Mystery road sign in Iceland

RoxnDox · 09-21-2015, 10:03 AM

Hey all, I have a wee bit of a mystery I hope someone can solve...

My mom and sister just got back from a trip to Iceland - they rented a car and drove around the island, visiting the ancestral homestead and seeing the sights, and I have a copy of the pics my sister took. Yes, I am really really really jealous and it's even higher on the ol' bucket list now.

My sister took a bunch of shots, naturally, and one of them is a road sign that they had absolutely no idea what it meant but it looked intriguing. I looked around the Internet for a couple hours trying to find this one, but never did. Hoping that someone in our worldwide group might be able to help. I did find a somewhat similar image on the net for an 'auto ferry', but nothing with this one:

It was apparently just at a bridge over a small river, not near a port or anything else.

Jim

**wtlwdwgn** · 09-21-2015, 11:01 AM

It looks like a boat with tall masts.

RoxnDox · 09-21-2015, 11:03 AM

Originally posted by wtlwdwgn

It looks like a boat with tall masts.

Yep - which makes its location on a small river even more intriguing...

tuco · 09-21-2015, 11:08 AM

Maybe a sigh indicating water traffic.

reeftool · 09-21-2015, 11:11 AM

UFO landing site?

RoxnDox · 09-21-2015, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by tuco

Maybe a sigh indicating water traffic.

A *very* small "river"... My mom, 75+ with tiny little T-Rex arms, could toss a rock the length of that bridge!

RoxnDox · 09-21-2015, 11:35 AM

Originally posted by reeftool

UFO landing site?

Could be...

bobD · 09-21-2015, 11:53 AM

There's an app for that....

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.is.traffic.signs&feature=s...esult&hl=en_GB

the online pages have the most common signs.. perhaps the app has more of the lesser known ones..?

**savoche** · 09-21-2015, 11:56 AM

It sure doesn't look like any official road sign. The closest I can find on the site of the Icelandic road authorities are these:
www.vegagerdin.is | Umferðarmerki | Vegakerfið | Vegagerðin

Might be an older version, of course. But as you say, the location is somewhat peculiar...

Parallax · 09-21-2015, 11:57 AM - **1 Like**

Car ferry.

Icelandic road markings and traffic signs - Arctic car rental in Iceland

At the very bottom of the page.

RoxnDox · 09-21-2015, 12:26 PM

Originally posted by bobD

There's an app for that....

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.is.traffic.signs&feature=s...esult&hl=en_GB

the online pages have the most common signs.. perhaps the app has more of the lesser known ones..?

Originally posted by savoche

It sure doesn't look like any official road sign. The closest I can find on the site of the Icelandic road authorities are these:
www.vegagerdin.is | Umferðarmerki | Vegakerfið | Vegagerðin

Might be an older version, of course. But as you say, the location is somewhat peculiar...

Originally posted by Parallax

Car ferry.

Icelandic road markings and traffic signs - Arctic car rental in Iceland

At the very bottom of the page.

Yes, that car ferry was the closest match I could find (in fact that's the one I had a link to) but not quite the same, and no the app doesn't have any additional ones. All things I had run across last night... Maybe it's just an Icelandic joke on the tourists - put up random signs that are almost but not quite meaningful...

bobD · 09-21-2015, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Maybe it's just an Icelandic joke on the tourists - put up random signs that are almost but not quite meaningful..

Now that you mention it... looking at the sign closely there seems to be some mounting holes where the original would have been and the replacement looks as if it was removed from elsewhere---see the marks around it's fixings.

Some local stole a ferry sign and put it here as an ironic comment on the meagre size of the waterway....or a comment on another locals failure to cross by bridge due to overindulgence...?

adwb · 09-21-2015, 10:59 PM

It's a lifting bridge to allow vessels with masts through

RoxnDox · 09-22-2015, 09:19 AM

Originally posted by adwb

It's a lifting bridge to allow vessels with masts through

But the sign was on a tiny river (more a creek from what my sister said), away from anything. You can see pretty much the entire bridge in the photo... No lifting

Jim

adwb · 09-22-2015, 09:49 AM

twas ment to be ironic , irony is so much fun, the Icelanders are known for their ironic attitude, look at there responce to the banking crisis

09-21-2015, 10:03 AM	#1
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494	Mystery road sign in Iceland Hey all, I have a wee bit of a mystery I hope someone can solve... My mom and sister just got back from a trip to Iceland - they rented a car and drove around the island, visiting the ancestral homestead and seeing the sights, and I have a copy of the pics my sister took. Yes, I am really really really jealous and it's even higher on the ol' bucket list now. My sister took a bunch of shots, naturally, and one of them is a road sign that they had absolutely no idea what it meant but it looked intriguing. I looked around the Internet for a couple hours trying to find this one, but never did. Hoping that someone in our worldwide group might be able to help. I did find a somewhat similar image on the net for an 'auto ferry', but nothing with this one: It was apparently just at a bridge over a small river, not near a port or anything else. Jim

09-22-2015, 09:49 AM	#15
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	twas ment to be ironic , irony is so much fun, the Icelanders are known for their ironic attitude, look at there responce to the banking crisis Last edited by adwb; 09-22-2015 at 11:38 AM.

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09-21-2015, 11:01 AM	#2
wtlwdwgn Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings, MT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,838	It looks like a boat with tall masts.

09-21-2015, 11:03 AM	#3
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494 Original Poster	Originally posted by wtlwdwgn It looks like a boat with tall masts. Yep - which makes its location on a small river even more intriguing...

09-21-2015, 11:08 AM	#4
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,026	Maybe a sigh indicating water traffic.

09-21-2015, 11:11 AM	#5
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,554	UFO landing site?

09-21-2015, 11:34 AM	#6
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494 Original Poster	Originally posted by tuco Maybe a sigh indicating water traffic. A very small "river"... My mom, 75+ with tiny little T-Rex arms, could toss a rock the length of that bridge!

09-21-2015, 11:35 AM	#7
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494 Original Poster	Originally posted by reeftool UFO landing site? Could be...

09-21-2015, 11:53 AM	#8
bobD Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Waikikamukau Photos: Albums Posts: 1,248	There's an app for that.... https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.is.traffic.signs&feature=s...esult&hl=en_GB the online pages have the most common signs.. perhaps the app has more of the lesser known ones..?

09-21-2015, 11:56 AM	#9
savoche Master of the obvious Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Lowlands of Norway Posts: 18,311	It sure doesn't look like any official road sign. The closest I can find on the site of the Icelandic road authorities are these: www.vegagerdin.is \| Umferðarmerki \| Vegakerfið \| Vegagerðin Might be an older version, of course. But as you say, the location is somewhat peculiar...

09-21-2015, 11:57 AM - 1 Like	#10
Parallax Senior Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Dakota Photos: Gallery Posts: 19,332	Car ferry. Icelandic road markings and traffic signs - Arctic car rental in Iceland At the very bottom of the page.

09-21-2015, 12:26 PM	#11
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494 Original Poster	Originally posted by bobD There's an app for that.... https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.is.traffic.signs&feature=s...esult&hl=en_GB the online pages have the most common signs.. perhaps the app has more of the lesser known ones..? Originally posted by savoche It sure doesn't look like any official road sign. The closest I can find on the site of the Icelandic road authorities are these: www.vegagerdin.is \| Umferðarmerki \| Vegakerfið \| Vegagerðin Might be an older version, of course. But as you say, the location is somewhat peculiar... Originally posted by Parallax Car ferry. Icelandic road markings and traffic signs - Arctic car rental in Iceland At the very bottom of the page. Yes, that car ferry was the closest match I could find (in fact that's the one I had a link to) but not quite the same, and no the app doesn't have any additional ones. All things I had run across last night... Maybe it's just an Icelandic joke on the tourists - put up random signs that are almost but not quite meaningful...

09-21-2015, 01:03 PM	#12
bobD Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Waikikamukau Photos: Albums Posts: 1,248	Quote: Maybe it's just an Icelandic joke on the tourists - put up random signs that are almost but not quite meaningful.. Now that you mention it... looking at the sign closely there seems to be some mounting holes where the original would have been and the replacement looks as if it was removed from elsewhere---see the marks around it's fixings. Some local stole a ferry sign and put it here as an ironic comment on the meagre size of the waterway....or a comment on another locals failure to cross by bridge due to overindulgence...?

09-21-2015, 10:59 PM	#13
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	It's a lifting bridge to allow vessels with masts through

09-22-2015, 09:19 AM	#14
RoxnDox Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington, USA, Terra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,494 Original Poster	Originally posted by adwb It's a lifting bridge to allow vessels with masts through But the sign was on a tiny river (more a creek from what my sister said), away from anything. You can see pretty much the entire bridge in the photo... No lifting Jim