Austria forges ahead/Neues österreichisches Verkehrsschild

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Neues österreichisches Verkehrszeichen

This is an additional sign Austria is attaching to 3,500 level crossings that have no protection other than a cross sign (Andreaskreuz – saltire), a stop sign and the whistle of the train. It tells them to listen out for the whistle. It’s not clear whether the sign can be understood by kangaroos.

Here’s someone who likes photographing these cross signs (in Germany).

The Highway Code on various types of level crossings.

bq. Open crossings
271: These have no gates, barriers, attendant or traffic lights but will have a ‘Give Way’ sign. You should look both ways, listen and make sure there is no train coming before you cross.

(via Michael Kadlicz but first reported by Ingmar Greil)

9 thoughts on “Austria forges ahead/Neues österreichisches Verkehrsschild

  1. So now I’m wondering will I soon be translating things like “listen for the whistle” here in Vienna??? No, honestly, where I used to work the boss would let loose a soccer-coach/steamtrain whistle to get our attention at meetings (she also sat on the table), maybe we could put this sign on HER door???

  2. Ekkehard: yes, but ever fewer. These are the victims we don’t hear about. They say ’23 people died at open level crossings in Austria last year’ – but how many steam trains died?

    emm: I haven’t experienced the whistle. At the college where I used to teach, a bell was often used in staff meetings. It always seemed rather rude to me, to interrupt our conversations.

  3. Not being familiar with the plight of deaf kangaroos, I’m unable to judge.
    It’s just that they might stop, read the sign, listen, hear nothing and end up as schnitzel on some Austrian’s plate

    Paul

  4. My steam train-mad 4 year-old a.k.a. Dampflokbua has drawn my attention to the following:

    Die Ybbstalbahn (ÖBB) bietet täglichen Einsatz der Diesellok 2095 und der Triebwagen 5090, ergänzt durch fallweise Fahrten mit der Dampflok Yv.2 des Club http://www.erlebnisbahn.at/dampfzug.php

    Also, to Locomotive Express in Vienna – a restaurant and playground between Millennium City and Mexikoplatz on the Danube.

    A very good translator friend of mine from London – a PCL/Westminster Uni. lecturer – died on holiday in Austria 20 years ago on an Austrian level crossing when his bike got stuck in the track and he went flying. No train in sight, but he wasn’t wearing a crash helmet.

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