Drivers are convinced that '99% of people' don't actually know what this road sign means
Published on Feb 26, 2026 at 3:28 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 26, 2026 at 3:28 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Can it be possible that ’99 percent of people,’ including drivers, have no clue what this particular road sign means? While it sounds bizarre, it might actually be true. Welcome to the UK’s weird signage.
Our roads are full of signs warning us of speed limits, where to stop and give way, potential hazards in the road ahead, and many more besides.
Some road signs are quite unusual, and it’s perhaps understandable that there are a few that stump the large majority of drivers in various countries as we drive our cars.
However, there is one sign in the UK that many are convinced the vast majority do not know what it means, yet it’s one of the most commonly used across the country.
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This particular road sign is common in the UK
The sign is a circular one, with a white backdrop and a single black stripe diagonally through the middle at a 45-degree angle.
An image of the sign was posted in the drivingUK SubReddit on Reddit a few years ago.
The caption with it read ‘I’m convinced 99% of drivers don’t know what this sign means.’
It might look odd and nondescript, but it’s one of the most common you will see in the UK.
Drivers in the country will have had to learn about this sign for their theory tests as well.
Plus, during driving lessons and even the practical test itself, students will likely have driven past one too.
Yet many seem to be unaware of what it means.
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The sign references the speed limit on that particular road
What this sign denotes is that the ‘National Speed Limit’ is in force on that stretch of road
In the UK, this is 60mph.
This can fluctuate depending on the road, but usually, when this sign is shown, it’s 60mph.
Unlike some other UK road signs, this one is quite common.
But as the Reddit thread showed, there do seem to be a lot of people who have no idea what it means.
“One of the girls at my old hairdresser’s genuinely thought it meant ‘go whatever speed you want,'” said one user.
I’m convinced 99% of drivers don’t know what this sign means.
by in drivingUK
“For example, if you’re driving a BMW, it’s 100mph and excuses you from using indicators,” said another, jokingly.
Of course, on some roads, while the speed limit may be 60mph, you will drive slower due to the nature of the road.
But for such a common sign, it’s worrying how many would appear to have no idea what it means.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
