Vehicle-class signs: prohibited: part 2

Vehicle-class signs: prohibited: part 2: how to read them

This chapter teaches 7 signs from the official manual: Construction vehicles prohibited, Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited, Abnormal vehicles prohibited, Rickshaws prohibited, Tour buses prohibited, Agricultural vehicles prohibited, Animal-drawn 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.

Construction vehicles prohibited — R231

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, construction 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 construction vehicle, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to construction 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 construction 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 "construction vehicles only" sign. This sign keeps construction vehicles out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

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

Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited — R232

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, vehicles transporting dangerous substances, 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 vehicle conveying dangerous goods, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to vehicles transporting dangerous substances. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of a vehicle conveying dangerous goods 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 "vehicles transporting dangerous substances only" sign. This sign keeps vehicles transporting dangerous substances out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Abnormal vehicles prohibited — R233

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, abnormal 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 an abnormal vehicle, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to abnormal vehicles. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of an abnormal 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 "abnormal vehicles only" sign. This sign keeps abnormal vehicles out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

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

Rickshaws prohibited — R234

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign naming rickshaws. It is addressed to the person pulling a rickshaw.

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

What to do. If you are pulling a rickshaw, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to rickshaws.

In practice. A rickshaw puller reaches the entrance to a road with this sign. The puller does not go past it and does not enter the area.

Easily confused. Do not mix this up with the "rickshaws only" sign, which sets a road aside for rickshaws rather than keeping them out.

Key idea: Rickshaws prohibited: the puller may not go beyond this sign.

Tour buses prohibited — R235

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, tour 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 the driver of a tour bus, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to tour buses. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of a tour 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 "tour buses only" sign. This sign keeps tour buses out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

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

Agricultural vehicles prohibited — R236

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, agricultural 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 an agricultural vehicle, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to agricultural vehicles. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of an agricultural 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 "agricultural vehicles only" sign. This sign keeps agricultural vehicles out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

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

Animal-drawn vehicles prohibited — R237

How to read it. This is a "prohibited" sign: it names the kind of user, animal-drawn 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 an animal-drawn vehicle, do not proceed beyond this sign and do not enter the area. The sign applies to animal-drawn vehicles. Drivers of other vehicles are not the ones it is addressed to.

In practice. A driver of an animal-drawn 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 "animal-drawn vehicles only" sign. This sign keeps animal-drawn vehicles out, while an "only" sign sets a road aside for them.

Key idea: Animal-drawn vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.

Quick recap

• Construction vehicles prohibited (R231): Construction vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited (R232): Vehicles transporting dangerous substances prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Abnormal vehicles prohibited (R233): Abnormal vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Rickshaws prohibited (R234): Rickshaws prohibited: the puller may not go beyond this sign.
• Tour buses prohibited (R235): Tour buses prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Agricultural vehicles prohibited (R236): Agricultural vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.
• Animal-drawn vehicles prohibited (R237): Animal-drawn vehicles prohibited: they may not go beyond this sign.