Traffic Signs, Signals and Road Markings
Three families of signs
- Regulatory - red circles, red slashes and black-and-white rectangles. They command: STOP, NO ENTRY, SPEED LIMIT, NO PARKING, NO LEFT TURN. An octagon is reserved for STOP, an inverted triangle for YIELD, a diamond for warning, and a round yellow sign bearing an X for a railway advance warning.
- Warning - yellow or amber diamonds with a black symbol: curve ahead, slippery when wet, narrow bridge, pedestrian crossing. They tell you to adjust speed, not to stop.
- Guide / informatory - green or blue rectangles: destinations, distances, hospitals, service facilities.
Signals
Steady red: stop before the stop line. Steady yellow: stop if you can do so safely. Green: proceed when the intersection is clear. Flashing red means stop, then proceed when safe - treat it like a stop sign. Flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution.
Markings
A double solid yellow centre line bars overtaking from either side. A solid yellow line on your side bars overtaking for you. Broken white lines separate lanes moving in the same direction. Solid white edge lines mark the road boundary, a thick white bar is the stop line, and wide stripes across the carriageway mark the pedestrian crossing.
Order of authority
A traffic officer's signals override traffic lights, and lights override signs, when they conflict.
Trap
Yellow diamonds are warning signs, not regulatory ones. An item may show a "slippery road" sign and claim you must stop - the correct action is to slow down.
Rule of thumb
Read every sign in two steps: colour and shape give the family, the symbol gives the instruction.