Road design, safety and Vision Zero

[dtkvictim]

I will say the "end" signs here were confusing for me when I first arrived here, I didn't immediately understand what it meant when there was a grey sign with a slash through it...but they are at least extremely distinct from the beginning signs and also symbolic and not relying on an understanding of a particular language (although the Dutch absolutely do not shy away from using Dutch on road signs).

That's true, you do need to still learn the pattern once. I play a lot of Geoguessr, so I was already familiar with the whole strikethrough pattern as an alternative to "ENDS".

End of built up area, Poland: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5688067,...?entry=ttu

End of lower speed limit, Switzerland: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.084542,7...?entry=ttu

End of built up area with name, Germany: https://www.google.com/maps/@48.9750382,...?entry=ttu

But I think much more important than the specific signs is how the entire roadway design cues the user without even using signage.

I forgot to post this nugget from the Speed Limit sign section of the Ontario Traffic Manual

The posted speed limits should always be consistent with the characteristics of the road. The physical characteristics in the transition zone should be self-explanatory in guiding drivers to lower their speeds; the road cues and the posted speed limit should provide a uniform message.

But when a manual writes "should" instead of "must", we all know what that means...