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European traffic signals explained
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this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2026
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Yeah the red sign with a white or yellow bar through does absolutely not mean "everything is actually allowed if you have a good enough reason to be there." In Sweden.
It means you are under no circumstances allowed to drive past it.
While the red ring and yellow center means "traffic is forbidden" essentially the same thing, with the caveat that you don't need to expect traffic from the sign either.
IDK about Sweden specifically, but there is most likely a caveat there that if you work or live in an area behind the sign, or you are a public bus/cop/medic/postman/disabled, then you are allowed to go in, hence why two different signs.
The key word being "traffic". No traffic is allowed. Specifically no "engine traffic". Not sure how to translate it. But if it got an engine and is in traffic, you can't.
You could still walk past it.
Of course blue light vehicles go where they please during an emergency.
But anything that is considered traffic and powered by an engine is not allowed to enter.
To answer your last part. If some traffic is allowed, it will be specifically stated with an addative sign underneath saying something like "except permissable traffic"
Huh, interesting. Is there a red on white variant, or is it only red on yellow?
Because, at least in all ex-ussr countries, that are all supposedly Vienna convention signatories, red circle on white background means no entry but everyone I described in previous message can safely ignore it. It's to be placed in like factories, residential blocks you dont wanna people to just drive through, during road repairs, in government territories like police stations and courthouses, and on public transit parks like for trolleys and buses. You can safely drive into, but if a cop catches you there, they will ask for credentials to justify you being there. And it's not uncommon to see trucks on sidewalks and in public parks behind this sign unloading goods to nearby stores, which they are allowed to as long as they're actually unloading and not just driving through, which is very annoying when they block the entire path.
And for places that are really pedestrians only, most of the time there's a different sign, with a car facing forwards, with headlights and grill visible, like this. Still allows all the above, minus the "live or work there" caveat, so no normal cars or trucks, plus allows bicycles and horse carriages.
They're all red and yellow.
If there are any exceptions or conditions for various signs, it will be explicitly stated.
Places with factories might have the sign with text under "except permissable traffic".
As far as signs go. There's no sign with red border you can ever "ignore".
This sign means cars and motorcyles are not allowed. With the additional sign stating an exception "not applicable for residents and transports"