Strange Way to say "YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC"

[Brian556]

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=28.519849,-81.586728&spn=0.000005,0.003133&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=28.519712,-81.58663&panoid=G0cFV9UgTKQDBEmHKh4lAA&cbp=12,350.23,,2,0

Don't know why they did this... a YIELD sign would've been just fine (and better). Given the way the green guide sign is made, it tells you the person(s) responsible for this don't know much about signs.

This sign really does not get the intended message across very well.

[NE2]

It's not telling you to yield to oncoming traffic, but warning you that there are three lanes to turn across. There's another at the south end of CR 535 (signed as SR 535 here, but it's county maintained): http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=28.379975,-81.50517&spn=0.004323,0.008256&t=m&layer=c&cbll=28.380285,-81.505217&panoid=svfAxY446lFg4o0qKkwH2Q&cbp=12,49.93,,2,0.6&z=18

[kphoger]

New Zealand

Yield to oncoming traffic:


Oncoming traffic yields to you:

[agentsteel53]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

[NE2]

from http://ivysplace.com/the-bridges-of-kauai

[1995hoo]

Those New Zealand signs look like standard signage in much of the world. Here's a similar sign I encountered at a chicane in Scotland in April 2006:




It's been replaced with speed humps since I took that picture: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Wemyss+Caves&hl=en&ll=56.161636,-3.079648&spn=0.018353,0.082397&sll=56.186362,-2.986221&sspn=0.072888,0.264187&vpsrc=6&z=15&layer=c&cbll=56.161558,-3.063467&panoid=XXSnvId14XBZodwfw1cnRw&cbp=12,232.42,,0,-1.93




That "local courtesy" sign in NE2's post was not there when I drove over that bridge in 2003. It's a nice idea, though. All the tourist guides mentioned the local practice of allowing several cars at a time to go through, especially a bit further to the west where there were two one-lane bridges immediately adjacent to each other (see here: https://maps.google.com/?ll=22.21312,-159.543237&spn=0.001947,0.004128&t=k&z=19 ), but there was always someone from the Mainland who expected to alternate one-and-one.

[agentsteel53]

the Hell?  why is there a post in the middle of the road closing what looks like a perfectly good through lane, and then opening it back up again?

is that junction with the road to the left that bad?

[NE2]

the Hell?  why is there a post in the middle of the road closing what looks like a perfectly good through lane, and then opening it back up again?

It's a chicane. Discourages you from using it as a through route.

[1995hoo]

the Hell?  why is there a post in the middle of the road closing what looks like a perfectly good through lane, and then opening it back up again?

It's a chicane. Discourages you from using it as a through route.

It is indeed a chicane, but it wasn't there to discourage cut-through traffic because that road WAS (or I should say IS) the through route there. That spot is on the A955 in East Wemyss, Fife. The chicane is there to reduce speeding. The speed limit through all the small towns in that area is 20 mph and back when I visited many of the towns used chicanes to get people to slow down. As I mention above, Google Street View shows that they've replaced that one with speed humps since I was there. (I passed through that area on my way back to Edinburgh from St Andrews. Took the faster route out to St Andrews and then took the scenic drive along the coast on the way back.)


Edited to add: This is pretty funny. I was pretty sure I'd posted that picture before at some point, so I searched the forum and found that indeed I had.....and what's funny is that agentsteel53 had almost exactly the same reaction back then! See here: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5239.msg114538#msg114538   

[agentsteel53]

on the through route?

do they just not want people to visit their town?

[vdeane]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

What do you do if you have a one-lane bridge where you can't see to the other side?

the Hell?  why is there a post in the middle of the road closing what looks like a perfectly good through lane, and then opening it back up again?

It's a chicane. Discourages you from using it as a through route.

It is indeed a chicane, but it wasn't there to discourage cut-through traffic because that road WAS (or I should say IS) the through route there. That spot is on the A955 in East Wemyss, Fife. The chicane is there to reduce speeding. The speed limit through all the small towns in that area is 20 mph and back when I visited many of the towns used chicanes to get people to slow down. As I mention above, Google Street View shows that they've replaced that one with speed humps since I was there. (I passed through that area on my way back to Edinburgh from St Andrews. Took the faster route out to St Andrews and then took the scenic drive along the coast on the way back.)


Edited to add: This is pretty funny. I was pretty sure I'd posted that picture before at some point, so I searched the forum and found that indeed I had.....and what's funny is that agentsteel53 had almost exactly the same reaction back then! See here: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5239.msg114538#msg114538   

Perhaps the town should just raise the speed limit and stop trying to make it something it's not.

[agentsteel53]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

What do you do if you have a one-lane bridge where you can't see to the other side?

traffic light, usually.  beats being expected to yield to someone you can't see - regardless of what their rule is.

[1995hoo]

Perhaps the town should just raise the speed limit and stop trying to make it something it's not.

One of our British friends could probably clarify this, but I'm not sure the towns can do that, simply because all the small towns had 20-mph speed limits. The fact that they all had the same limit made me strongly suspect that a higher governing body set the speed limits. I know Parliament prescribes national speed limits for motorways, dual-carriageways, etc., and I believe I read somewhere that the DfT is involved as well, but I'm not particularly familiar with British law other than that I usually look through the Highway Code online before I visit the UK just to refresh myself on the meanings of some of the signs we don't have in North America.

[kphoger]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

What do you do if you have a one-lane bridge where you can't see to the other side?

traffic light, usually.  beats being expected to yield to someone you can't see - regardless of what their rule is.

If you can't see an oncoming driver, then he can't see you either, so it's a moot point.  New Zealand's signage wouldn't be any better in that situation than double Yield signs.

[Brian556]

Quote from NE2:

It's not telling you to yield to oncoming traffic, but warning you that there are three lanes to turn across. There's another at the south end of CR 535 (signed as SR 535 here, but it's county maintained):

If that's the case, why is it considered nessessary? There are millions of places where you make a left turn across three lanes of traffic, so why would they feel a need to warn of that condition here?

The reason I thoght it meant YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC was that these "hooded" turn lanes frequently have yield or stop signs.

Example:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=33.192973,-97.116287&spn=0.000018,0.012531&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=33.193176,-97.11654&panoid=luOW8A73OwjyoP8fua_nIg&cbp=12,130.54,,0,0

[vdeane]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

What do you do if you have a one-lane bridge where you can't see to the other side?

traffic light, usually.  beats being expected to yield to someone you can't see - regardless of what their rule is.

I know of one in St. Lawrence county with no traffic control devices; it's a wooden arch bridge (the arch is the reason you can't see the other side) on a very minor road; the custom seems to be to honk your horn and hope nobody is coming.

[J N Winkler]

Perhaps the town should just raise the speed limit and stop trying to make it something it's not.

One of our British friends could probably clarify this, but I'm not sure the towns can do that, simply because all the small towns had 20-mph speed limits. The fact that they all had the same limit made me strongly suspect that a higher governing body set the speed limits.

Speed limits on non-trunk roads other than the limits fixed by national legislation (70 on motorways and dual carriageways, 60 on rural dual carriageways, 30 in built-up areas) generally have to be established by traffic regulation order.  Speed limits on trunk roads are generally set by the trunk roads authority, while speed limits on other roads are generally set by the county council.  The 20 zones you saw were probably a result of a countywide policy; the national limit through villages is still 30.

The foregoing is an extreme simplification--speed limit setting in the UK is a very complex issue.

[Kacie Jane]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

Hmmm.  I do believe you're right, but the one closest to here (SR 9 over the Pilchuck Creek) only has a YIELD on one end.

Although I'm slightly confused, because apparently it's slated for replacement in the near future, and that page says there are signs on both ends and drivers should take turns.  But my memory and GSV say one end.

[NE2]

If that's the case, why is it considered nessessary?

It's not. Warning signs are often optional.

[Alps]

Edited to add: This is pretty funny. I was pretty sure I'd posted that picture before at some point, so I searched the forum and found that indeed I had.....and what's funny is that agentsteel53 had almost exactly the same reaction back then! See here: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5239.msg114538#msg114538   

that seems exceedingly obfuscatory.

the Hell?

I vastly prefer the first response.

[silverback1065]

New Zealand

Yield to oncoming traffic:


Oncoming traffic yields to you:

What the hell? I've never even heard of a one lane train/car bridge! That sounds so dangerous!!!

[codyg1985]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

Hmmm.  I do believe you're right, but the one closest to here (SR 9 over the Pilchuck Creek) only has a YIELD on one end.

Although I'm slightly confused, because apparently it's slated for replacement in the near future, and that page says there are signs on both ends and drivers should take turns.  But my memory and GSV say one end.

The one closest to me is set up so that one side has a yield sign with a placard underneath saying "To oncoming traffic"

[1995hoo]

now that's unusual.  here in the US, one-lane bridges tend to have a YIELD sign at each end.  namely, whoever gets there second yields to whomever gets there first.

Hmmm.  I do believe you're right, but the one closest to here (SR 9 over the Pilchuck Creek) only has a YIELD on one end.

Although I'm slightly confused, because apparently it's slated for replacement in the near future, and that page says there are signs on both ends and drivers should take turns.  But my memory and GSV say one end.

The one closest to me is set up so that one side has a yield sign with a placard underneath saying "To oncoming traffic"

That's the norm around here as well on the few one-lane bridges that remain in the area. I went over two of them twice each on Saturday night (both on Springvale Road in Fairfax County going to and from a restaurant) and they both had that style of sign on either end, together with a line indicating where you should stop and yield.

[silverback1065]

Hmm, you learn something new everyday, I've never even heard of a chicane, Well I guess I have, those random jut outs at intersections have started appearing around where I live, but they don't refer to them as chicanes (I forget what they refer to them as around here).  Anyway I've never seen any as extreme as the ones you guys have posted, and the ones shown on Wikipedia.  They look infuriating to drive through!  Would this qualify as a chicane?
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=39.80575,-86.167638&spn=0.000033,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=39.805835,-86.171787&panoid=E2LnBcLrA6LRLxr-qfo_AA&cbp=12,204.67,,0,20.94

[NE2]

Would this qualify as a chicane?
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=39.80575,-86.167638&spn=0.000033,0.024784&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=39.805835,-86.171787&panoid=E2LnBcLrA6LRLxr-qfo_AA&cbp=12,204.67,,0,20.94

WTF no. That's an intersection bulb-out.