Comments on: When were metres prohibited on road signs? http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/ Commentary on the measurement muddle in the UK Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:43:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: dan http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-1102 Fri, 11 May 2007 21:27:57 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-1102 where i live, in york there are a scattering of signs that display in metric ie. blue signs that state, "narrow lanes for 1000m" yet further down the road another sign displays yards. what a mess we're in!!! where i live, in york there are a scattering of signs that display in metric ie. blue signs that state, “narrow lanes for 1000m” yet further down the road another sign displays yards. what a mess we’re in!!!

]]> by: Alex Bailey http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-1095 Fri, 11 May 2007 13:41:49 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-1095 I've been talking to somebody who seems to know some of the answers to the questions asked. It seems that the use of "tonnes" for weight limits was introduced in 1981. Given savings regulations (which allows older signs to stay up until they wear out to save money) all of the old "tons" signs should now be gone, but clearly they haven't. It's believed that metric weight and hight limit signs were introduced at about the same time but didn't get much use until after 1991. I’ve been talking to somebody who seems to know some of the answers to the questions asked.

It seems that the use of “tonnes” for weight limits was introduced in 1981. Given savings regulations (which allows older signs to stay up until they wear out to save money) all of the old “tons” signs should now be gone, but clearly they haven’t.

It’s believed that metric weight and hight limit signs were introduced at about the same time but didn’t get much use until after 1991.

]]> by: Darren Maxwell http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-1036 Wed, 09 May 2007 00:07:05 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-1036 All I can say is if I ever flaten some poor road worker I'll be using the metric mess as my defence. If I see a sigh telling me of something to expect in yards I have no clue at all how long before I should expect it. And since stopping distances are tested in meters it makes even less sense. If there is something I need to be aware of on the road I should not be left tring to convert between two mesurement systems to know when to brake. What was that clunk? All I can say is if I ever flaten some poor road worker I’ll be using the metric mess as my defence. If I see a sigh telling me of something to expect in yards I have no clue at all how long before I should expect it. And since stopping distances are tested in meters it makes even less sense. If there is something I need to be aware of on the road I should not be left tring to convert between two mesurement systems to know when to brake. What was that clunk?

]]> by: Martin Vlietstra http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-681 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 05:07:02 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-681 David, The Traffic Signs and General Directions 1994 were superceded in 2002 by the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions 2002. David, The Traffic Signs and General Directions 1994 were superceded in 2002 by the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions 2002.

]]> by: Philip S Hall http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-634 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 18:38:58 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-634 The following web page may be of interest: http://www.btinternet.com/~roads/signs/history/history5.html It states that metric signs first appeared in 1981. The following web page may be of interest:

http://www.btinternet.com/~roads/signs/history/history5.html

It states that metric signs first appeared in 1981.

]]> by: Dave Brown http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-611 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:27:21 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-611 I don't know the detailed history, but I've recently heard metric signs objected to because they contravene The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994. I don’t know the detailed history, but I’ve recently heard metric signs objected to because they contravene The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994.

]]> by: Alex Bailey http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-609 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:14:29 +0000 http://www.metricviews.org.uk/2007/04/09/when-metres-prohibited/#comment-609 I can't find any hard evidence but I did find a couple of old road atlases - those ones with information on road signs in them - one published by Hamlyn in 1985 showed weight limit signs using "tons" whereas the 1993 Readers Digest Drivers Atlas of the British Isles uses "T" instead. Neither has any other indication of metric road signs. I've seen evidence that "Traffic Signs Regulations 1994" allowed metric units in height, length or width provided feet and inches were also displays but that distances must be in miles or yards. I've yet to find anything though which mentions weight limits... current laws specify the use of metric but I'm having a hard time persuading local authorities near where I live to fix signs which still read "tons" (which is quite frustrating when the BWMA seem to do so well getting perfectly good metric signs removed!) I can’t find any hard evidence but I did find a couple of old road atlases - those ones with information on road signs in them - one published by Hamlyn in 1985 showed weight limit signs using “tons” whereas the 1993 Readers Digest Drivers Atlas of the British Isles uses “T” instead. Neither has any other indication of metric road signs.

I’ve seen evidence that “Traffic Signs Regulations 1994″ allowed metric units in height, length or width provided feet and inches were also displays but that distances must be in miles or yards. I’ve yet to find anything though which mentions weight limits… current laws specify the use of metric but I’m having a hard time persuading local authorities near where I live to fix signs which still read “tons” (which is quite frustrating when the BWMA seem to do so well getting perfectly good metric signs removed!)

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