Recommendations for Rando-Vélo waymarking

This is a translation of http://www.randovelo.org/fr/vebalis.php — remember that they ride on the right, so where it says "right", UK cyclists may like to think "left" and the reverse.

Equipment

The minimum equipment to have before going waymarking is: stickers, scissors, indelible marker, small pot of yellow paint, small pot of blue paint, small pot of neutral paint (grey, green or brown), two flat brushes per colour - one fine and one broad, some cloths and rags. Eventually, a solvent to remove stickers (acetone?), yellow and blue signs, aluminium or zinc nails, hammer etc (WARNING! Do not nail to trees - only onto wooden posts...)

General Rules

The waymarking of tourist routes is regulate by the decree of the Walloon government of 1 April 2004 which entered into force 1 June 2007, following the end of 1 March 2007 of deciding the application method. Nonetheless, Rando-Velo benefits from a derogation in waymarking matters and is authorised to mark ways with yellow and blue bars. Meanwhile, it's necessary to follow these recommendations:

  • The waymarker respects the yellow and blue markings that they find on the site www.randovelo.org (above). They avoid arrows and other oddities that can only render tourists sceptical.
  • Discretion is de rigeur: no dripping markings, nor oversize or repeated.
  • Simple paint markings should not be larger than 10cm x 6cm.
  • The waymarker doesn't add markings where there isn't a change in direction.
  • To the contrary, at least a marking at each junction. Even if continuing straight ahead seems logical, some people sometimes have particular logic and that helps standardise waymarking.
  • Apart from a check of waymarking, the marker assures that there are no redundant markings near the place where they think fit to put a new mark.
  • The crossing of two routes will be reinforced with route numbers, with the help of an ad-hoc sticker or by using an indelible marker on the mark.
  • Don't stick a sticker on the side of a post to save money. A sticker on the side can be totally invisible in the dark or rain. Put stickers facing cyclists.
  • And always mark on the cyclist's right. The only exception should be when there is no suitable support on the right.
  • Mark before or after the junction? The ideal is before AND after. But it's without doubt unnecessary when ways meet at near 90 degree angles. In that case and if both before and after are possible, it's best to have turn-left/right markings before the junction. For a straight ahead, without doubt it's better to put the marking AFTER the junction - the mark is then visible from all directions - for cyclists coming from adjacent roads and picking up the route at an intermediate point (coming from parking or after a visit to a tourist attraction or restaurant). Moreover, in complex junctions with nearby forks or acute angles, a reminder after the junction exit isn't too much.

Tolerated and Forbidden Posts

  • It is completely forbidden to mark:
    • Mileposts
    • Traffic lights
    • Belisha beacons (zebras)
    • Pipe warning markers (gas, water, fire hydrants, ...)
    • Bus stops
  • Marking the ground is also strictly forbidden
  • All private posts are forbidden: house walls, drainpipes, ...
  • The front faces of road signs are completely forbidden and the rear should only be used if there's no alternative.
  • The posts holding road signs are tolerated if there's no other post near.
  • Service cabinets of phone, traffic lights and so on are not recommended because parts get moved around as needed for repairs.

Copyright

Translation copyright MJ Ray, available under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Original copyright Rando-Velo asbl and reproduced under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/