphs were used for letters such as B, C, D, etc., to permit more uniform fabrication of signs by illiterate painters. Various state highway departments and the federal BPR experimented with rounded versions of these letters in the following two decades.

The modern, rounded alphabet series were finally standardised in 1945 after rounded versions of some letters (with widths loosely appropriate for Series C or D) were specified as an option in the 1935 MUTCD and draft versions of the new typefaces had been used in 1942 for guide signs on the newly constructed Pentagon road network. 1945 map of the Pentagon road network The Pentagon road network is a system of highways, mostly freeways, built by the U.S. Federal Government in the early 1940s to serve the Pentagon in northern Virginia. ...

The mixed-case alphabet now called Series E Modified, which is the standard for destination legend on freeway guide signs, originally existed in two parts: an all-uppercase Series E Modified, which was essentially similar to Series E except for a larger stroke width, and a lowercase-only alphabet. Both parts were developed by the California Division of Highways (now Caltrans) for use on freeways in 1948-50. Caltrans logo The soaring ramps in the stack interchanges favored by Caltrans often provide stunning views. ...

Initially the Division used all-uppercase Series E Modified for button-reflectorized letters on ground-mounted signs and mixed-case legend (lowercase letters with Series D capitals) for externally illuminated overhead guide signs. Several Eastern turnpike authorities blended all-uppercase Series E Modified with the lowercase alphabet for destination legends on their guide signs. Button copy overhead signs at Tonnelle Circle, Jersey City, New Jersey Button copy is a term describing the method of manufacture of older road signs in the United States. ...

Eventually this combination was accepted for destination legend in the first manual for signing Interstate highways, which was published in 1958 by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) and adopted as the national standard by the BPR. AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States. ...

Uses of Non-FHWA Typefaces

Some traffic signs, such as the left-turn prohibition sign hanging from this gantry, are lit for better visibility, particularly at night or in inclement weather.

The U.S. National Park Service uses Clarendon, a serif typeface, for guide signage (typically, but not always, on a brown background); some states also use Clarendon for recreational signage. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2304 pixel, file size: 3. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Slab-serif typeface created in England by Hermann Eidenbenz for the Fann Street Foundry in 1845. ... In typography, serifs are non-structural details on the ends of some of the strokes that make up letters and symbols. ...

Georgia, in the past, used uppercase Series D with a custom lowercase alphabet on its freeway guide signs; the most distinctive feature of this typeface is the lack of a dot on lowercase 'i' and 'j'.[3] More recent installations appear to include the dots.[4]

A new typeface family titled "Clearview" has been developed by U.S. researchers in recent years to provide improved legibility, and is currently permitted for light legend on dark backgrounds under FHWA interim approval. Thus far, Clearview has only seen widespread use by state departments of transportation in Arkansas, Illinois^[1], Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In Canada, the Ministry of Transportation for the Province of British Columbia presently specifies Clearview for use on its highway guide signs^[2], and its usage has shown up in Toronto on the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway, as well as major city streets (white on blue). Clearview is the name of a new typeface family for traffic signs. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Area  Ranked 29th  - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 261 miles (420 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... Don Valley Parkway, looking northbound, in typical rush-hour traffic The Don Valley Parkway (often referred to as the DVP or simply as The Parkway) is a controlled-access six-lane freeway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, so named because it runs through the scenic Don River Valley. ... View of the Gardiner Expressway, west of downtown Toronto, from the pedestrian overpass at the foot of Roncesvalles Avenue. ...

It is common for local governments, airport authorities, and contractors to fabricate traffic signs using typefaces other than the FHWA series; Arial and Helvetica are common choices. Arial, sometimes marketed as Arial MT, is a typeface and a computer font packaged with Microsoft Windows, other Microsoft software applications, and many PostScript computer printers. ... This article is about the typeface Helvetica. ...

Europe

In 1968, the European countries signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic treaty, with the aim of standardizing traffic regulations in participating countries in order to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety. Part of the treaty was the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, which defined the traffic signs and signals. As a result, in Western Europe the traffic signs are well standardised, although there are still some country-specific exceptions, mostly dating from the pre-1968 era. The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by standardising the uniform traffic rules among the contracting parties. ... A typical warning sign, as defined by the convention. ...

The principle of the European traffic sign standard is that shapes and colours are to be used for indicating same purposes. Triangular shapes (white or yellow background) are used in warning signs. Additionally, the Vienna convention allows an alternative shape for warning signs, a diamond shape, which is rarely used in Europe. The prohibition signs in Europe are round with a red border. Informative and various other secondary signs are of rectangular shape. Animals shown on warning signs include moose, frogs, deer, ducks, cows, sheep, horses, Polar bears (in Svalbard), and monkeys (in Gibraltar). The Convention allows any animal image to be used. Binomial name Phipps, 1774 Polar bear range Synonyms Ursus eogroenlandicus Ursus groenlandicus Ursus jenaensis Ursus labradorensis Ursus marinus Ursus polaris Ursus spitzbergensis Ursus ungavensis Thalarctos maritimus The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), a bear native to the Arctic, is the apex predator within its range. ...

Directional signs have not been harmonised under the Convention, at least not on ordinary roads. As a result, there are substantial differences in directional signage throughout Europe. Differences apply in typeface, type of arrows and, most notably, colour scheme. The convention however specifies a difference between motorways and ordinary roads, and that motorways use white-on-green (e.g. Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia) or white-on-blue (e.g. Germany, the Republic of Ireland, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania).

Differences are greater for non-motorways: white-on-blue in Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, Romania, Finland and Netherlands (in this case the same as motorways), white-on-green in France, United Kingdom, Poland and Portugal, black-on-yellow in Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Croatia, red-on-white in Denmark (though white-on-blue on motorway exits), and black-on-white in Spain.

Secondary roads are different from primary roads in France, United Kingdom, Finland, Republic of Ireland, Switzerland and Portugal, always signposted in black-on-white. In Italy, Romania and Sweden, black-on-white indicates only urban roads or urban destinations.

Signposting road numbers differs greatly as well. Only the European route number, if signposted, will always be placed in white letters on a green rectangle. ...

Some signs like "STOP", "ZONE" etc are recommended to be in English, but the local language is also permitted. If the language uses non-Latin characters, the names of cities and places should also be in Latin transcription.

European countries use the metric system on road signs (distances in kilometres or metres, heights/widths in metres) with the notable exception of the UK, where distances are still indicated in miles. For countries driving on the left, the convention stipulates that the traffic signs should be mirror images of those used in countries driving on the right. This practice, however, is not systematically followed in the four European countries driving on the left, Cyprus, the Republic of Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. The convention permits the usage of two background colours for danger and prohibit signs, white or yellow. Most countries use white with a few exceptions like Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Poland. A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ...

United Kingdom

Main article: Road signs in the United Kingdom

Traffic signing in the UK conforms broadly to European norms, though a number of signs are unique to Britain and direction signs omit European route numbers. The current signage system, introduced on 1 January 1965, was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Anderson Committee, which established the motorway signing system, and by the Worboys Committee, which reformed signing for existing all-purpose roads. A non-primary road sign near Bristol showing Guildford rules patches. ... European Route Sign The international E-road network is a network of roads in Europe, numbered E1 and up. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Motorway symbol in UK, France and Ireland. ...

Britain remains the only European Union member nation and the only Commonwealth country to use non-metric (Imperial) measurements for distance and speed, although metric "authorised-weight" signs were prescribed in 1981 and there is now a dual-unit (imperial first) option for clearance signing. The International System of Units (symbol: SI) (for the French phrase Syst me International dUnit s) is the most widely used system of units. ... The Imperial units or the Imperial system is a collection of English units, first defined in the Weights and Measures Act of 1824, later refined (until 1959) and reduced. ...

Three colour schemes exist for direction signs. A road may be a motorway (white on blue), a primary route (white on dark green with yellow route numbers), or a non-primary route (black on white). Most trunk roads, which carry most of the automobile traffic and are owned by central government, and some local authority principal routes are signed as primary routes. A63(T) trunk road A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting one or more cities, ports, airports, etc. ...

Two typefaces are specified for current British road signs. "Transport " is used for all text on fixed permanent signs except route numbers on motorway signs for which a taller limited character set typeface called "Motorway" is used. For the origin and evolution of fonts, see History of western typography. ...

Signage is generally in English although bilingual signs are used in Wales (English/Welsh) and are beginning to be seen in parts of the Scottish Highlands (English/Scottish Gaelic). The term bilingualism (from bi meaning two and lingua meaning language) can refer to rather different phenomena. ... This article is about the sub-division of the United Kingdom. ... Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... The Scottish Highlands are the mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. ... // Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...

The Netherlands

Road signs in The Netherlands follow the Vienna Convention. Directional signs (which have not been harmonised under the Convention) always use blue as the background colour. The destinations on the sign are printed in white. If the destination is not a town (but an area within town or some other kind of attraction), that destination will be printed in black on a separate white background within the otherwise blue sign.

The Netherlands always signpost European road numbers where applicable (i.e. on the advance directional signs, the ID signs and on the reassurance signs). Dutch national road numbers are placed on a rectangle, with motorways being signposted in white on a red rectangle (as a A xx) and primary roads in black on a yellow rectangle (as N xx). When a motorway changes to a primary road, its number remains the same, but the A is replaced by the N. So at a certain point the A2 becomes N2, and when it changes to a motorway again, it becomes A2 again.

Signage intended for bike-riders always goes on white signs with red or blue letters.

The Dutch typeface, known as ANWB-Ee, is based on the US typeface. A new font, named ANWB-Uu (also known as Redesign), has been developed in 1997 and appears on many recent Dutch signs. The language of the signs is typically Dutch, even though bilingual signage may be used, when the information is relevant for tourists.

Finland and Sweden

Swedish Moose warning sign

Main article: Road signs in Sweden

The road signs in Finland and Sweden are similar and mostly follow the Vienna Convention with a few adaptations, however allowed within the convention: Image File history File links Moose-warning. ... Image File history File links Moose-warning. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America, derived from Eastern Abenaki moz)[1] or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ... Road signs in Sweden are regulated in Vägmärkesförordningen, VMF (1978:1001), and are to be placed 2 meters from the road with the base-sign at an altitude of 1. ...

• the background of warning and propitiatory signs is yellow
• the warning signs of moose and reindeer
• the background of direction signs is blue with white text
• the background of motorway direction signs is green with white text
• when applicable, the language of text is Swedish in Sweden, and either Finnish, Swedish or both in Finland.

The signage typeface Tratex is used exclusively in Sweden and is available as freeware. [5] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Ireland

Main article: Road signs in the Republic of Ireland

Until the partition of Ireland in 1922 and the independence of Southern Ireland (now the Republic of Ireland) British standards applied across the island. In 1926 road sign standards similar to those used in the UK at the time were adopted ^[3]. Law requires that the signs are written in both Irish and English . Road signs in the Republic of Ireland mostly differ from the traffic signs used elsewhere in Europe. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Capital Dublin Head of State King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Head of Government Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Chairman of the Provisional Government from Jan 1922. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Irish warning signs

In 1956, road signs in the Republic were changed to markedly differ from the UK standard with the adoption of US-style "diamond" signs for many road hazard warnings (junctions, bends, railway crossings, traffic lights) ^[4]. Some domestic signs were also invented, such as the keep-left sign (a black curved arrow pointing to the upper-left, although some are similar to the European "white arrow on blue disk" signs), while some other signs are not widely adopted outside Ireland, such as the no-entry sign (a black arrow pointing ahead in a white circle with a red slashed circumference). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Road signs in the Republic of Ireland mostly differ from the traffic signs used elsewhere in Europe. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Anthem The Soldiers Song Capital (and largest city) Dublin Official languages Irish, English Government Republic and Parliamentary Democracy  -  President Mary McAleese  -  Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, TD Independence from the United Kingdom   -  Declared 24 April 1916   -  Ratified 21 January 1919   -  Recognised 6 December 1922   -  Current constitution 29 December 1937  Accession to...

In January 2005 Ireland adopted metric speed limits. Around 35,000 existing signs were replaced and a further 23,000 new signs erected bearing the speed limit in kilometres per hour. To avoid confusion with the old signs, each speed limit sign now has "km/h" beneath the numerals.

Iceland

Main article: Road signs in Iceland

Road signs in Iceland mainly follow the Vienna Convention, but use a variant of the colour scheme and minor design changes. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Vienna can refer to: Geography Vienna - the capital and a federal state of Austria The River Vienna- a small river meeting the Danube at Vienna. ...

Central and South America

A common speed bump sign in Belize.

Road signs in Central and South America vary from country to country. For the most part, conventions in signage tend to resemble North American signage conventions more so than European and Asian conventions. For example, warning signs are typically diamond shaped and yellow rather than triangular and white. Some variations include the "No Parking" sign, which uses a letter 'E' instead of 'P' (the Spanish word for 'Parking' is 'Estacionamiento'). Notable exceptions include speed limit signs, which follow the European conventions. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Asia

Arab countries

Signs use white text on blue, and black text on white. Both Arabic and English is used. Helvetica and DIN fonts are used, often on the same sign (Example). Motorways are signed with a blue shield with yellow numerals, while secondary roads are signed with a green turret with yellow numerals. Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Corbelled corner turrets at Newark Castle, Port Glasgow. ...

People's Republic of China

Traffic signs in simplified Chinese and partly in English.

Mainland China uses simplified Chinese characters for its traffic signs. It is gradually moving toward internationally-accepted signs; it abandoned, for example, a localised version of the "no parking sign" (with a Hanzi character) and used the blue-red cross sign as of the late 1990s. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

In larger cities and on expressways of China, both English and Chinese are used. Chinese expressway, complete with signage. ...

Hong Kong

All of Hong Kong's signs are bilingual, as English and Chinese are the official languages. English often appears on top of text in traditional Chinese. The traffic signs are similar or exactly the same as the traffic signs being used in the United Kingdom as Hong Kong was the former British Crown colony. Besides, most of the signs use the font of Transport (typeface) which is also used in the Great Britain. A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... It has been suggested that Transport alphabet be merged into this article or section. ...

Traditional Chinese characters are still used in Hong Kong (as the policy/principle of "one country, two systems" allows Hong Kong to maintain most affairs, including road traffic regulations, the way they were prior to the handover). Traditional Chinese (Traditional Chinese: 正體字/繁體字, Simplified Chinese: 正体字/繁体字) refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... One country, two systems (Simplified Chinese: 一国两制; Traditional Chinese: 一國兩制; pinyin: yì; guó liǎng zhì; Jyutping: jat1 gwok3 loeng5 zai3; Yale: yāt gwok leúhng jai), is an idea originally proposed by Deng Xiaoping, then Paramount Leader of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), for the unification of China. ...

Road signs and signals of Hong Kong

Malaysia

Main article: Road signs in Malaysia

Road signs in Malaysia used Bahasa Melayu the official and the national language in that country. The signs usually use the FHWA Series fonts (Highway Gothic) typeface like United States, Canada and Australia. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, parts of the coast of Borneo and even in the Netherlands[1]. It is an... The FHWA Series fonts (often informally referred to as Highway Gothic) are a set of sans-serif typefaces developed by the United States Federal Highway Administration and used for road signage in the U.S. and Canada. ... Highway Gothic is the common name of a set of typefaces used for highway signs in the US and Canada and later in numerous other nations. ...

Singapore

Main article: Road signs in Singapore

Road signs in Singapore are all in English, one of the country's four official languages and the lingua franca of most of the population. Singapore follows closely to the UK standard of road signs to maintain traffic, as it was an ex-British colony, but with several unique changes added over the years, slightly deviating from Britain. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Lingua franca, literally Frankish language in Italian, was originally a mixed language consisting largely of Italian plus a vocabulary drawn from Turkish, Persian, French, Greek and Arabic and used for communication throughout the Middle East. ...

Expressway names are usually in 3 letter contractions such as PIE, for Pan Island Expressway. Singapore's road signs tend to be similar to those of the United Kingdom, with triangular warning signs and circular signs as restrictive signs. The signs usually use the Bureau Grotesque One Seven typeface, with the exception of street name signs, which have been produced using the Rotis Serif typeface since August 2001. The expressway network in Singapore comprises of eight expressways connecting the main urban areas of the main island, with a ninth expressway, the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, currently under construction. ... The PIE extension after Nanyang Flyover, looking towards Tuas. ... The PIE extension after Nanyang Flyover, looking towards Tuas. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

India

Bureau of Indian Standards (former Indian Standards Institution) IRC is the standardization body for traffic signs in India. But the standardization is not always followed on all types of roads in India. Generally the national highways and the state highways do carry the standardized signboards. Warning and prohibition signs are circular with a red border on white background. The symbol is black. The directional markings (of places) are done with white letters on green background. The BIS logo The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India is involved in the development of technical standards (popularly known as Indian Standards), product quality and management system certifications and consumer affairs. ...

India too has its share of peculiar and exotic signboards. For example in developing villages it is not unusual to spot a signboard prohibiting the entry of bullock carts to certain lanes. Similarly there are sets of signage at the highways and roads crossing through forest areas cautioning the drivers of the wildlife. The signboards generally use English language sometimes accompanied with the local language.

Signs & Media International (TM)

Africa

South Africa

South Africa has well developed standards for road signs. Triangular signs are used for warnings and circular signs are used for prohibitions. In the 1990s the colours of these signs were changed from white-on-blue with a red border to black-on-white with a red border. Some regulatory signs that enforce the direction of traffic flow, or minimum speed limits are white on blue. For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

Informational signs are rectangular and white on green on normal roads and white on blue on freeways. The information on these signs is usually in English, and sometimes in Afrikaans. Other informational signs, such as those that name rivers and towns are white, while tourist information signs are white on brown. For specific systems, such as the Autobahns of Germany, see list of highway systems with full control of access and no cross traffic. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Look up Wiktionary:Swadesh lists for Afrikaans and Dutch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand use diamonds for warning signs (yellow for permanent, orange for temporary) similar to America, but regulatory and information signs tend to follow European practice.

Image gallery

For an extensive collection of traffic signs, see Wikipedia Commons.

Danger or caution signs

A United States warning sign, warning about possible children in the road, with a speed limit notice Download high resolution version (500x791, 89 KB)Picture of Road signs Taken by Raul654 on September 2, 2004 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A road speed limit is the maximum speed allowed by law for road vehicles. ...	This sign warns drivers that there may be queues or lines of traffic ahead Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1011x809, 226 KB) Photo by William J. Grimes I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...	This sign has an image and words, warning about possible ice on the road ahead Image File history File links Frosty_road_sign. ...	An Irish road sign in Dublin, the person helping the child to cross the road has been changed by a vandal Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1429 KB)Irish Traffic Sign warning of danger to school children. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: 01, +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ...
This sign is warning vehicles about a cliff ahead (Abrau-Durso, Novorossisk, Russia) Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 527 KB) Carr falling into the sea sign. ... Novorossiysk (Russian Новороссийск) is a city in southern Russia, one of the main Russian ports on the Black Sea, in Krasnodar Krai. ...	This sign warns drivers that there is uneven/ hilly road ahead Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1314 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Traffic sign Street sign theft Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or...	A warning sign in New Zealand, warning about railroad tracks and many intersections to the right Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (520x720, 59 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...	Advising Indian drivers to control speed at a curve. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (480x640, 273 KB) Summary photographed by Pratheepps Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Traffic sign Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital...
A warning sign in Ireland, warning motorists of children playing. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Mandatory signs

A reflective stop sign with a black background Download high resolution version (1076x1536, 230 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Stop sign used in English-speaking countries, as well as in the European Union Former British stop sign consisting of red Give Way triangle inside a circle. ...

Signage in the U.S. Image File history File links Thrutrafficmergeleft. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from...

An Indian sign prohibiting the entry of trucks, bullock and horse carts Image File history File links Bullock_cart_sign_india. ...

Parking signs in Washington, D.C. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1728 × 2304 pixel, file size: 1. ...

Direction signs

A German Autobahn overhead direction sign Image File history File linksMetadata Autobahn_Overhead_Sign. ... It has been suggested that German Autobahns be merged into this article or section. ...

A typical road sign in Ireland. The N71 is a National Secondary Route. Image File history File links Irishsign-neidin. ... A directional road sign in the Republic of Ireland on an other road (not a national road) at Portlaoise, County Laois, including patches for national roads and advance warning of bridge height restrictions. ...

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
3. ^ S.I. No. 55/1926: ROAD SIGNS AND TRAFFIC SIGNALS REGULATIONS, 1926 - Irish Statute Book
4. ^ S.I. No. 284/1956: TRAFFIC SIGNS REGULATIONS, 1956 - Irish Statute Book

See also

• Fingerpost
• Rules of the road
• Street sign theft
• Traffic light
• Bilingual sign

A well preserved fingerpost. ... It has been suggested that Side of the road (traffic) be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Traffic lights can have several additional lights for filter turns or bus lanes. ... Bilingual sign (or, by extension Multilingual) is the representation on a panel (sign, usually traffic sign, safety sign and informational sign) of texts in more than one language. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Traffic sign

• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices website (United States Federal Highway Administration)
• Manual of Traffic Signs - information on United States signs
• All Romanian Traffic Signs, Signals and Marks according to EU standards
• The Highway Code, signs in the UK
• The Road User's Code, signs in Hong Kong SAR
• Signs and signals in the European Union
• Photos of directional signage on motorways
• Traffic & Road Sign Test - test your knowledge on U.S. traffic signs.
• Danish traffic signs, in English
• my crazy hobby - A collection of street signs and traffic lights
• Indian Traffic Rules and Signals
• Traffic signs in Croatia
• A gallery of strange signs from around the U.S.