Road Signs Of The United Kingdom Quiz

Answer: True

Signs with red circles prohibit something. They will be accompanied by the specific instruction. For example, the figure "30" in the centre of the circle means you must not exceed the 30mph limit.

Other signs prohibit right turns, left, turns, and U-turns. These will have the relevant information on the white space with a diagonal red bar across the centre.

This is not an exhaustive list. You can learn more by searching online for "The Highway Code UK".

Answer: Warning sign

The white space in the centre of the triangle will give more information of the warning.

The sign may also be accompanied by a separate information panel placed below it.

Answer: No entry

It will sometimes be accompanied by an instruction plate saying "No Entry" or "No Exit".

It may be accompanied by another sign, for example "except pedestrians".

Answer: No stopping

Displayed on urban clearways, along with a host of other signs it is aimed at facilitating the free flow of vehicles.

The sign means no stopping, not even to pick up or set down passengers .

A variation of the sign is often used to control parking on urban streets. These signs have only one diagonal red stripe and have associated signages give details of effective times.

Answer: National Trust property ahead

Brown signs convey information about tourist or visitor attractions.

There are other signs for cathedrals, castles and museums.

Answer: Traffic queuing

The sign is often accompanied by the pretty obvious "queues likely" explanation.

Answer: National speed limit applies

They are usually on the reverse side of poles on which oncoming drivers would see details of the speed limit they are about to enter.

Generally speaking in the UK the national speed limit for cars is 60mph - unless there is a sign indicating a different speed. This could be the speed limit in a town or city - always lower - or at the start of a motorway or dual carriageway - usually higher.

And there is a further distinction, the 60mph applies to private cars and vans. If you are driving a car, or van, towing an unbraked trailer, then the permitted speed limit would be lower.

As the actor Michel Caine never actually said "not a lot of people know that".

Answer: Speed cameras in operation

The sign - it looks like an old Hasselblad camera, doesn't it? - means that fixed or mobile camera are in place to check speeds.

"Enforcement camera" is one official term and some police forces prefer to call the "safety cameras". They can be permanently mounted on roadside gantries, or in vans that can move from place to place.

Cameras operate or roads that have been identified as having recorded significant numbers of injury or fatal road traffic collisions.

Anyone caught exceeding the limit on that piece of road can expect a penalty notice in the post or a day in court.

Answer: Countdown distance to an exit

This sign is posted at 300 yards to the exit. It is followed by a second with two white stripes 200 yards from the exit and a third with one stripe 100 yards from the exit.

The signs are there to give drivers warning of when they should be moving from the main carriageway onto the slip road to an exit in good time.

It can get a little hairy to be driving past the 100-yard sign intending to go straight on and have a motorist overtake and cut across onto the slip road - as this quiz writer has experienced.

Answer: Stop

This sign is familiar in many countries and will have the word "stop" on white in the middle. (Or perhaps a translation into their own language.)

It is an exception to the shape of other signs because of its importance to road safety.

In years gone by the UK used "HALT" signs. That practice ended in 1965.