[OSM-talk-be] D1 road sign

[Ben Laenen]

On Monday 11 February 2013 02:19:31 A.Pirard.Papou wrote:
> What you are showing here is a Ministeriële omzendbrieven
> <http://www.wegcode.be/wetteksten/secties/omzendbrieven>M.O. 30-10-1998
> <http://www.wegcode.be/wetteksten/secties/omzendbrieven/mo-301098>
> **
> It's a text that must be not be read by the drivers but by the persons
> who place the signals.

Er, that's about allowing cyclists in a oneway street, and how municipalities 
should implement it. It's not about the D1 traffic sign at all (sure, it's on 
the page a few times, but not related to your issue).

I was quoting from the "special placement conditions of traffic signs", which 
is a ministerial order, which is law and appeared in the Staatsblad/Moniteur. 
And as citizens you're supposed to know all laws... But even if you only know 
the traffic code itself, there is still no issue.


> I have talked to a lawyer and he confirmed that the code is incorrect
> because it says two different things to the driver (horizontal arrow)
> and to that person (sloping arrow).
> And indeed, a signal that indicates to turn to the right or left should
> be a different signal than the signal to avoid an obstacle, which are
> two different rules.

Well, if your lawyer says otherwise... But I do wonder when it actually 
matters for you as a driver anyway. You're supposed to follow the arrow, 
that's all you need to know.

> Again, the text you're showing is
> Ministeriële omzendbrieven
> <http://www.wegcode.be/wetteksten/secties/omzendbrieven>M.O. 30-10-1998
> <http://www.wegcode.be/wetteksten/secties/omzendbrieven/mo-301098>
> **
> which is not for the drivers to read.
> Same conclusion.

No, you're now pointing towards the same off topic "ministerial lettre" from 
above. I was again quoting from the "special placement conditions of traffic 
signs".


> It's not a concern for the driver whether the distance is long or short
> but it is his concern that the rule applies before and after the sign,
> which the code does not say.

It doesn't say it litterally about the double arrow, but it does say that the 
rule starts from the sign with an arrow pointing upwards, and ends at the sign 
with the arrow pointing downwards. When there's a double arrow, there will 
always be a sign with an arrow pointing upwards ahead of the double arrow, and 
one pointing down behind it. The sign with a double arrow is just there as a 
reminder. If you ever encounter a sign with a double arrow without signs ahead 
and behind with single arrows, that's an error from your municipality and 
should be fixed.

So again, what is the issue really?

Ben