Welsh get incomprehensible anti-GPS signs
By Donald Melanson 
posted Aug 28th 2007 11:17AM
posted Aug 28th 2007 11:17AM
Apparently looking to avoid unfortunate incidents like this (or this, or this), the Welsh Assembly recently agreed to put up signs warning drivers not to use their GPS along narrow lanes. Problem is, the drivers may end up spending more time trying to figure out the meaning of the signs than they ever did staring at their GPS. According to Sky News, the signs are aimed specifically at lorry drivers, who seem to have been particularly prone to getting stuck along roadways around St. Hilary in the Vale of Glamorgan -- a problem one local resident described as a "nightmare." Despite those potential issues of comprehension, that region has now gotten four of the signs as part of a one-year trial period, although there doesn't appear have to been any word on their effectiveness (or lack thereof) just yet.[Thanks, Barry T]
Why can't they just put a sign that says "GPS" with a cross over it? Like a no smoking sign? But I doubt drivers would listen anyway.
Analphabetic/dyslexic lorry drivers obviously, there's a lot of lorry traffic from countries where that's common.
Not that it STILL wouldn't be easier to figure out than this sign I guess.
it does actually say underneath, in English, what the sign means. Here in the UK we get a lot of European drivers who may not understand. The photographer cut out the words in order to make it appear more ridiculous.
No trucks when satellites are overhead!
That's exactly how I interpreted it.
Well it's certainly not no satellites when TRUCKS are overhead, silly.
Hooray, more regulation!!! I would trust GPS to get me where I want to go before I would trust that other motorists will obey traffic signs/laws.
Its not a regulation, its a sign. Theres no law to back it up, its meant to be helpful. I live in rural Wales, and have been stuck behind lorries which have been following their GPS, and cant go forward or back. Its mostly continental drivers, whose grasp of the English language may not be perfect - a pictogram may seem funny but these long distance artics come from all over Europe. There is already height/weight restrictions but these get ignored.
Watch out! Truck-targeting killer satellites here!
The people who have these problems don't seem to look at the road or warning signs, so I dooubt they will even see these. Maybe if the GPS unit told them to look at the sign that said not to trust the GPS.
To me it says: Red Stripe Dish Network Trucks Allowed.. how many people have died trying to read this friggin sign?
sounds clever to me. welsh roads are notorious for being either tiny or on cliffs with sheer drops. cars have no problems with turning round and going back but its obvious lorry drivers that have complained to the wrong people about being taken down the wrong road. damn map providers not doing their jobs properly.
If it were still around, I'm sure this would wind up on This Is Broken. I read it as "No Trucks; Satellites OK"... heh...
Either that or this could read as a two part story of the Welsh's quiet reminder to the world that they now have lorry-destroying crazy satellite lasers...
They're just daring you to try using that gps...
I can read :orbital strike can destroy trucks.
What, no ubiquitous SkyNet joke yet?
I live in Wales and saw one of these signs last week. It didn't seem clear however under the sign it read "Do Not Follow GPS Directions"... clearer?! I think not! If it wasn't bad enough to put every road sign in 50 different languages now we have to put up with stupid signs like this. Thanks National ASSembly.
Satellite advisory: "Buckle that lorry!"
To me it said:-
Caution, lorries will be zapped with giant frikkin lazer beam from the US "Death Star" flying past.
We do not welcome our satellite directed, lorry driving overlords.
the satellite image isn't too bad though, I think anybody can see that's a satellite (and a lorry but that's an easier image to make).
No launching satellites from lorries. Violators will be vaporized.
Surely the whole point of GPS is that you don't need to look at signs ? ?
Surely the obvious problem is that Lorry drivers haven't set their GPS's to Lorry rather than car so its only a matter of time till they get stuck or cant go under bridges etc like has happened numerous times before.
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