5 Nov, 2019 @ 21:17
2 mins read

Do you know what these 10 trickiest road signs in Spain mean?

Road Signs

driving

DRIVING in Spain has a reputation of being perilous at times, to say the least.

Perhaps it’s the conceived notion that no one indicates.

Perhaps it’s those pesky roundabouts which seem to make no sense or the hapless British tourists who have no clue what they’re doing. 

Or perhaps it’s because many drivers have trouble understanding what the many different road signs mean.

Spain’s transport body DGT has revealed that up to 64% of learner drivers consistently get the following 10 signs wrong in both the theoretical and practical exam. 

In a hope to improve the stats, the body has tried to explain them in as simple a way as possible.

So how many do you know?

Paso Nivel 1

These signs point to an upcoming level crossing or mobile bridge.

Most applicants, according to the DGT, are wrong to believe that they signal an upcoming intersection.

 

 

No Entrar 2

This sign means you must stop before passing and is found at customs, toll booths or police checks. 

There will usually be a barrier after it. 

Applicants often confuse it for the ‘no entry’ sign or believe it denotes the beginning or end of a toll road. 

 

 

Motos Number 3

This sign tells motorcyclists which lane or road they can use.

Respondents often get confused and believe it applies to cyclists and mopeds too.

 

 

One Way Sign 4

If you see this sign, it means you must drive in the direction it is pointing.

It is illegal to turn around or try to change direction. 

 

 

Cycle Reserved

Some 50% of driving licence applicants fail to get this one correct. 

The sign tells drivers that a road is for moped users only. 

Candidates frequently mistake the sign to include all other two-wheeled vehicles, including motorcycles and bikes.

 

 

 Random Car

This indicates that a road is for cars only.

It does not apply to motorcycles, which is what the majority of candidates get wrong.

 

 

Road Sign 7

This sign means the maximum recommended speed – in place for safety reasons – no longer applies.

Some 45% of test takers wrongly believe it denotes the speed limit.

The speed and pressure of the test is partly blamed for the error.

 

 

Road Sign 8

If you’re in a motor vehicle and see this sign, DO NOT enter the road. 

However if you are on a bike or moped, then it does not apply to you, as they are not classed as ‘motor vehicles’ by the DGT. 

Many applicants mistakenly write that the sign applies to any type of vehicle.

 

 

Road Sign 9

This sign prohibits entrance to mopeds, quadbikes and vehicles for people with reduced mobility. 

It does not affect motorbikes or bikes.

 

 

Senda Sign

I know what you’re thinking… a cycle lane… well, not quite. 

The sign denotes a path for both pedestrians and bicycles which is separated from the roads and runs through open spaces, parks, gardens or forests. 

Some 50% of test takers wrongly believe it means bicycles only, but that sign is actually a blue circle with a similar looking bike in the centre of it.

Laurence Dollimore

Laurence Dollimore is a Spanish-speaking, NCTJ-trained journalist with almost a decade’s worth of experience.
The London native has a BA in International Relations from the University of Leeds and and an MA in the same subject from Queen Mary University London.
He earned his gold star diploma in multimedia journalism at the prestigious News Associates in London in 2016, before immediately joining the Olive Press at their offices on the Costa del Sol.
After a five-year stint, Laurence returned to the UK to work as a senior reporter at the Mail Online, where he remained for two years before coming back to the Olive Press as Digital Editor in 2023.
He continues to work for the biggest newspapers in the UK, who hire him to investigate and report on stories in Spain.
These include the Daily Mail, Telegraph, Mail Online, Mail on Sunday and The Sun and Sun Online.
He has broken world exclusives on everything from the Madeleine McCann case to the anti-tourism movement in Tenerife.

GOT A STORY? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es or call +34 951 273 575 Twitter: @olivepress

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