A recently shared image of a pedestrian crossing sign has left people confused about its meaning.
The sign features a standard pedestrian crossing symbol with an additional sign underneath showing an image of glasses.
This unexpected combination has led to widespread speculation about its purpose.
The mystery behind the pedestrian crossing sign
The image was shared on the r/roadsigns Reddit forum, sparking confusion and debate.
Some users speculated that the sign was from Russia or a former Soviet nation.
However, the original poster clarified that the sign was from Ukraine.
Despite this clarification, the true meaning of the sign remained unclear.
Reddit users had fun with their guesses.
One person humorously linked the glasses to John Lennon, saying, “Watch out for John Lennon lookalikes trying to recreate the Abbey Road cover.”
However, this suggestion was far from the correct explanation.
One person said: Pedestrian crossing. Warning, they may be blind
A second wrote: The formal sign in the U.S. was a diamond yellow shape with a blind person walking with a cane. Now it’s a blue rectangular sign where the blind person is walking with a guide dog.
While a third commented: Could mean = Warning,,,,, sun shine expected, put on sunglasses
Another added:I‘ve never seen that sign and it’s pretty obvious it warns for blind pedestrians
Someone else said: Blind people crossing??
The correct meaning of the pedestrian crossing sign
Eventually, someone explained the true meaning of the sign. The pedestrian crossing sign with glasses underneath is a warning for blind pedestrians.
The glasses symbol indicates that visually impaired individuals may be crossing the road.
One Reddit user clarified, “Pedestrian crossing. Warning, they may be blind.”
Different versions of pedestrian crossing signs around the world
This sign is not unique to Ukraine. Variations of the pedestrian crossing sign can be found around the world, with different symbols used to indicate blind pedestrians.
In the US, the sign used to be a diamond-shaped yellow sign with a blind person using a cane.
It has now been updated to a blue rectangular sign featuring a blind person with a guide dog.
In New Zealand, a similar sign shows a diamond shape with the word “BLIND” added to the pedestrian crossing symbol.
In the UK, a triangle sign is used to show elderly pedestrians crossing, with a sign beneath reading “Blind People.”
The pedestrian crossing sign with glasses underneath is a unique and lesser-known symbol for blind pedestrians.
While it may be confusing at first glance, it serves an important purpose in alerting drivers to the presence of visually impaired individuals.
The variations of this sign around the world highlight how different countries approach road safety for blind pedestrians.