Can someone please enlighten me?

[Tassie Kaz]

I know this is not Camino or trail-related signage, but can someone please tell me what this sign means? It's not one we use in Australia but I've encountered it numerous times walking in Europe. It popped up quite often on the VF in France, Switzerland & Italy but I never quite managed to relate it to anything in my surroundings.
From memory (accuracy questionable! ), it only appeared on minor roads. To me it looks like it has something to do with a truck & water?
I'd appreciate any translation or interpretation!
What is it they say about curiosity....?

 

[trecile]

I think that I found it
"No vehicles carrying water pollutants are allowed past this point in Switzerland and Portugal"

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[NorthernLight]

Trucks may use this route?
It’s a blue square not a red or orange one.

 

[stratophile]

Wikipedia says it's a 'Water protection area': https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segnaletica_stradale_in_Svizzera

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I think that I found it
"No vehicles carrying water pollutants are allowed past this point in Switzerland and Portugal"

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Lordy!...how on earth could we be expected to get that message from that sign?!
Lucky as walkers we do not drive heavy vehicles & we aren't heavy polluters (we'll leave that one alone though... ).
The only other possibility I came up with was 'road not suitable for heavy vehicles'...ie; the weight would cause road damage.
The photo was taken in France so interesting the explanation only says Switzerland & Portugal.
Thanks @trecile

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Trucks may use this route?
It’s a blue square not a red or orange one.

Hmm...yes, the colour could be significant plus I saw it in France & Italy as well as Switzerland. Going back through my photos, it was blue in each instance.

 

[domigee]

Lordy!...how on earth could we be expected to get that message from that sign?!
Lucky as walkers we do not drive heavy vehicles & we aren't heavy polluters (we'll leave that one alone though... ).
The only other possibility I came up with was 'road not suitable for heavy vehicles'...ie; the weight would cause road damage.
The photo was taken in France so interesting the explanation only says Switzerland & Portugal.
Thanks @trecile

I have never seen this sign before, either walking or travelling by car or bus Just goes to show you can learn something new every day!

 

[zenofmatthew]

Wrong. Mustachioed aliens with funky sunglasses have the right of way.

In addition to making up my own signs, I also crack myself up.

The water protection seems right.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Wrong. Mustachioed aliens with funky sunglasses have the right of way.

In addition to making up my own signs, I also crack myself up.

The water protection seems right.

You forgot to add 'monocule' to your description!

 

[SYates]

Yes, it indicates a 'water protection area' and is used in a lot of European countries, for example in Germany also.
BC SY

 

[caminka]

View attachment 68070
I know this is not Camino or trail-related signage, but can someone please tell me what this sign means? It's not one we use in Australia but I've encountered it numerous times walking in Europe. It popped up quite often on the VF in France, Switzerland & Italy but I never quite managed to relate it to anything in my surroundings.
From memory (accuracy questionable! ), it only appeared on minor roads. To me it looks like it has to something to do with a truck & water?
I'd appreciate any translation or interpretation!
What is it they say about curiosity....?

we have two similar signs in slovena, a blue one and a red one.
the blue sign indicates water protection area. it must be accompanied by two explanatory boards (to how many kilometres of the road it applies and the emergency number in case of spillage).
the red sign indicates traffic forbidden for vehicles carrying environmentally hazardous substances. further down it specifies that the cargo of the hazardous substances can be up to 450kg and the vehicle can still drive on that road. and that it does not apply to motor fuel directly connected to the engine.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

we have two similar signs in slovena, a blue one and a red one.
the blue sign indicates water protection area. it must be accompanied by two explanatory boards (to how many kilometres of the road it applies and the emergency number in case of spillage).
the red sign indicates traffic forbidden for vehicles carrying environmentally hazardous substances. further down it specifies that the cargo of the hazardous substances can be up to 450kg and the vehicle can still drive on that road. and that it does not apply to motor fuel directly connected to the engine.

Wow...thanks for the comprehensive explanation @caminka ...it also solves the colour differences. The signs I saw weren't accompanied by any other info but I guess regulations would differ country to country.
Glad I'm on foot & don't have to grapple with the mysteries of foreign road signs... however I have no doubt Melbourne's infamous 'hook turns' would baffle any visitor...including those from other Australian states!

 

[caminka]

Wow...thanks for the comprehensive explanation @caminka ...it also solves the colour differences. The signs I saw weren't accompanied by any other info but I guess regulations would differ country to country.
Glad I'm on foot & don't have to grapple with the mysteries of foreign traffic signs... but I have no doubt Melbourne's infamous 'hook turns' would baffle any visiting driver...including those from other Australian states! View attachment 68073

hehe, good one. it's actually easier if you don't read it.
it can be rivaled by this slovenian sign which means you need to make a right and a left before you can make that left turn to get you on the street you want.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

hehe, good one. it's actually easier if you don't read it.
it can be rivaled by this slovenian sign which means you need to make a right and a left before you can make that left turn to get you on the street you want.
View attachment 68076

Oh...that's a winner!
I'm guessing your fender-bender rate is as high as ours?....

 

[Jeff Crawley]

"Remove the egg from the boiling water before attempting to slice it with a safety razor blade."

 

[Barbara]

Look at the picture in the first post....

 

[caminka]

Oh...that's a winner!
I'm guessing your fender-bender rate is as high as ours?....

this is actually the result of the narrow streets in the old centres of towns. there is no two-way traffic. slovenia is not really a problem here, I've been to prague.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

this is actually the result of the narrow streets in the old centres of towns. there is no two-way traffic. slovenia is not really a problem here, I've been to prague.

Ah ha!...I see. Melbourne's hook turns are so cars waiting to turn right (we drive on the Left) don't queue up on the tram lines which run down the middle of the streets.
There is generally some method to the madness...but we won't let that get in the way of a good foreigner/visitor puzzlement-inducing road sign!
Local knowledge is key...hence my original post. ⚠

 

[Tassie Kaz]

"Remove the egg from the boiling water before attempting to slice it with a safety razor blade."

Very clever....!

 

[Sixwheeler]

Lordy!...how on earth could we be expected to get that message from that sign?!
Lucky as walkers we do not drive heavy vehicles & we aren't heavy polluters (we'll leave that one alone though... ).
The only other possibility I came up with was 'road not suitable for heavy vehicles'...ie; the weight would cause road damage.
The photo was taken in France so interesting the explanation only says Switzerland & Portugal.
Thanks @trecile

As a large vehicle driver you would be expected to know but, yes, it doesn't apply to pedestrians. As an ex truck driver my first reaction was something to do with axle weight restrictions but now I know what it actually is I get it. This sign is not used in the UK.

 

[Kathar1na]

The newest version of these signs as used in Germany and a neat explanation of what exactly these water protection areas are, written for the US military community in Ansbach, Germany (If interested, continue reading here):

 

[K Turner]

hehe, good one. it's actually easier if you don't read it.
it can be rivaled by this slovenian sign which means you need to make a right and a left before you can make that left turn to get you on the street you want.
View attachment 68076

We have these now in the state where I live in the USA. They're referred to here as "Michigan left" turns and aren't going over well, LOL.

 

[trecile]

We have these now in the state where I live in the USA. They're referred to here as "Michigan left" turns and aren't going over well, LOL.

I wonder why Michigan?

 

[Deleted member 73526]

I wonder why Michigan?

Michigan left - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[caminka]

We have these now in the state where I live in the USA. They're referred to here as "Michigan left" turns and aren't going over well, LOL.

huh. I needed a really good look at the sign to understand what it wants me to do. then I remembered I saw similar arrangements on local roads in france (basically one-ways with a bit of space to avoid the oncoming car) where there is no space to really stop and make a turn. they came up with a similar solution so that the car wanting to make a turn doesn't get in the way of the oncoming traffic. I thought it was quite clever, actually.

 

[mark connolly]

A couple of points:


this slovenian sign which means you need to make a right and a left before you can make that left turn to get you on the street you want.

They have this concept in the State of New Jersey what is known as Jughandles.

Jughandle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also as @stratophile posted: "water protection area" as per Wikipedia. In the US, it is known as a "water shed" area. I am under the impression that this means that the water in the area will be used for human consumption, but Wikipedia makes no reference to that.

Hope that helps.

Mark

 

[Tassie Kaz]

They have this concept in the State of New Jersey what is known as Jughandles.

Jughandle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also as @stratophile posted: "water protection area" as per Wikipedia. In the US, it is known as a "water shed" area. I am under the impression that this means that the water in the area will be used for human consumption, but Wikipedia makes no reference to that.

Hope that helps.

Mark

'Jughandle' ...great description
We only have one example in Tassie (that I know of) & it's called a 'bay turn'....but now I'm going to write to the Dept of Infrastructure & request a name change...!