‘This is a real trap’: Driver baffled by highway signs

A driver was fined for speeding on the Chelyabinsk–Yekaterinburg highway, even though he was driving at 88 km/h. The violation was recorded by a video surveillance system between the turns to Kasli and Bagaryak. At these intersections, the traffic pattern was changed several years ago, traffic lights were installed, but initially there were no speed limit signs. The camera was set to 50 km/h, and the motorist did not immediately understand why.

‘Perhaps I missed the speed limit sign before the turn to Kasli, but in any case, the speed limit is in effect until the intersection,’ ponders driver Oleg. ‘It seems illogical: the speed limit applies right after the traffic light, when you«ve already passed the accident-prone section? I know this highway well, I observe the speed limit, and I»ve never had a fine from this section over many years of travel. Moreover, right before the trip, I updated the maps in «Yandex.Navigator» and the database of surveillance cameras on my dashcam.’

The TsAFAP GAI (Center for Automated Fixing of Administrative Offenses of the State Traffic Inspectorate) explained that this section of the Chelyabinsk–Yekaterinburg highway is accident-prone, so the road owner installed a ‘Speed Limit Zone’ sign with a limit of 50 km/h. The surveillance cameras are set to this exact value.

What is sign 5.31

But we are used to the fact that a speed limit is in effect until an intersection, and if there are no new signs after it, by default the limit becomes 90 km/h (for rural highways), right?

In general, yes, but in this case, we are talking about different signs. Drivers are well acquainted with prohibitory signs 3.24 ‘Maximum Speed Limit’, which are in effect either until the cancelling sign 3.25 or 3.31, or until an intersection, or until the end or beginning of a populated area.

But here we are talking about the outwardly similar special regulation sign 5.31 ‘Zone with Maximum Speed Limit’, which applies until the cancelling sign 5.32. Its effect is not interrupted by intersections or entrances to populated areas. Such signs are needed to limit speed not only on a section of road, but on an entire territory, for example, on passages within an industrial zone. Upon seeing them, a motorist must observe the speed limit until the cancelling sign. In this case, the speed limit zone extends for more than a kilometer, which seems not very intuitive.

‘I continue to hold the opinion that this is a trap for drivers, having little to do with road safety,’ believes Oleg. ‘If the traffic light for those moving on the highway is green, then 90 km/h is a perfectly safe speed when driving on a straight multi-lane road with a dividing barrier. If the light for those on the highway is red, then there are no obstacles for exiting from the adjacent road: for them, it«s green. Even a conscientious driver, which I dare to include myself, after passing two regulated intersections, will assume that the effect of the “50” sign has already ended.’

Nevertheless, such signs are used — and this needs to be kept in mind.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit between the father of a deceased driver and road workers continues: in an accident, a safety barrier pierced the car. And cameras in Chelyabinsk Oblast are now detecting another type of violation (and motorists, it seems, are pleased).