'Barcode' signs by the roadside?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Sun 15 Dec 2002 10:26
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - LHM
Maybe they're not country-wide, but on many of the A-roads in Cambridgeshire/Lincolnshire I've noticed what I can only describe as barcode-like signs - maybe 2 feet x 10" - usually located at junctions on a convenient lamp-post.

Does anyone have any idea what they are (or were) for? Possibly handy if you're shopping for lamp-posts??!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 15 Dec 2002 14:38
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - Andrew Hamilton
Perhaps they are location indicators for road charging trials? Not seen any on the North Essex side. When did they appear?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 15 Dec 2002 14:45
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - JamesH
They have been in Cambridgeshire for years. I think the police use them. (Not sure what for though).

James
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 15 Dec 2002 15:23
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - Jonathan {p}
They are used by the authorities responsible for the maintenance of the roads. A special vehicle is driven over the road, measuring the wear of the surface. It uses the barcodes in order to know where it is.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 15 Dec 2002 15:26
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - LHM
Hi Jonathan!!

What a timely reply - and many thanks for clearing up my 'mystery' :-)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 15 Dec 2002 15:24
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - LHM
Andrew - as James points out, I remember seeing them ages ago and wondering "what on earth are they for?"! I'm not sure if they're still used.

They are light grey in colour and usually 'out in the sticks', so I wouldn't have thought they were for any charging system. Could be police use - or maybe haulage ?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 17 Dec 2002 20:23
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - FergusTheDog
I think they are used by bus companies to record when each bus passes a given point.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 9 Mar 2012 07:04
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - Iris_21990

Interesting.

Barcode signs by the roadside. i have no idea that barcodes were so common in 2002.

Edited by Avant on 09/03/2012 at 22:40

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 9 Mar 2012 13:45
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - NARU

Lazarus would approve of this thread :-)

Edited by Marlot on 09/03/2012 at 13:46

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 9 Mar 2012 14:53
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - RicardoB

Suddenly starting to feel old - I mean, ten years and more that websites, message boards etc in place.

Not to mention that someone found this old thread!

Think I'll wander off to a dark corner with my code reader.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 9 Mar 2012 16:23
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - Bobbin Threadbare

People do dig up some old threads on here, do one post, and then b***** off. Some of them are totally irrelevant as well....

I was doing my A-levels when this thread was posted :-)) OLD!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 9 Mar 2012 16:26
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - jamie745

Holy thread ressurection batman!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 9 Mar 2012 22:44
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - Avant

Unfortunately 'Iris' was just trying to get a free advert in: 'barcode' was a link. Not any more it isn't.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 10 Mar 2012 20:39
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - balleballe

A whole 10 years ago - was even before my GCSE's

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Mar 2012 00:05
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - Bobbin Threadbare

*feels old...!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 25 Sep 2012 12:17
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - wheelerbilt

In the 70's & 80's I did wonder if they were part of a tracking system for MOD lorries and vehicles carrying dangerous or classified loads.

It may not be so. But it's a good conspiracy theory.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 25 Sep 2012 18:43
'Barcode' signs by the roadside? - RicardoB

Oh my word. I think I actually remember reading this question the first time around. Or (hopefully) someone else had asked it more recently.

But, yes, where do the years go? And as someone else said, internet forums are so part of our lives nowadays, but back then, they were really quite novel.

Anyway, going to join others now in a dark corner.

Oh dear.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link