Traffic signs help organize road traffic.
Signal is a term that comes from the Latin signalis . It is a sign , signal , mark or means that informs, warns or warns of something . This notice allows information to be made known, a warning to be issued or to serve 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 placed in visible places to be able to attract attention .
International code of signals
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 status of the ship or the captain's decisions, using a language common to all, regardless of their geographical origin. The means used for this type of communication are radio, Morse code, signal flags and semaphores .
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 appointment of a permanent committee to monitor and revise it in the future.
In physics, a signal is the variation of a magnitude (such as electric current) that is used to transmit information.
Historical changes
Among the changes made to the signal code were the inclusion of expressions useful to airmen and medical vocabulary (approved by the International Bureau of Public Hygiene). With each modification it has become more versatile and precise, increasing its effectiveness in moments of maximum tension.
Among the messages that can be sent using the international code of signals, we find warnings of abandoning a ship (with various explanations, 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 support phrases such as the promise of help to rescue victims of an accident on board. To represent them, a few characters are usually sufficient, sometimes alphanumeric, grouped as if they were acronyms (AC, AN 2, MAC).
Traffic signs
Traffic signs , on the other hand, are those that organize and regulate the movement of vehicles. They are located on streets or roads and indicate the maximum speed allowed, the prohibition of passage, the obligation to stop and other issues related to the rules of public roads.
These signs are therefore essential for regulating traffic and reducing the risk of road accidents.
Other uses of the concept
In physics , a signal is a variation in electric current or another magnitude that is used to transmit information. For example: "The phone has no signal" , "The signal indicates that the phone is busy at this moment" .
A signal can also be a gesture made by a person to warn another of a certain circumstance. This type of signal can be made, to mention one possibility, by moving one of the limbs of the body.
A clue or a trace left behind of something can also be referred to as a sign: "There are no signs that allow us to assume that the murderer passed through this tunnel before fleeing" , "The birdsong may be the sign of an impending storm" , "My brother is still showing no signs of life: I hope nothing bad has happened to him" .