Signs - The Language of the Road

Alternative transcript:

NOT ENTER WRONG WAY YIELD O Black and White ■ If a sign primarily uses black and white for its background and text, it is most likely a regulatory sign whose purpose is to control traffic, set limits, or give commands. ■ Common examples would include one way signs, speed limit signs, and turn only signs. o Yellow O ONE WAY o Orange SPEED LIMIT 35 ■Yellow is the color of warning signs. ■ It catches drivers' eyes and puts them on alert. ■ These signs will tell you which hazards and roadway conditions to look out for, such as a pedestrian crossing, a dip in the road, or a slippery road surface. AHEAD DIP Fluorescents If f you see a sign with a fluorescent bright yellow-green, it's a high-emphasis warning sign for a street crossing. Anyone could be crossing: pedestrians, bicyclists, or students near a school. C ONLY SCHOOL BUS STOP AHEAD SHARE THE ROAD O O O ■ Orange is the signature background color for road maintenance and construction signs. M ROAD WORK AHEAD Blue MILE Green ■ A green background is the color of choice for gulde signs, mileposts, and street name signs. Green text is used on permissive regulation and parking signs. 328 195 EAST Miami Beach DETOUR TAI ➜> SW 296 ST Avocado Dr E Blue backgrounds are generally reserved for motorist assistance and disabled parking. They could also be evacuation route markers or street name signs. HHP EVACUATION ROUTE Brown ■ Brown signs are more subtle. This color is used for less critical signs, like areas of public recreation, cultural, and historical significance. PARK OFFICE NATURE CENTER BOAT RENTAL GOLF COURSE 102 1 “ Shapes > The shape of a traffic sign can help you quickly identify whether it is showing you a regulation, warning, or guidance. Some signs, such as the stop sign, have their own specific shape that means only one thing. ➤ Octagon o Stop! This octagon shape is only used for stop signs, so drivers should recognize it immediately. > Triangle O An equilateral triangle pointing down can only mean one thing: yield. o Drivers should recognize this sign immediately by its unique shape and react by yielding to other vehicles and pedestrians. > Vertical Rectangle o This shape can be used for both regulatory (speed limit, no parking, carpool, and keep right) and warning (children at play) signs. > Horizontal Rectangle o Horizontal rectangles are typically a type of guide sign that provides information marking routes, service areas, Intersections, various points of interest and other types of information. Examples: mileage and destinations, road closed, carpool lane, signal or stop ahead, rest area ahead, construction. O > Square o These signs like to tell you what you can't do. ■ Like "Do not enter." "Do not U-turn." "No parking," and "No pedestrian crossing." O Squares are also used for some warning (advisory speed limit, construction) signs and gulde (camping, airport) signs. > Pentagon o Pentagons are reserved for school zones and school crossings. o When you see this sign, watch out for children in or near the road. ➤ Diamond o Diamond shapes are used exclusively for warning signs. o Examples: cross road ahead, end or begin divided road, merging traffic, curves, and construction warnings. o If you see a diamond-shaped sign, know that the road is likely to change or that there is a potentially dangerous situation ahead. Shield Highway route signs come in the shape of a shield. O Road markers like these allow you to identify which interstate or state highway you're traveling on. O > Pennant o Pennants (flags) are only used to mark no passing zones. O If you see a pennant, don't try to pass other vehicles. ► Circle o This shape gives advance warning of railroad crossings (and in some cases, is used for evacuation route markers). o A sign in the shape of a circle most likely means there is a train crossing ahead. > Crossbuck X o A crossbuck shape is also used to indicate that a railroad crossing is ahead. Symbols > Colors and shapes are just part of the equation when it comes to road signs. > There also needs to be some kind of symbol to communicate laws and road conditions to road users. > Let's take a look at some of the most commonly used symbols. > Lines and Arrows o The most common symbols used on signs are lines and arrows, a line indicates a lane, as pictured here: | Ser O Arrows are used to indicate direction. ↑er o In this sign, two parallel lines symbolize two parallel lanes. One arrow is pointing up and another is pointing down, meaning that traffic is coming from both directions. ↑ > Median Symbol O لله o This image is used to symbolize a median or divider between lanes. o It is often used in conjunction with lines and arrows to indicate in which direction traffic should travel in relation to the median. Let's take a look at an example: 13 o This sign is warning you that the highway ahead is divided by a divider or median. You must keep to the right and oncoming traffic will now be separated from your lane by the barrier. QUIZ BREAK - HEAD OVER TO THE DRIVER'S ED FOLDER & FIND AND TAKE THE PRACTICE QUIZ: "LANGUAGES OF COMMON SIGNS" Other Symbols ➤ Aside from lines and arrows, signs use a variety of other illustrated symbols to communicate with road users. > For example, when you see an image of a person on a sign, it indicates that pedestrians are likely to be on or near the roadway. > Other symbols are less obvious. For example, consider this sign that features a white "H" on a blue rectangle: H This one might be tough to guess if you weren't already familiar with it. The "H" on this sign stands for "Hospital." Remember that signs with blue backgrounds are generally reserved for service and informational signs for travelers. In this case, travelers are informed that there is a hospital nearby. ➤ Here's another symbol that is only used in one very specific case: X This symbol warns that there is a narrow bridge ahead. This means the bridge is barely wide enough to accommodate two lanes of traffic, but with very little clearance. It will be very important to stay in your lane when you travel across a narrow bridge. ► You'll encounter signs like "narrow bridge" far less frequently than signs like "pedestrian crossing." Now, let's see if you can identify what some of the more common symbols mean. QUIZ BREAK - HEAD OVER TO THE DRIVER'S ED FOLDER & FIND AND TAKE THE PRACTICE QUIZ: LANGUAGES OF OTHER SIGNS Words on Signs > When you see words on signs, it's fairly easy to determine what the sign is telling you to do. The words mean what they mean and you must follow their instructions accordingly. ➤ Still, there are a few examples of words on signs with meanings that may not be immediately obvious. Let's take a look at a few of these. o Pass With Care PASS WITH CARE ▪ This sign means that you are allowed to pass other vehicles, but it also reminds you to do so cautiously. Typically, the "Pass With Care" sign can be seen on two-lane roads in which a driver must cross into the opposing lane to pass a vehicle in their lane. ■ Because a vehicle in this situation could face traffic coming from the opposite direction, drivers are advised to be cautious to avoid a head-on collision. o Soft Shoulder o Detour O ■ Here is another example of a sign whose meaning may not be apparent. You may already know that a "shoulder" is another name for the area to the side of the roadway. ■ A "soft" shoulder means that the ground on the side of the road is soft and unpaved. ■ Do not drive off the paved roadway and onto a soft shoulder unless it is an emergency. SOFT SHOULDER DETOUR ■ A detour is a route that is different from the route typically used. ■ A detour is made when a more direct route cannot be used. ▪ DETOUR signs are typically orange, as they are usually placed to accommodate road work HOV ■ If you are driving down a main road and you see a DETOUR sign, follow the direction of the arrow on the sign. ■ There could also be additional DETOUR signs in place directing you along a detour route using alternative side streets. ■ These detours generally get you to where you would have traveled on the more direct route - it just may take a little longer. HOV 2+ ONLY ▪ HOV is actually an acronym. It stands for "High Occupancy Vehicle." ■ When you see a sign that says "HOV," be aware that it is used to indicate that a lane is only available for use by vehicles containing the minimum number of passengers required (typically 2 or more). HOV lanes are sometimes also referred to as "carpool lanes." o Dip DIP ON ▪ Unlike "HOV," "DIP" is not an acronym - meaning the letters do not stand for other words. It's simply the word "dip." ▪ This sign means that there is a dip - or a low spot - in the road ahead. ■ You should drive slowly over the dip to avoid damage to your vehicle.