The logo expressing "Limited Express" is very unspecific, imagine if buses with the Mercedes star cost extra and didn't stop at every stop.

Interesting that a lot of US road signs have words on them: https://ygraph.com/graphs/roadsigns-20120316T030941-ekrruua.... , or are obvious, whereas in Europe drivers need to learn what they mean: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh...

For example the yield triangle, no stopping and no parking are probably unfamiliar to US drivers.

Meanwhile all Alfa Romeo Quadrofoglio drivers might be mistaken for drivers with missing limbs in Japan.

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lexicality 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It was very surprising for me when I visited the US to see just how much space was wasted writing everything out on every sign and sometimes in giant words on the road.

It did also make me a bit worried about the expected level of driver education...

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xp84 6 hours ago | parent | next [-]

To me it's odd to imply people must be stupid because they're expected to read a few simple words such as "Left lane must turn left" rather than to memorize a bunch of symbols.

American signs very frequently combine both styles - for instance, you see the above words next to a sign with arrows for whatever lanes, wordlessly illustrating the turn types permitted.

If someone is a new driver, who hasn't seen the symbolic signs enough, the word signs are a good fallback. The goal is to maximize accessibility.

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Symbiote an hour ago | parent | next [-]

People have seen the symbols since childhood, and as far as I know in every European country it's necessary to pass the exam on knowing what they mean before starting practical driving lessons.

	▲	simonask 18 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Driving in Europe would be completely impossible without them. I have no idea what the Greek word for "no parking or stopping between 09 and 15" is, or the Croatian word for "left".

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streetfighter64 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

The system of signs used is an independent question from the level of driver education (which probably is generally lower in the USA than in most European countries though), which also is another question from whether people "are stupid".

The obvious benefit of the European style is that you don't need to speak the language in order to understand the signs, something that is clearly less important given the relative homogeneity of language in the USA.

But at least to me, the European road signs are also more quick to read. For example, the "only right turns" and "speed limit 60" are exactly the same shape and color in the USA, while in Europe there is more of a logical system (which also means you don't "memorize a bunch of symbols", you learn the "language" of the signs), such as blue disc means "mandatory", red circle means "prohibited", red triangle means "warning", etc.

	▲	Symbiote an hour ago \| parent [-]
		The European signs also fare better in snow, very heavy rain or if they're really dirty, since the shape (and maybe some colour) is still visible.

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mock-possum an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

You have to pass a written test to get your drivers license, so yes, you are indeed expected to be able to read.

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z2 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Both have pretty enjoyable design language. The US signs follow colors, red for prohibition, white for rules, yellow for hazards, green for directional and blue for service. For Europe or the Vienna convention that much of the world uses, in respective order it's red for prohibition, circles for rules, triangle for hazards.

	▲	Symbiote an hour ago \| parent \| next [-]
		And blue for instruction, so a blue circle is something you must do.
	▲	xnx 8 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		And brown road signs for tourist attractions, recreational areas, and cultural or historical sites.

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svachalek 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The yield triangle is super common here (California and everywhere else I've been in the US). It's even on your image.

No parking is usually a red curb or striped out area, which is different but also nonverbal. The complication is that many places have a EULA on parking spots that reads something like "No parking, 9-5pm, except on Tuesdays and full moons, or in a yellow vehicle, or by written agreement with a minimum of two signatures not including Bob". Good luck putting that in an icon.

That "no stopping" sign is unfamiliar to me, I guess we write it out but it's a pretty rare thing here to not allow stopping.

Most of the rest is familiar and/or obvious except the ones that have German words on them. Many of the concepts in writing don't exist on the German signs, I don't know if you don't have these signs or just not listed on your chart. Some of the English ones are just tooltips; it's never ok to stop on a railroad track but someone thought a reminder would be nice.

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lxgr 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

When in doubt, I’ll take a somewhat mysterious pictogram over a written sign in a language I don’t understand.

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skillina 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> Interesting that a lot of US road signs have words on them... whereas in Europe drivers need to learn what they mean

I mean... Europe had to develop a system that works regardless of whether you speak the local language. The USA assumed every driver would speak English. I would tend to favor the European strategy, though given how we've held out on adopting the metric system I won't hold my breath.