4th June 2020
Recognising and reacting to the signs on our roads becomes second nature once you’ve been driving for some time.
Indeed British drivers will pass and use thousands of road signs in their lifetime with some more common than others.
Some of the more obscure signs may have you scratching your head (or asking your passengers) and whether you’ve been driving for three years or thirty years, there are still some road signs that you very rarely see, so on the odd occasion you do come across them you don’t have a clue what they mean.
Below we show you some of the most confusing UK road signs to test your knowledge.
How many of these do you know the answer to?
1.
Answer = Surface dressing
Sometimes roads are improved by surface dressing instead of tarmac, which involves treating roads with bitumen and loose chippings.
This sign warns drivers and riders that they need to slow down, because loose chippings can damage paint-work and are hazardous due to loss of traction.
2.
Answer = Minimum speed limit
This looks similar to a 30mph speed limit sign, but those are on a white background with a red border.
This one means that there is a minimum speed, in miles per hour, unless it is impractical or unsafe to comply.
3.
Answer = No vehicles except bicycles being pushed
Well this just seems to mean nothing – and how would you know otherwise?
We all know that red circles generally give a mandatory instruction, such as speed limits. This one is usually accompanied by another sign below it with a further explanation, but basically it means ‘no vehicles’.
4.
Answer = Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination
Perhaps one of the most puzzling road signs and one that is not used too often.
You probably wouldn’t be able to decipher its meaning purely from the image, either.
Blue circles generally give a mandatory instruction such as “turn left”, or, in this case, “vehicles may pass either side to reach the same destination”.
5.
Answer = No vehicles carrying explosives
Luckily this will only apply to a very, very small number of drivers carrying dangerous loads. If you are not aware of its meaning, though, it could have horrible consequences.
6.
Answer = Overhead electric cable
You might see this sign and automatically think “danger”, but would you really know what to look out for?
It means there is an overhead cable which could have disasterous consequences if your car comes into contact with it. Hopefully it is not too low though.
7.
Answer = T-junction with priority over vehicles from the right
Perhaps one of the most uncommon road signs – and not overly self-explanatory either.