Most of the world follows the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, where all the important road signs are understandable without reading. This is how no entry signs look around the world [1]
replyEspecially important in places like Europe, where it's common for the driver to be able to read, but unable to speak the language of the country they are currently driving through. I can't speak any Polish, but can travel on Polish roads just fine
1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibitory_traffic_sign#No_en...
This. It’s bizarre to claim that it’s impossible to drive safely in a country where you don’t speak the language. I’ve driven plenty in remote parts of the Middle East despite not reading Arabic, and never once went into oncoming traffic.
replyI've had some close calls with roundabouts with one-way on/off roads, especially figuring out the bike lanes. None of it required reading but would have been safer for sure.
replyThen there is Hanoi.
>Though it is true you don't need to be able to read to operate a vehicle, you /do/ need to be able to read to operate a vehicle safely.
replyNot really. You just need to be able to decipher the sign, which is trivial, even if you can't read it or spell it.