European Town, road and street signs.

[gordon_s1942]

My wife and I watch the major cycling races on both Foxtel and SBS as a very cheap way of touring Europe from the comfort of home and I have noticed over the last few years how international the signage has become with a few odd ones appearing.
One is a large Town sign with the town name in black letters on a white retro-reflective background but there is a red bar running from the bottom left to the top right across it and I wondered what the bar signifies?
Another I saw yesterday was a circular sign about the size of the standard STOP sign that had a dull orange background with 4 large purple balls or 'dots' on the face of the sign.
I wondered at first if it was to do with the actual race but I saw it again further along the road, this was in Brussels.

Before anyone says cycling is boring I would in general agree with them but chuck in a few skin removing crashes, the scenes from the Helicopters over flying places most of us would never to see unless we win Lotto keeps us happy for a couple of hours.

[mtv]

Don't know about the orange/purple dots. Orange background is often associated with road construction/maintenance.

The town name with the red bar usually signifies speed restriction is lifted as you are leaving an urban area.

[gordon_s1942]

The odd point here is the sign is at the entrance of the town, not leaving as you would expect to indicate where the division occurs.

Because here in NSW with a 'blanket' 100 KPH limit covering the whole State unless otherwise posted, the speed derestriction sign with a diagonal bar through it has almost disapeared now.

[Uncle Fester]

My wife and I watch the major cycling races on both Foxtel and SBS as a very cheap way of touring Europe from the comfort of home and I have noticed over the last few years how international the signage has become with a few odd ones appearing.
One is a large Town sign with the town name in black letters on a white retro-reflective background but there is a red bar running from the bottom left to the top right across it and I wondered what the bar signifies?
Another I saw yesterday was a circular sign about the size of the standard STOP sign that had a dull orange background with 4 large purple balls or 'dots' on the face of the sign.
I wondered at first if it was to do with the actual race but I saw it again further along the road, this was in Brussels.

Before anyone says cycling is boring I would in general agree with them but chuck in a few skin removing crashes, the scenes from the Helicopters over flying places most of us would never to see unless we win Lotto keeps us happy for a couple of hours.

The crossed out town sign means that you have left the town's border with it's speed restictions and you can now drive at the general speed of land roads usually 80 or 100km/h.

I have never seen a sign with 4 dots. How clear did you see it, was there stong sun reflecting on it?
....or maybe it was badly weathered away. Orignally it could have been a redish circle with 4 bluish triangles(can appear a bit purple) that actually create a red X on a blue back ground, which means no parking or standing.

[Uncle Fester]

The odd point here is the sign is at the entrance of the town, not leaving as you would expect to indicate where the division occurs.

... posts popping up while I was writing.
The crossed out sign on the entry may have been from a past village that joins directly with a new one and I have seen new town signs almost in the middle of a town. Belgium is a cray place when it comes to signage and I have got lost several times. I even got locals to drive in front of me to guide my way back to the autobahn. They are very freindly there.

[gordon_s1942]

....or maybe it was badly weathered away. Orignally it could have been a redish circle with 4 bluish triangles(can appear a bit purple) that actually create a red X on a blue back ground, which means no parking or standing.

I finally saw one exactly as you describe, a reddish circle with 4 bluish triangles that creates a red 'X' on a blue background !!!

Thanks everyone for the info