Vehicle-class signs: prohibited: part 1

Vehicle-class signs: prohibited: part 1: how to read them

This chapter teaches 8 signs from the official manual: Motorcycles prohibited, Motorcars prohibited, Taxis prohibited, Minibuses prohibited, Midi buses prohibited, Buses prohibited, Delivery vehicles prohibited, Goods vehicles prohibited.

Read the wording and symbol on each sign carefully. They tell you who the sign applies to, where it applies and what you must do, and two signs that look alike can apply to different road users.

Key idea: Check who a sign applies to before deciding what it means for you.

Motorcycles prohibited — R222

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign naming motorcycles. It speaks to motorcyclists and keeps them off part of the carriageway for safety reasons.

Where you meet it. On any public road, and at the beginning of pedestrian and separate cycle lanes.

What to do. If you ride a motorcycle, do not enter this part of the carriageway. If the sign is shown on a freeway, motorcyclists must leave at the first exit.

In practice. A motorcyclist sees this sign at the beginning of a separate cycle lane and does not enter it. On a freeway where it is shown, a rider would take the first exit.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "motorcycles only" sign, which sets a road aside for motorcycles instead of keeping them out.

Key idea: Motorcycles may not enter; on a freeway, leave at the first exit.

Motorcars prohibited — R223

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, motorcars, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are a motorcar, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to motorcars. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of a motorcar reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "motorcars only" sign. This sign keeps motorcars out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Motorcars prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Taxis prohibited — R224

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, taxis, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are a taxi driver, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to taxis. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of a taxi reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "taxis only" sign. This sign keeps taxis out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Taxis prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Minibuses prohibited — R225

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, minibuses, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are a minibus driver, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to minibuses. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of a minibus reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "minibuses only" sign. This sign keeps minibuses out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Minibuses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Midi buses prohibited — R226

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, midibuses, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are a midibus driver, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to midibuses. The official action text for this entry appears to be copied from another sign, so this follows the purpose text.

In practice. A driver of a midibus reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "midibuses only" sign. This sign keeps midibuses out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Midibuses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Buses prohibited — R227

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, buses, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are a bus driver, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to buses. The official action text for this entry appears to be copied from another sign, so this follows the purpose text.

In practice. A driver of a bus reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "buses only" sign. This sign keeps buses out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Buses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Delivery vehicles prohibited — R228

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, delivery vehicles, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are the driver of a delivery vehicle, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to delivery vehicles. The official action text for this entry appears to be copied from another sign, so this follows the purpose text.

In practice. A driver of a delivery vehicle reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "delivery vehicles only" sign. This sign keeps delivery vehicles out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Delivery vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Goods vehicles prohibited — R229

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, goods vehicles, who may not go beyond it. It speaks to that user only.

Where you meet it. On any public road, lane, path or area.

What to do. If you are the driver of a goods vehicle, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to goods vehicles. The official action text for this entry appears to be copied from another sign, so this follows the purpose text.

In practice. A driver of a goods vehicle reaches this sign at the entrance to a road or lane. The driver does not go past the sign and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "goods vehicles only" sign. This sign keeps goods vehicles out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Goods vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Quick recap

• Motorcycles prohibited (R222): Motorcycles may not enter; on a freeway, leave at the first exit.
• Motorcars prohibited (R223): Motorcars prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Taxis prohibited (R224): Taxis prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Minibuses prohibited (R225): Minibuses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Midi buses prohibited (R226): Midibuses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Buses prohibited (R227): Buses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Delivery vehicles prohibited (R228): Delivery vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Goods vehicles prohibited (R229): Goods vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.