Driving along an old harbour road, you see a triangular warning sign showing a car appearing to drop off the edge of the road into wavy lines representing water. What hazard is this sign warning of?
- A ford where the road itself dips down into a shallow river crossing
- A weak or narrow bridge liable to flood in heavy rain
- An unprotected quayside or river bank running alongside the road, with no barrier stopping a vehicle from entering the water
- A slipway used by boat trailers, where vehicles are expected to reverse into the water on purpose
Why C? And why not the others?
Correct answer: C. An unprotected quayside or river bank running alongside the road, with no barrier stopping a vehicle from entering the water
This sign, a car shown tipping off the edge of the carriageway into wavy water lines, is the 'quayside or river bank' warning, used on harbour, dockside, and riverside roads where the water's edge runs directly alongside the road with no kerb, wall, or barrier to stop a car leaving the carriageway and entering the water, particularly relevant when manoeuvring, reversing, or driving in the dark or fog. It differs from a ford, where the hazard is the road itself passing through the water on the way to the other side, not a drop at the road's edge while travelling along it; a ford is signed with its own separate worded triangle. It also differs from a weak or flooding bridge, which is a structural or seasonal hazard rather than an unguarded drop, and from a boat slipway, which is a deliberate, purpose-built place to launch a trailer into the water rather than an unintended hazard being warned against, nothing about this sign implies the water entry shown is intentional.
Source: DfT Know Your Traffic Signs — Warning signs (Quayside or river bank, diagram 555, GOV.UK)