Not the cars, but large bodies of water across a road. Sometimes these are temporary and unintentional, as can happen on these narrow country roads if they are near a water source or it has been raining heavily, but others are designed to be crossed, especially by larger vehicles.. Some crossings have a bridge, but it is too small for HGV or lorries to use, so they are directed to the Ford, as you can see from this photo of the Eynsford Village Ford in Kent.
photo courtesy of http://www.photographers-resource.co.uk
There is specific directions for crossing a ford:
If there is a depth gauge in area, get out and check the depth.
Don’t try to displace the water by charging at the ford or flooded area. You could lose control, stall, then you would block the road for other travelers.
F is also for Fog–Two F-words today! I had to say something about FOG. Here’s a line from the Handbook:
Observe the obvious. It doesn’t take a sign to tell you it’s foggy if you can only see a short distance ahead. If you must park on a road during fog conditions, don’t leave headlights on, as this can lead other road users to think they’ve drifted over to the extreme right side of the road. They could thus mount the pavement in an attempt to kept left. This would be dangerous for pedestrians and might damage walls, property, street furniture and other vehicles.
What, what? Street Furniture? Really? Here’s the definition:
Street furniture: objects and pieces of equipment on roads and pavements; for example, street lights and signs, bus stops, benches, bollards, etc.
I’m learning new things every day!
Also here one must deal with the Fog Light and all its attendant rules.
- Fog lights must only be used when visibility is reduced to 100 metres or less.
- You MUST switch off fog lights when visibility improves. This is the law. They’re misleading and can dazzle other drivers if left on. They may also make your brake lights less conspicuous.
- When queuing in traffic and the driver behind has already seen you, switch off rear fog lights temporarily to avoid dazzling them.
- Front fog lights MUST NOT be used to improve the view of the road ahead, except in seriously reduced visibility.
How do we manage in the U.S.A. without fog lights??
Making Life an Art 
Street furniture is new! You are really inundating us with knowledge – thanks for all the hard work 🙂
And it is such critical information you absolutely need to know! Haha
🙂
I remember learning the instructions for crossing a ford when I was learning to drive, because it’s the only time they tell you to touch the brake with your left foot when moving ahead with the right, to remove any excess water from the brake pads!
Fog lights are just plain confusing, especially when fog is patchy up in the hills, sometimes I’ll be driving along and it’s practically a clear day and then I go round a corner and wham! dense fog. It would be good if the car folks could invent a mechanism for automatically detecting when fog lights are needed like they do with headlights, then the algorithm could cope with all the funny rules! ;P
Sophie
Sophie’s Thoughts & Fumbles | Wittegen Press | FB3X
Wow, I think you have an invention opportunity here!
This is all fascinating to me. I’ve never heard of a ford in this sense. Fog lights usage has always confused me too. Street furniture?! never heard of such a thing! Great post, Gail!
Many Blessings,
Lori
My A2Zs @ As the Fates Would Have It & Promptly Written
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And I’m learning things from you as well! Great job on your A-Z posts!
Thank you, Gail 🙂
In the US I get so mad when people don’t have their lights on in the fog. You can’t see them coming. I did a double take when I saw you photo. The building in the back looks like Shakespeare’s Globe and therefore I thought the photo was from the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire because the roads and park look very similar to your photo
Really! Cool! I just looked up where the Renaissance Faire is, and learned that Mt. Hope is 3 and 1/2 hours from my Mom’s home. Not bad! I’ll suggest they head down there–I can’t believe they run the faire from Aug-Oct! that is super-long! Most I know are a few weeks max.
It runs that long because they own the property. The Mount Hope Winery runs programs all year and the Faire their biggest. It is pretty close to me about 1.5 hours. We have a Faire 20 minutes away on the property of a summer day camp but it is just 3 weekends. My daughter acts with the troupe.
I love how they refer to shutting off your fog lights so you don’t “dazzling” other drivers. What a great description. I have never heard of most of these things. Interesting post!
Thanks! I’m enjoying all the insights into what the State O’ Maine has to offer. I grew up in Massachusetts and visited Maine a few times, but missed oh! so much! as I am now made aware! Can’t wait to get back “home” to explore the area more.
Hello,
Here from the A-Z and enjoyed your post. Street furniture is a new term for me! Great choice of F-words,
Nilanjana.
Ninja Minion, A-Z 2016
Madly-in-Verse
thanks! you are not doing too badly yourself with the A-Z—enjoying your entries as well
Would “street furniture” include the lawn chairs, garbage cans, road cones and other things people put out in the winter when they’ve shoveled a parking space out of the snow and are trying to claim is as their own so it’s still there when they come back from work at night?
Whoa! I’ve not heard of that; but it sounds like it would qualify for that category!