Traffic signs help organize road traffic.
Signal is a term that comes from the Latin signalis . It is a sign , sign , mark or means that informs, advises or warns about something . This notice allows you to disclose information , issue a warning or act as a reminder.
The signs are conventional ; That is, they are created according to certain guidelines so that they can be recognized by as many people as possible. They must be located in visible places to be able to attract attention .
International signal code
Also known as CIS, the international code of signals is a resource that allows sailors to send messages from one ship to another regarding the state of the ship or the captain's decisions, using a language common to all, regardless of their geographical origin. . The media used for this type of communication are radio, Morse code, signal flags and traffic lights .
The history of this code dates back to 1855, when the British Trade Agency presented a list of more than 70 thousand messages, obtained from the combination of 18 flags; It consisted of two parts: one with international signals and another for exclusive use in British territory. Three decades later, the code was revised and modified in the United States of America.
Subsequently, and after having been used in various maritime confrontations, the code received a second revision, which included translation into seven languages , including French and Spanish, and the designation of a fixed committee to be in charge of monitor and review it in the future.
For physics, a signal is the variation of a magnitude (such as electric current) that is used for the transmission of information.
Historical changes
Among the changes that were made to the signal code was the inclusion of useful expressions for aviators and medical vocabulary (approved by the International Office of Public Hygiene). Through each modification it has become more versatile and precise, increasing its effectiveness in moments of maximum tension.
Among the messages that can be sent through the international code of signals, we find alerts of abandonment of a ship (with various clarifications, such as that it has suffered a nuclear accident and that it represents a danger due to radioactivity), requests for medical assistance (with a series of possible reasons), key questions for locating a ship and supporting phrases such as the promise of help to rescue victims of an accident on board. To represent it, a few characters are usually enough, sometimes alphanumeric, grouped as if they were acronyms (AC, AN 2, MAC).
traffic signs
Traffic or transit signs , on the other hand, are those that organize and regulate the movements of vehicles. They are located on the streets or highways and indicate the maximum speed allowed, the prohibition of passage, the obligation to stop and other issues related to the rules of public roads.
In this way, these signs are essential to organize traffic and reduce the risk of road accidents.
Other uses of the concept
For physics , a signal is a variation of electrical current or other magnitude that is used to transmit information. For example: "The phone has no signal" , "The signal indicates that the phone is currently busy" .
A signal can also be a gesture that a person makes to warn another of a certain circumstance. This type of signal can be made, to mention one possibility, through the movement of one of the body's extremities.
A clue or a vestige that remains of something can also be mentioned as a sign: "There are no signs that allow us to assume that the murderer passed through this tunnel before fleeing," "The singing of birds can be the sign of a imminent storm» , «My brother still shows no signs of life: I hope nothing bad has happened to him» .