Font used for speed limit signs
Discussion
Just made my weekly pilgrimage halfway round the M25, and noticed the spangly new variable speed limit gantries near Heathrow.
But what about this new font? Travelling in traffic, I spared as little of that scarce resource, attention, as I could get away with to see they were showing 60mph, then wasted even more attention seeing what the dial on the dashboard was reading: 70mph, no problem -- there was traffic moving all around me, no reason to throw everyone a curved ball by braking.
Passed underneath, and were those two flashes? I don't think they were obvious enough, so unless they have new "stealth flashes" I hope I'll be ok. But looking at the next gantry it's actaully showing 50mph, but in a strange tall and thin font that looks for all the world like 60.
Question is, has this new font been approved for use? It's not the same one on the fixed signs, and it's not the same as the old font, which looked more like the fixed signs.
I guess the roadworks need funding somehow, what better way than making a 50mph limit look like a 60mph limit...
But is it legal?
SM
But what about this new font? Travelling in traffic, I spared as little of that scarce resource, attention, as I could get away with to see they were showing 60mph, then wasted even more attention seeing what the dial on the dashboard was reading: 70mph, no problem -- there was traffic moving all around me, no reason to throw everyone a curved ball by braking.
Passed underneath, and were those two flashes? I don't think they were obvious enough, so unless they have new "stealth flashes" I hope I'll be ok. But looking at the next gantry it's actaully showing 50mph, but in a strange tall and thin font that looks for all the world like 60.
Question is, has this new font been approved for use? It's not the same one on the fixed signs, and it's not the same as the old font, which looked more like the fixed signs.
I guess the roadworks need funding somehow, what better way than making a 50mph limit look like a 60mph limit...
But is it legal?
SM
The signs, including the size, colour and font are prescribed in TSRGD. You can read the document here:-
www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023113.htm
S58 covers the use of variable signs and how they may differ. In essence, they ought to look like normal signs, subject to colour and size differences.
www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023113.htm
S58 covers the use of variable signs and how they may differ. In essence, they ought to look like normal signs, subject to colour and size differences.
Basically the font IS allowed to be different from that shown on the normal metal signs.
The fonts are shown here >> variable message fonts
FiF
The fonts are shown here >> variable message fonts
FiF
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff