Warning Ducks, and other strange roadsign?

[Intercity110]

I saw two warning roadsigns with ducks on them when i was in milton keynes yesterday, one had a plate stating ‘wild fowl’ underneath it. What are these for? ( i don’t drive and have never read the highway code.)

 

[P Binnersley]

They are a warning that ducks may be be on the road. There are a pair in Meriden near a large pond where the ducks are partial to crossing the road to the hotel opposite.

 

[Bertone]

……..or it could be warning of a low bridge ahead - DUCK!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Something like this? Are they even official?

(Have had a quick look in the January 2022 version of the Official Highway Code booklet, but can't find the exact same triangular warning sign).


(Pic of triangular "road sign" with outline picture of a duck and lettering below saying... 'SLOW Ducks Crossing'.)

 

[Ken H]

They have been around for years. Think its a generic sign warning of ducks, geese, swans and albatrosses. And pterodactyls in Milton Keynes

 

[Intercity110]

Something like this? Are they even official?

(Have had a quick look in the January 2022 version of the Official Highway Code booklet, but can't find the exact same triangular warning sign).

View attachment 133002
(Pic of triangular "road sign" with outline picture of a duck and lettering below saying... 'SLOW Ducks Crossing'.)

like that yes, but the plate underneat said ‘wild fowl’ instead.

 

[NoRoute]

The slow ducks get a warning sign, presumably the fast ducks don't need one. As for the wild fowl, well they can be crazy.

 

[dangie]

We have road signs near to us with frogs on them….

 

[Ken H]

Are they common in Nottingham, duck?

 

[Intercity110]

We have road signs near to us with frogs on them….

How ludicrous

 

[birchesgreen]

There is one near me near a nature reserve.

Hopefully this link will work

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[Gloster]

On the Isle of Wight there are signs warning of squirrels, although I think that the ones with images are unofficial. In Sweden they have signs with pictures of elk on them: due note should definitely be taken. If a car hits an elk the car may be written off, while the elk thinks, ”Got a slight itch there.” (Now you know why Volvos are built like tanks.)

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Reckon they're all unofficial, unless anyone knows otherwise! (Possible exceptions being the ones in the Official Highway Code booklet with cattle, wild animals, wild horses/ponies).

 

[Darandio]

Reckon they're all unofficial, unless anyone knows otherwise! (Possible exceptions being the ones in the Official Highway Code booklet with cattle, wild animals, wild horses/ponies).

The hedgehog one isn't in the official book as far as I can see but it was 'unveiled' by Chris Grayling in 2019. It's possible others have been introduced previously but aren't covered in the code.

[Withdrawn] New road sign to improve road safety and protect animals

Areas where accident rates are highest could benefit from a new sign which warns of hazards due to animals in the road.

www.gov.uk

Hundreds of people are injured every year in collisions involving animals in the road, according to the latest Department for Transport figures.

In 2017, 629 people were injured in accidents involving an animal in the road (excluding horses) and 4 people were killed.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has today (17 June 2019) unveiled a new traffic sign, featuring a hedgehog, which warns road users of hazards due to animals in the road ahead and could be placed in areas where accident rates are highest.

He is calling on local authorities and animal welfare groups to identify accident and wildlife hotspots where the sign should be located.

The road sign is also designed to reverse the decline in wildlife numbers, in particular, hedgehogs whose population in rural areas has halved since 2000.

 

[Iskra]

Lancaster University has Duck warning signs on its entrance road due to ducks being quite common on campus.

I saw a frog sign in the Lake District.

Around here it's mainly the more common Deer sign.

 

[dangie]

How ludicrous

Not really. It’s to warn of migratory toads/frogs crossing so drivers should proceed with caution.

 

[ComUtoR]

What are these for? ( i don’t drive and have never read the highway code.)

Animal warning signs do just as they state on the tin. They provide a "warning" Triangular signs provide a warning to motorists.

How ludicrous

Drivers tend to swerve to avoid animals. This can, and does, cause accidents. Having the warning gives motorists a heads up. Forewarned, is forearmed and all that jazz.

Where I live we get a lot of Deer warning signs. I believe there is Deer/Wild animals, Horses (wild/ridden), Ducks/Wildfowl, and Migratory frogs.

My wildlife knowledge isn't great but I would assume that the frog one is because in some locations you get mass migration ? I doubt its anything like the Red Crabs but most likely, enough to cause a concern to motorists.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Reckon they're all unofficial, unless anyone knows otherwise! (Possible exceptions being the ones in the Official Highway Code booklet with cattle, wild animals, wild horses/ponies).

They are unofficial. There was a good one on my old drive to work: https://goo.gl/maps/a4hYduWc5c32h9aS9

In 5 years I don't remember ever seeing a duck there. Plenty of sheep and a few marauding cows on that road but never a duck.

 

[Roger1973]

The A21 south of Catford has signs for the benefit of the Catford Geese, who 'commute' between the grounds of St John's Church and Southend Pond

Metro article and video here

 

[32475]

I saw this on the Isle of Raasay in 2018

 

[Ediswan]

To quote The Highway Code:

Although The Highway Code shows many of the signs commonly in use, a comprehensive
explanation of our signing system is given in the Department’s booklet Know Your Traffic Signs,
which is on sale at booksellers. The booklet also illustrates and explains the vast majority of signs
the road user is likely to encounter.

Looking at the referenced booklet:
https://assets.publishing.service.g..._data/file/519129/know-your-traffic-signs.pdf
p14 has 'Wild fowl' (duck) and 'Migratory toad crossing'.

Neither document shows all the permitted signs. For example, brown tourist signs showing a Dalek do exist.

 

[jon0844]

They are a warning that ducks may be be on the road. There are a pair in Meriden near a large pond where the ducks are partial to crossing the road to the hotel opposite.

Don't they like sleeping at the pond?

 

[dangie]

Don't they like sleeping at the pond?

Way back in my power station work days it was common to see ducks and a fox ‘loitering’ together around the security gatehouse. The security men used to feed them. The fox wouldn’t bother chasing ducks when it knew a pork chop was coming.

 

[Snow1964]

We have road signs near to us with frogs on them….

There is a road in Ham, near Richmond Park that is closed for about 3 weeks a year due to toads crossing road to their spawning area that have these signs along with road closed to vehicles.

 

[MattA7]

Slightly of topic but what does the road sign “adverse camber” mean and why is it a hazard. I have heard some countries also use “adverse cambers” to protect cyclists

 

[Snow1964]

Slightly of topic but what does the road sign “adverse camber” mean and why is it a hazard. I have heard some countries also use “adverse cambers” to protect cyclists

It means the road slopes down towards outside of a curve, so tall vehicles could potentially tip outwards if they take corner too fast.

I suppose railway equivalent would be cant wrong way with inner rail higher than outer rail on a curve.

 

[Ediswan]

Slightly of topic but what does the road sign “adverse camber” mean and why is it a hazard. I have heard some countries also use “adverse cambers” to protect cyclists

Normal camber on a bend would have the road surface on the outside of the bend slightly higher than the inside. Which helps a vehicle stay on the road.
Adverse camber would have the outside lower than the inside. Which increases the risk of going off the road.

Edit: I have no idea how an adverse camber would protect a cyclist.
https://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/dictionary/adverse-camber

Adverse camber is used on Dutch roundabouts to deliberately slow motor traffic; the roundabout has to be driven around at a slower speed than if the surface was flat, or banked.

 

[Gloster]

At the end of my road was a notice (brown, tourist attraction style) saying Clemcident Corner. Other than an entry on Google for the junction itself, the word Clemcident does not appear to exist. I am wondering if it is an elaborate Internet joke.

Slightly of topic but what does the road sign “adverse camber” mean and why is it a hazard. I have heard some countries also use “adverse cambers” to protect cyclists

Roads are not flat but are usually slightly inclined down from the centre to the edge so that water runs off into the gutter. Adverse camber means that the road is not shaped in the normal way so a driver might be caught out as the car could behave in a slightly different way to the way that it would on a road with normal camber. (I think.)

 

[High Dyke]

We have road signs near to us with frogs on them….

No parking is allowed near that sign. Well you don't want to get toad away.

Talking of different signs, I saw this earlier this week.

Image: sign refers to lost ferret.

 

[MattA7]

Does anyone remember the old road signs that are supposedly pre 1970s. Bizarrely it appears that a picture of a old torch is used to represent a school.

(Image of old type of UK road sign warning of low and narrow bridge)


(Image of old UK road sign warning of a school)