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Signs can guide us, and signs can explain things to us, but sometimes, signs can also confuse us. There are more than 40 million signs on the roads of the United States, and some of them can give people headaches as they try to figure them out.
Bored Panda has collected the most hilarious and absurd examples of confusing signs for you in one place. A sign that says, "Turn right," but includes an arrow pointing to the left? Check! Six different plates telling you where and when you can park? Double check! Scroll down and see what road sign nonsense people sometimes have to deal with.
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#1
Found On The Road To Big Bend National Park
RELATED:
#2
Absolute Unit Of A Parking Sign In Los Angeles
#3
My Town Put Up A Work Zone Speed Limit Sign Thats Faster Than That Roads Speed Limit
Kristiina Männiste 1 month ago
I find it nice that the sign allows walking and bicycling at light speed if you want.
People have to pass tests to become drivers for a reason: one part is to learn what different road signs mean. Interestingly, even after passing their exams, many drivers still have trouble deducing what one or another traffic sign means. If you've ever been in a situation where a road sign confused you, you're not alone. According to a survey conducted by My Vision, 58% have had trouble driving because of bad signage.
When researchers asked people to identify particular signs, the majority had trouble with the "Road construction" sign. 13% of the respondents confused it with the railroad crossing sign, 4% thought it was a sign for slow-moving vehicles, and 4% identified it as a no-passing sign. Other tricky signs included the narrow bridge ahead, divided highway ending, and the railroad after turn signs.
#4
This School's Speed Limit Times
#5
Major Turning Point
#6
Look Out
David Paterson 1 month ago
There used to be a sign near my local airport saying "beware of low flying planes". Not a lot you can do about that.
You might want to blame drivers for not learning their road signs when they were supposed to. But there might be another explanation for people's confusion with road signs: American road signs are just so different from the rest of the world! Signs like "Can't stop here" and signs denoting the speed limit look almost identical or similar in most countries, whether it's Austria, Japan, India, or Mauritius.
But in America, they're totally different. Why is that? Well, the U.S. refused to adhere to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The government tried to implement European road signage, and experiments were set up on several U.S. highways. However, Americans saw the strange signage as an infringement on American exceptionalism. One citizen even said: "If I saw a Russian sign, I certainly wouldn't pay any attention to it."
#7
Road Sign In Cape May Seems To Be As Confused As I Am
#9
Put The Road Signs Down, Boss
Another reason why the U.S. refused to sign the Vienna treaty was that they were in the process of building the interstate highway system. The changes they would have to make to adhere to the treaty and change the road signs probably would've been a logistical nightmare.
But, at the end of the day, America has a pretty long history of cars and driving. Even if the first car was invented in Germany by Carl Benz in 1866, for Americans, the inventor of the American car has always been Henry Ford in 1908. Since then, Americans have proudly been an automotive people, taking pride in their cars, roads, and even signs.
#11
Speed Limit Sign In Santa Fe, Nm
Tucker Cahooter 1 month ago
Or 15 kilometers per hours. Nice to see the asinine literal conversion process in the different direction this time
#12
A Street Sign Telling You To Ignore Gps
Yet, Americans aren't the only ones who find road signs confusing. A similar survey by UK company Tempcover Insurance showed that Brits are just as bad at recognizing some road signs as Americans are. For example, 83% failed to deduce what the "No Vehicle" sign meant, and a whopping 73% also didn't know what the blue and red "Can't stop here" sign was for. Other traffic signs that Brits had trouble with were "No Overtaking," signs giving vehicles from the opposite direction priority, and the "End of Dual Carriageway" sign.
#14
Programmed The Sign, Boss
#15
Which Way Do I Turn
What about you, Pandas? How good are you at recognizing traffic signs? I personally had a doozy during my first visit to the States, when I accidentally drove into the wrong side of the traffic. And, in some weird twist of fate, a sheriff turned up right in front of me.
Have you ever had similar traffic stories? Share them with us in the comments! And if you'd like to see more funny and confusing road signs, check out our previous compilation right here!
#16
The Nexus Of The Universe
#17
This 5-Way Stop Sign
#18
I Was A Little Worried For What Was Up Ahead Since It’s Only A Two Lane Road Lmao
#19
I Think This Sign Was Made For This Sub
#20
This No Parking Sign In My Hometown
#21
Even As A Native, I've Accidentally Ended Up Across That Bridge
detective miller's hat 1 month ago
NY state has a lot of these. 25 possibilities, .25 seconds to make the correct decision.
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
At least NYC has a grid system once you finally get into it. Boston, on the other hand, is paved over horse and cow paths. Always left my car on the outskirts and relied on the T system.
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LookASquirrel 1 month ago
Earlier this year heading to Cincy thru Columbus, which I've drove several times no map, there was construction because of new ramps and signs like this so it was not the usual route with lane closures. Finally I just started staying in the lanes all the semi's were in because I figured they were probably all staying on 71. Good call.
Sue User 1 month ago
Before GPS, I rented a car in LA. The car rental place was not at the airport. I remembered I picked it up near a gas station but that was it. So I just followed the pickup bus from the airport.
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KieLeaHar 1 month ago
If ANYONE —EVER— tells me to go —N/S/E/W— the conversation is OVER! Do NOT talk to me in such a horrible manner 😂 😂. I do NOT know where I am on a good day!! I certainly don’t know which direction I’m travelling in!! 😆
Pursuing Peonies 3 weeks ago
Right? Like, I can navigate just fine without bringing cardinal directions into it. I can compass and map just fine, but everyday navigating doesn't require such.
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Bec 1 month ago
I appreciate when signage is earlier when it is this complicated and I love when the road itself has large interstate # and direction painted on the lane that you need to be in.
Bec 1 month ago
I dislike interstate city bypasses, which can be more inefficient than driving right through the main city on the interstate. Also when faced with the dilemma of needing to go East but my choices are 465 North or 465 South - need to have clockwise and counterclockwise diagram! Much of this is been solved with GPS maps, but I have some anxiety from being screamed at from picking the wrong option and having to take a longer loop than was necessary to circle the city
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#23
All Roads Lead To Kottayam
#24
Do Not Read Under Penalty Of Law
#25
When Street Signs Go Philosophical
#26
The Sign Of Signs
#27
There's Some Irony In A Camouflaged Sign Complaining That You're Hard To See. You Can't Read This From The Road At All
#28
A Sign From Above
#29
Confusing Sign On Connecticut Avenue
Cailyn B 1 month ago
Ahh, I live in a relatively bigger city in Canada and we have something similar to this, except there are overhead lights with the x’s and check marks over the lanes. I’m pretty sure it’s used on busier high traffic roads. During morning and evening rush hour, depending where there is a heavier flow of traffic, they may open lanes that usually would travel the opposite direction. But because it’s busy, they would leave less lanes open in the direction with less traffic and allow people to use more lanes coming from the higher traffic direction
#30
Beware Of The Cow
#31
The Most Confusing Collection Of Traffic Signs I've Ever Seen. Just Outside NJ
#32
No Traffic Signs
#33
I Feel This Is The Most Confusing Traffic Sign I’ve Seen Around Perth, So Much To Take In, So Little Time! What’s Your Nomination?
#34
New Road Signs
#35
Water Traffic Over Hazard Road Ahead
#36
This Road Sign Near My Home
#37
Meanwhile In Alabama
#38
Was Told This Sub Would Enjoy An Odd Numbered Speed Limit Sign At My Job
Kabuki Kitsune 1 month ago
These are intentional, as it's enough to cause a driver to notice it. You see this quite often in places where speeding could be a real problem (like residential areas), and studies have shown that anything that's not either ending in a 0, or a 5 (like most speed signs do) will stand out to a driver's mind.
#39
Confusing Road Signs
Max(pronouns/whatever/hamster) 1 month ago
confusing roadsigns????? why does that light thing have 4 lights????
#40
Can I Park Or Not?
#41
Odd Road Sign Meaning?
#42
Seen In My Neighborhood
#43
You Are Given 0 Time To Interpret This Sign And All Of Its Arrows
#44
This Sign Contains No Information That A Road User Would Find Useful
#45
Roadwork Sign In Louisiana
Upstaged75 1 month ago
I've got low shoulders too. Can't wear thin straps on shirts because they just fall right off. 😁
#46
Most Confusing Turn Signs Ever
#47
Elba Island Road Sign
#48
What Road Sign Is This?
#49
Confusing Street Signs
Pursuing Peonies 3 weeks ago
It's for the lanes, there are four lanes and each lane is a "only" direction. Probably an unnecessarily confusing on/off ramp situation with the thru traffic sign. Or a mall.
#50
Having A Brain Aneurysm Reading This Sign. Can Someone Help?
UKDeek 1 month ago
Red Route are strictly no stopping, unless in marked bays for specific reasons. That signs states that the Red Route is in force between Mondays and Saturdays between 7am and 7pm. You are allowed to part for 1 hour though between 7am and 7pm, and after that hour you can't return to that location for at least 2 hours. Reading that sign I suspect that this Red Route is a busy route away from a location, which is why parking isn't allowed between 4pm and 7pm.
#51
Saw This “We Are Working Out Of Sight So You May Not See Us” Sign Near A Closed Lane. What Would They Be Working On?
#52
UK's Waffliest Street Sign
#53
I Always Have A Chuckle To Myself Whenever I Pass This Sign. How Far Is It After 10pm?
Boris Long-Johnson 1 month ago
Scraping the bottom of the barrel here no? Fuel in 8 miles but only open until 10pm. Ffs!
#54
Confusing Signs
#55
Not Through Road
Boris Long-Johnson 1 month ago
Presumably like “Stromeferry - no ferry” https://share.google/Gceih8IhkiSre84xw
#56
Finally Found A Parking Sign Im Confused By
M O'Connell 1 month ago
Im sure this is outside of a convention center or something like that.
#57
Most Confusing Sign
Located on 99N. Is it just me or do you find this sign unhelpful and confusing? Funny there is no reference to 50W.
M O'Connell 1 month ago
my interpretation being that there are 5 lanes, the left-most 4 lanes all continue onto I80E, the right-most lane only goes to I80W, and the right-most of the "left 4 lanes" splits in two.
#58
Traveling In Italy. What Do These Signs Mean?
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
Google translate says: "strada chiusa al transito" = "road closed to traffic". "dal km" = "from km" 15 + 350; "al km" = "per km" 15+650. (says Google...) Me? I'd ask a local.
#59
Why Do They Make These Signs So Confusing?
nottheactualphoto 1 month ago
I actually LIKE "12:01am." Because now it's crystal-clear that they mean midnight.
#60
Why Are The Arrows On Th Left Sign Not Aligned To The Lane? I Can Definitely See Why People Would Get Confused
M O'Connell 1 month ago
This one is actually pretty easy. The left lane diverges further ahead.
#61
Why Are There So Many Numbers When Only 8 And 139 Seem To Matter?
#63
Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan: Home Of The Infamous Japanese Road Signs With Russian/Cyrillic
#64
Trying To Leave The Parking Lot
#65
What Does This Mean? (USA)
Jumping Jellyfishes 1 month ago
In the US, there are confusing laws (varying city by city) on whether you can turn right on red light signal when the way is clear (usually, you can). However, he general rule for an *arrow* signal is you cannot turn right when it it is red, though again, there are a few exceptions here and there. This is one of them where it's stated that you can treat the signal like a stop sign (full stop) before proceeding if the way is clear.
#66
Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
Don Golosso 1 month ago
The bottom sign means you're not allowed to use snow chains on this road. It has nothing to do with stopping.
#67
This Road Floods Each Tide
#68
Anyone Else Get Confused By This Sign On 195 E
#69
Is This Sign Confusing Or Clear?
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Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert. did a fine job on UK road signs, back in the day. Fun fact: the "school children crossing sign" features what's effectively a self-portrait of the artist as a young girl... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worboys_Committee
Boris Long-Johnson 1 month ago
A number of these are really pushing it - was the author struggling for content when they scraped this from Reddit?
Hugo 1 month ago
Glad I live in Europe, where the authorities know that lower-case letters are easier to read, and don't go out of their way to make confusing signs.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago (edited)
Hugo: lower case road signs all over Europe? Oh! I'm curious - when exactly *did* France sail off into the Atlantic leaving Europe behind? 😉 https://animalia-life.club/qa/pictures/french-road-signs
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Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert. did a fine job on UK road signs, back in the day. Fun fact: the "school children crossing sign" features what's effectively a self-portrait of the artist as a young girl... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worboys_Committee
Boris Long-Johnson 1 month ago
A number of these are really pushing it - was the author struggling for content when they scraped this from Reddit?
Hugo 1 month ago
Glad I live in Europe, where the authorities know that lower-case letters are easier to read, and don't go out of their way to make confusing signs.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago (edited)
Hugo: lower case road signs all over Europe? Oh! I'm curious - when exactly *did* France sail off into the Atlantic leaving Europe behind? 😉 https://animalia-life.club/qa/pictures/french-road-signs
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