Yellow Arrows

[Aidan21]

I am currently walking between Burgos and Leon. The last time I walked this route was in 2016. At that time the yellow arrows were numerous and easy to see. Now however I find the arrows hard to see. I think they have not been painted in many years. Is there some reason for this? I know that I would sure appreciate it, if whomever is responsible for the arrows would repaint them and help the pilgrims on their way.
Aidan

 

[naplesdon]

There is a solution. Why don't you buy a small paint brush and a can of yellow paint and solve the problem?

 

[Anniesantiago]

There is a solution. Why don't you buy a small paint brush and a can of yellow paint and solve the problem?

Exactly what I was going to say. GMTA!

 

[J Willhaus]

Its all done by volunteers.

 

[trecile]

Its all done by volunteers.

Right, and each region has its own Camino association that does this.

I saw this volunteer early in the morning in León



I even "helped"

 

[C clearly]

There is a solution. Why don't you buy a small paint brush and a can of yellow paint and solve the problem?

each region has its own Camino association that does this.

Maybe combine these two suggestions for a coordinated effort, please.

 

[t2andreo]

There is a solution. Why don't you buy a small paint brush and a can of yellow paint and solve the problem?

BTW - the "official" color is traffic safety yellow - the same stuff they paint lines on roadways with.

In the beginning, around 1984 IIRC, Fr. Elias Valiña, the priest who started the whole "flechas amarilla" arrow thing, was scrounging about for paint. At that time, and as I recall reading, road workers in the area gave him a supply of traffic yellow paint. The color stuck.

It was a random choice. I suppose that was a good thing. Otherwise, Lord knows what color we would all be following.

If anyone has a better suggestion, do please chime in.

Hope this helps,

Tom

 

[WGroleau]

BTW - the "official" color is traffic safety yellow - the same stuff they paint lines on roadways with.

If anyone has a better suggestion, do please chime in.

I wouldn’t complain at anyone with the initiative to do it as long as he/she picked a color that was reasonably close. Even if you match the exact formula, it will look different from the one that was done a year earlier.

 

[t2andreo]

I agree, except for an experience I had in 2017, coming out of Madrid - before Segovia - someone had used bright lime neon green paint to make arrows in a forest. The difference was so jarring and startling, as to cause me to seek a road to follow in the general direction of my day's destination. I was not going to waste time following non-yellow arrows.

When someone uses any color that is available - even if trying to make the color more visible - as I suspect in this case, it only confuses those of us conditioned to look for and follow "las flechas amarillas" - The Yellow Arrows.

So, use a different shade - but PLEASE keep the arrows definitely yellow.

Hope this helps,

Tom