How traffic signs work
| What the rule is | Where it goes wrong | |
|---|---|---|
| Duty to obey | Art. 62: road users must obey traffic signs containing a command or prohibition. “Road users” — so the pedestrian too. | Thinking signs are for drivers only. The law picks the WIDEST word here, and that is a deliberate contrast with other articles. |
| Sign over rule | Art. 63: signs override rules — but only IN SO FAR AS the rules are incompatible with the signs. | Letting the sign override everything. Whatever does not conflict with it still applies: a priority sign says nothing about your speed. |
| Zone sign | Art. 66: with “zone” and an area indication the sign applies in that area; without an indication — from the sign to the matching end sign. | Thinking a zone ends at the first side street. A zone ends only at the end sign — junctions do not interrupt it. |
| Supplementary plate | Art. 67(1): a plate can EXPLAIN the sign, LIMIT it to certain road users, or with the word “uitgezonderd” DISAPPLY it for them. Symbols mean the same as in annex 1 (art. 67(3)). | Skipping the plate because it is small. It can lift the sign for you entirely — or make it apply to you alone. |
| Sign over one lane | Art. 65(1): on a road with lanes a sign can be limited to one or more lanes. Then it applies only there. | Taking a gantry sign above the left lane as yours while driving on the right — or ignoring the one above your own lane. |
| Parking signs E1–E3 | Art. 65(2): E1, E2 and E3 apply ONLY to the side of the road where they stand. The other side is a separate matter. | Applying a parking ban from the far side to your side — or assuming it covers the whole street. |
The law itself
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