Expatica news

Traffic sign “too confusing”

29 March 2007

BRUSSELS – “The only thing Polish lorry drivers will understand is that they have arrived in Belgium and that it rains a lot here,” says traffic expert Johan De Mol. The design for a new traffic sign aimed at reminding truckers that they may not overtake other traffic in rainy weather has been scrapped.

Federal Minister for Mobility Renaat Landuyt (Socialist SP.A) initially approved the sign but Flemish Minister for Public Works Kris Peeters (Flemish Christian democrat CD&V) thinks the sign is confusing. Peeters plans to submit a different proposal.

Traffic expert Johan De Mol also says the sign is a bit of a failure. “The red traffic sign on the picture shows that cars are not allowed to overtake when it is raining. But the sign is supposed to be a reminder that lorries may not overtake during rainy weather, right? The sign is also just too complicated. A Polish or Spanish lorry driver entering Belgium is only going to understand the top two of the seven pictograms, from which he’ll understand “we are in Belgium and it rains a lot here,” De Mol said.

Only one prototype of the new sign had been made yet.

Check out a picture of the new traffic sign we have been spared at the Standaard’s website and wonder what could possibly have possessed them…

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news