This is one of the rarest UK road signs that you hope you'll never need to use

Published on Jul 25, 2025 at 12:51 AM (UTC+4)
by Grace Donohoe

Last updated on Jul 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

This is one of the rarest UK road signs that is important, but with any luck you’ll never have to use it.

Located across the pond is a rather odd-looking sign that states ‘Out ER’, but the true meaning is much deeper than you think.

One YouTuber decided to take a deep dive into the reasons behind why the signage appeared.

And it’s safe to say, it’s typically British as it relates to a certain topic. Spoiler: it isn’t tea.

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This is one of the rarest UK road signs but you’ll hope you never have to use it

Over the Atlantic in the UK, they have some odd quirks when it comes to the road.

From driving on the opposite side of the road to drivers in the US and having a different age requirement when it comes to getting your license, Brits do things differently.

Buckle in as this unusual road sign will blow your mind even further than ever before.

In Lincolnshire, which is located on the east coast, lies one of the rarest UK road signs, but its look is rather deceiving.

The sign displays the words ‘Out ER’, which to any American would surely imply that there is an exit of an emergency room nearby, but the real meaning is actually the complete opposite.

The real meaning of the sign is ‘outward evacuation route’, which refers to escaping issues caused by extreme weather changes such as flooding.

The installation of one of the rarest UK road signs was all down to a tidal surge in 2013, so to protect communities located on the coast, they were implemented.

The idea from officials was that the signage would allow people to get to a safe place effectively.

One YouTube creator, Auto Shennnagians, shared the reason behind the signs in the UK county, as well as taking a look at the signs for himself.

Thirteen routes in the area were said to benefit from the signs that were added by the council, but for overseas visitors, the signage could cause some confusion thanks to the ‘ER’ abbreviation.

But, you have to admit, it makes perfect sense that the signs relate to the weather, after all, it’s all that Brits can ever talk about.

Across the globe, road signs take all different forms

Having signs dotted along the roadside and up in front of the intersection allows drivers to take note of important things around them.

But, in different parts of the world, sometimes people can get creative.

For example, one man in eastern China was fed up with his commute so in a bid to make his own road sign, painted over the directions, but he was eventually tracked down and caught by cops who issued a fine.

Plus, in other road news, in the Sunshine State of Florida, a road sign at an intersection was blamed for causing incidents of road rage.

This road sign at a Florida intersection is being blamed for causing road rage incidents.

Who knew that road signs could be such a topic of debate all over the world?

You can catch Auto Shennanigans discussing the all-important ER signs below.

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Grace started her career writing about the weird and wonderful for the international press. She's covered everything from lifestyle to sports and hard news and now finds herself pursuing her main interest - cars. She's loved cars from a young age and has a keen interest in luxury travel too.