“Europeanisms” – traffic relevant vocabulary identified and investigated by INFOTERM for understanding throughout Europe – can be vocalized. Exception: Abbreviated SI units, they cannot be vocalized, but have a clear verbal equivalent. This facilitates verbal communication as needed by text-based systems (like RDS) and voice supported (in-car navigation) systems.
Europeanisms as proposed by INFOTERM for use on Variable Message Signs (VMS throughout Europe):
| Euro- peanism |
Meaning | Existing in | Harmonization effort |
| @ | Internet access available | – to be harmonized | |
| BUS | bus | Vienna Convention (VC), ISO | – as Tern Symbol figure 1.4.1.1 (acc. to ISO 7001) |
| CARAVAN | caravan | VC, ISO 7001 | – as Tern Symbol 3.3.2.10 |
| CENTRE / CENTER |
(city) centre | – as Tern Symbol 4.12 (slight variation according to national orthography could be considered as acceptable) | |
| CONTROL | Control | – should be considered | |
| ENTRY | entry to a building | – should be considered | |
| EXCEPT | except for … | VC | – as Tern Symbol 4.3, a green “tick” |
| EXIT | exit from highway, building… | Symbol for “exit” on motorways in confirmed countries: A, D, CZ, ES, F | – as Tern Symbol 4.8 |
| FULL | e.g. parking area full | – should be considered | |
| GRATIS | access/use etc. free of charge | – should be considered | |
| h | hour | DIN 1355, ISO/R2015-1971 | – as given (left) |
| H / HALT | halt (bus, tram etc. stop) | H=hospital in VC, or H= helicopter landing in the UK, (not an issue for road scenarios) |
according to VC: employment of vehicular symbol instead of “H” (as Tern Symbols for Bus [also ISO], Tram (Tern Symbol 3.3.2.3), … |
| i /INFO | information (point/available/…) | Symbol: ISO 7001 | – as in Tern Symbol 3.3.2.12 |
| km | kilometre (per hour etc.) | SI, ISO and VC | – as in SI, “km” in lower case letters |
| m | metre/meter | SI, ISO and VC | – as “m” in lower case letters only, acc. to given standards |
| METRO | metro, underground | VC | not possible, show local carrier logo combined with METRO as in Tern Symbol 3.3.2.2 |
| min | minute | ISO 31 (series) | – confusion with min. = minimum must be avoided |
| NO | not permitted, not allowed, denied | as symbols in VC Annex 1, Chapter C | harmonize for provisions not touching VC Chapter C – as Tern Symbol 4.3, a red “x” |
| OIL | Slippery road due to trail of oil | – to be harmonized | |
| OK | permitted/allowed | Other provisions in VC | – as Tern Symbol 4.3, a green “tick” |
| P / PARKING |
parking (area/building/…) | VC | None, harmonisation given. |
| P+R | park-and-ride | confirmed countries A, D, DK, FI, HU, NL, SE, UK | as Tern Symbol 3.3.2.2 (acc. to VC) |
| POL / POLICE | police | 0 | – to be considered |
| RADAR | radar (control) | – as Tern Symbol 3.1.3 | |
| RADIO | Traffic broadcast + frequency | – should be considered | |
| SMOG | polluted air | antiquated type of pollution | – should be considered |
| SOS | emergency (telephone, vehicle, …) | Antiquated sea distress signal since GMDSS (1999) | – should be harmonised |
| STOP | “stop” sign | VC | – is given, however, variations in size, etc. should be harmonized |
| t | ton (weight limit) | SI | – as given (left), in lower case letters |
| TAXI | e.g. “for taxis only” | Verbal: VC, Symbol ISO 7001 | – “TAXI” in upper case letters (slight variation according to national orthography could be considered as acceptable) |
| TEL | telephone | VC, ISO | – as Tern Symbol figure 3.3.4 |
| TRAIN | Train (crossing…) | VC, ISO 7001 | – should be considered |
| TRAM | Tram/Tram stop | VC, ISO 7001 | – as Tern Symbol 3.3.2.3 |
| TRUCK | Lorry, truck | – as Tern Symbol element 1.4.1.2 | |
| via | “reach [location ] via [location B]” | – “via” in lower case letters only | |
| WC | toilet (available…) | ON | – as Tern Symbol 3.3.2.20 |
| ZONE | e.g. parking zone | VC | – as in VC in upper case “ZONE” |
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