Bollards #bollard

246 clues · 90 countries.

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Showing 246 clues across 90 countries.

Albania · Identifying Albania
Albanian bollards have a black top with a red and grey reflector. The bottom is painted white.

NOTE: Italy uses the same kind of bollards.
Albania · Identifying AlbaniaAI
Other, more simple Albanian pole tops will often have horizontal bars.

NOTE: If you are not sure between Montenegro or Albania and see these poles, guess Albania.
Albania · Spotlight
On this section of the E86 near the Greek border, you will sometimes see these unique bollards. They have a round shape and a simple red reflector. They look superficially similar to the flatter Turkish bollard.
Andorra · Identifying Andorra
The Andorran bollard has an orange reflector and can be occasionally found on the main highways.

NOTE: This bollard can also be found in Spain.
Australia · Identifying Australia
Australian bollards are white, with a red reflector on the front, and a grey reflector on the back.

NOTE: New Zealand uses a bollard where the red reflector wraps around the back, meaning the reflector goes from end to end while the Australian one stops in the middle.
Australia · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
These rusty metal poles, containing several holes, are unique to the Northern Territory.

NOTE: These poles can also sometimes be found in some areas of northern WA, such as Wyndham.
Australia · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Reflectors that are shorter in height than the regular ones are most common in Queensland and South Australia.

NOTE: Short reflectors can be found in every state, but are much less common outside of QLD and SA.
Australia · Regional and state-specific clues
Bollards with brown paint at the bottom are most commonly found in Western Australia.

NOTE: Brown paint at the bottom of exposed bollards can also rarely be seen in other states, however the brown section will not be as large.
Australia · Regional and state-specific clues
These black-and-white stripy bollards are unique to Western Australia.
Australia · Regional and state-specific clues
This black-and-yellow bollard is exclusive to Queensland.
Australia · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
You can find these dark green property markers on the sides of roads in Western Australia.
Austria · Identifying Austria
Austria uses white bollards, with a black top. The colour of the reflector is (dark) red or dark grey.

Many bollards also feature a small nipple-shaped black cap on the top. Bollards sometimes have a snow pole on top.

NOTE: Slovenia and Montenegro use the same bollards, but with bright red reflectors instead of grey or dark red. Germany uses simple white bollards with grey reflectors.
Austria · Identifying AustriaAI
These yellow natural gas poles, which resemble snow poles, are unique to Austria.
Austria · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
These yellow and white stripes around poles and signposts are found in Vorarlberg.
Azores · Identifying the Azores
Since the Azores is an autonomous region of Portugal, you will often come across various types of Portuguese infrastructure, such as poles, chevrons and bollards.
Bangladesh · Identifying Bangladesh
Bangladesh uses red-and-white concrete bollards throughout the whole country.

NOTE: They can also be found in a square form instead of a circular form.
Belgium · Identifying Belgium
Belgium uses white bollards with a yellow rectangular reflector on the front and white on the back. A second type of bollard is dark brown with two red stripes at the top. Occasionally, other bollards can be seen.

NOTE: Denmark uses similar white bollards, but they have a red stripe at the top and the reflector is not rectangular. The dark brown bollard with two red stripes can also be seen in the Netherlands.
Bhutan · Identifying BhutanAI
Thin metal poles are occasionally found in Bhutan. They are often painted black at the bottom.
Bhutan · Identifying BhutanAI
These are the Bhutanese road markers, notice the yellow top and the white bottom.

NOTE: If you are on rural roads and would like to find out where you are, these markers are the best clue to narrow down the exact location.

On national highways, the road number is found on the top of the marker, but is not labelled on the map. However, it can still be used to identify the road using this table.
Brazil · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Similar to the Bahia and Pernambuco poles, Goiás poles also use long, yellow pole paint with a black paint code, but it always starts with a number. They also have a rarer yellow on black pole ID, which can be either paint or a plate.
Brazil · SpotlightAI
São Paulo has a square, yellow pole ID paint. It has three letters on top followed by two numbers, a black line, and four more numbers. The three letters represent the municipality within São Paulo, but are rarely visible.
Bulgaria · Identifying Bulgaria
Bollards are generally fairly rare in Bulgaria.

When you see them, they almost always have this somewhat generic design, which is relatively similar to the bollards found in Croatia and Hungary. They have a red reflector on the front, and a white one on the back. The design isn’t terribly consistent: sometimes they are thinner, and the shape of the reflector varies.
Cambodia · Identifying Cambodia
Cambodia has a variety of different bollards. The most common ones are:
- A stone bollard with red-and-white stripes.
- A stone bollard with a red top and a white base, usually with a reflector in the red part.
Some bollards are unique to a road or region. More details can be found in the region-guessing section.
Cambodia · Identifying CambodiaAI
Cambodian road markers are made of stone, with a white-coloured base and a rounded red top. You will find the road number on the narrow side and a town name with a distance on the main side.
Cambodia · Identifying Cambodia
Chevrons in Cambodia are black with yellow arrows.

Chevrons are somewhat rare. On many occasions, Cambodia prefers to use bollards instead of chevrons to mark curves in the road.

NOTE: Chevrons in all other Southeast Asian countries have the reverse colour scheme: yellow with black arrows.
Cambodia · Spotlight
Black-and-white bollards in Cambodia are only found on Road 48, between Tatai and the intersection with Road 4.

NOTE: Make sure to check other clues before guessing, because this style of bollard is commonly found in Thailand.
Cambodia · Spotlight
Unique triangular bollards with red stripes can be found in three places in Cambodia, all located in the same area in the southwest:
- On Road 4 between Angk Snuol and Preah Sihanouk. They are especially common in the section between Kirirom National Park and Preah Sihanouk.
- One small off-road of Road 4, in Ream National Park near Preah Sihanouk.
- In Preah Monivong National Park.
Canada · Regional/province-specific clues
Alberta has a unique black and white bollard that is often found at intersections. It has a cylindrical shape and two black bands that wrap all the way around. It is one of the most useful Canadian bollards to learn because it appears so frequently.

NOTE: Some Alberta bollards have a yellow band between the two black bands, instead of a white one. Blue bands can also rarely be seen, particularly in and around Calgary, while green bands are rarely seen in and around Edmonton.
Canada · Regional/province-specific clues
Manitoba uses black and grey painted bollards. Most of the time an orange stripe will be present below the grey one.

Wooden, rectangular bollards of this form are typically found further north in Manitoba.

NOTE: Bollards in this format with just a black top are seen in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Canada · Regional/province-specific clues
British Columbia has black-and-white bollards with a thin, slightly curved shape. It is most commonly found on Vancouver Island, but can be found all throughout the province.

NOTE: They can look superficially similar to the Alberta bollard. However, the thin shape and the wider spacing of the two black bands should help you tell them apart.
Canada · Regional/province-specific clues
Québec has unique bollards that are always attached to guardrails. They are long, thin white poles with a red or green reflector at the top.
Canada · Regional/province-specific clues
These flat, yellow bollards can be found on the Trans-Canada highway in New Brunswick.
Canada · Regional/province-specific clues
The Northwest Territories has a black and white bollard with a cylindrical shape and two thick, black bands.

NOTE: It looks very similar to the Alberta bollard. However, the Alberta bollard has thinner black bands.
Canada · Regional/province-specific cluesAI
Ontario uses distinct orange and black striped traffic cones.

Québec, on the other hand, has unique orange and white striped traffic cones.
Chile · Identifying Chile
Chilean bollards are similar to Spanish style bollards, with a white reflector at the front and a yellow-orange reflector at the back. They are not super common.
Chile · Identifying Chile
While regular bollards are somewhat rare in Chile, you may sometimes find this orange, temporary bollard, with two white stripes at the top.
Chile · SpotlightAI
Round poles with black paint can be seen in the town of El Salvador.
Christmas Island · Identifying Christmas Island
Christmas Island uses the standard Australian bollard. It is a simple white bollard with a red reflector on the front, and a grey reflector on the back.

NOTE: In general, road infrastructure metas are similar to those found on mainland Australia, such as speed limit signs, green sign backgrounds, etc.
Colombia · SpotlightAI
Intersections in the coastal city of Barranquilla are commonly marked by small concrete poles (mojones) bearing street names. For example, this image was taken at the intersection of Carrera 42 and Calle 68.
Costa Rica · Identifying Costa Rica
The equivalent of a bollard in Costa Rica would be these vertical orange boards with 3 black circles on them.
Costa Rica · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
Yellow pole paint that is tall and has 3 sections with numbers is mainly found in Puntarenas and southern Alajuela provinces.
Costa Rica · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
Yellow pole paint that is shorter and contains all the numbers without dividing lines is mainly found in Guanacaste and northwestern Alajuela provinces.
Costa Rica · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
Yellow pole paint divided into 2 sections with horizontal characters at the bottom are almost unique to southern Alajuela province.

NOTE: You can find 2 sectioned yellow pole paint without the horizontal characters at the bottom almost everywhere in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica · Spotlight
From the “Route 32 Toll” close to the San José and Heredia border until where it intersects RN 4 west of Guapiles, the road uses yellow bollards placed between the centre road lines.
Croatia · Identifying Croatia
Croatian bollards are white with a black rectangle and red or white reflector. From the top, it is shaped like a triangle.

NOTE: Hungarian and Lithuanian bollards look similar, but have more rounded edges compared to Croatia’s sharper edges. Lithuanian bollards will also have an orange reflector. North Macedonia sometimes uses similar bollards, however the country is only covered in Generation 3.
Cyprus · Identifying Cyprus
Bollards are superficially similar to Turkish bollards, with a red reflector at the front and a white one at the back. However, unlike Turkish bollards, they are not flat but rather triangular, with a slanted top.
Cyprus · Regional clues
The Paphos Forest nature reserve consists of windy mountain roads with red soil on the sides, passing through the mostly uninhabited Mediterranean forest. You will not see any bollards in the reserve, with few exceptions.
Cyprus · Regional clues
A different kind of bollard with a black top, resembling those found in Slovenia for example, can sometimes be found in north-eastern Cyprus.

NOTE: The presence of regular Cypriot bollards does not exclude the highlighted region.
Czechia · Identifying Czechia
Bollards in Czechia have orange double reflectors on the front and a single white reflector on the back. There are also rarer blue and red variants.

NOTE: The only other country with the same design is Slovakia.
Czechia · Identifying CzechiaAI
Czechia and Slovakia most commonly use wide, round concrete poles, which are quite often attached in pairs.
Czechia · Identifying CzechiaAI
Stripy gas and water poles reminiscent of snow poles can often be found next to the road.

NOTE: Dozens of poles of various utilities all over Europe use stripy patterns. Consider the location of the pole, as well as other clues before making a guess.
Denmark · Identifying Denmark
Denmark has a very recognizable white bollard with a yellow reflector and a dark orange stripe. This bollard is unique to the country. You may also find this green variant.

NOTE: Belgium has bollards that may look somewhat similar. However, it will never feature the orange stripe.
Denmark · Identifying Denmark
You will rarely see these stone bollards, which may be painted red at the top, near bicycle paths.
Dominican Republic · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
These black-and-purple pole markings are only found on poles in the Santo Domingo area.
Ecuador · Identifying Ecuador
Ecuador is one of the few Latin American countries where bollards are very common.

You will find two main types of bollards:
- A round bollard with two red stripes,
- A flat bollard with two red reflectors on black.
Many other bollards can be found, however, they will almost always have the same colour scheme and style.

NOTE: A similar rectangular bollard can sometimes be found in Malaysia.
Estonia · Identifying Estonia
Estonian bollards have a round, baton-like shape.

They have a rectangular reflector on the front and two circular reflectors on the back. The reflectors can be white or orange.

NOTE: Latvian and Lithuanian bollards look different.

! shows the main similarities and differences between the bollards of the Baltic and Nordic countries.
Faroe Islands · Identifying the Faroe Islands
Faroese bollards are small wooden sticks that are mainly painted yellow and sometimes red on the top.
Finland · Identifying Finland
Finland has long black-and-white bollards with a rectangular, white reflector on the front and two dots on the back. They can be either round or thin and curved. The black strip is typically diagonal.

NOTE: They can look somewhat similar to bollards found in other Northern European countries. This infographic shows the differences.
Finland · Identifying FinlandAI
In Finland, it is common to find orange snow poles with a thin white band near the top.

NOTE: These are also found commonly in Norway and Sweden, but with a much wider white band, lower down on the pole. They can also have multiple white bands, while Finnish snow poles usually have just one band.
France · Identifying France
The French bollard is extremely recognizable and appears very often. It is a round white post with a pointed top and a reflector band going all the way around. The band can be grey or red. Some rare variations have a fully red top.

NOTE: A bollard that is commonly found in Scotland looks similar, but has a blunt top instead of a pointed one.
France · Identifying France
A different round white bollard, with two reflective indented bands, is unique to France.

You can also find this design in other colours like green or yellow.
France · Identifying France
Less common wedge-shaped bollards with wide rectangular white reflectors on both the front and back are also unique to France.
France · Identifying FranceAI
Wooden poles and thin octagonal metal poles are very common in rural areas and small towns.
France · Identifying FranceAI
Roads may be lined by tall rectangles on a stick in the colours of the Austrian flag, which are not found elsewhere.
Germany · Identifying Germany
Germany uses these black and white bollards, with white and light-grey reflectors. The reflector will be orange on bollards next to intersections. They sometimes have plates containing the road number, and potentially other useful information. Many bollards also feature blue attachments on the side.

NOTE: Many European countries have similar bollards, however most will have different coloured reflectors. Luxembourg uses almost identical bollards, but they have 3 bolts instead of 2 on the reflector.
Germany · Identifying Germany
You will find an excessive amount of bollards on most roads in Germany. Around every 50 metres to be exact.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
Bollards with darker reflectors than usual are found in these regions.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
Some bollards in North Rhine-Westphalia have a green bit at the top. The top can also be another colour.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
These round wooden bollards, which have a painted top, are found in Bavaria.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
These irregular looking bollards, which do not have a white encasing on the bottom half, are found on K-roads in this region of Lower Saxony. K-Roads in this region will not have any other type of bollard.
Germany · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
These simple orange posts are most commonly found in Bavaria, and also in the other highlighted states.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
These basic white plates on bollards can be found in these states.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
Bollards standing on these black disks are commonly found in all of eastern Germany.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
Rhineland-Palatinate is the only state where the plates on the bollards are orange instead of white.
Germany · Regional and state-specific clues
Similarly, Baden-Württemberg is the only state where the plates on the bollards can be grey instead of white.
Germany · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
These white posts with a red cap are found in all of former East Germany, but most commonly in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Germany · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Fully yellow posts are found in the state of Brandenburg.
Germany · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Yellow posts with a white plate on them are found in Saxony-Anhalt.

NOTE: Sometimes there is only 1 plate, which can make it hard to tell apart from a Brandenburg post.
Germany · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
These round concrete poles are almost unique to Former Eastern Germany.
Greece · Identifying Greece
Greek bollards are wedge-shaped with almost square reflectors, being red on the front and white on the back.
Guatemala · Region-specific cluesAI
These regions in the south and northeast also have the backwards facing bar. The difference here is that the bottom right bar is missing the thin black cap, which is present in the other regions.
Guatemala · Spotlight
These small white bollards with two black stripes can be found on road 1 northeast of Quetzaltenango.
Hawaii · Identifying HawaiiAI
Thick yellow bands can sometimes be seen on poles in Hawaii.

NOTE: Make sure not to confuse this with the 3 stripes found on Californian poles.
Hong Kong · Identifying Hong Kong
Yellow bollards with a white arrow in a blue circle are commonly seen at pedestrian crossings, but also elsewhere, indicating where cars should go. There is a flat and a cuboid version.
Hong Kong · SpotlightAI
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge can be seen from the South Perimeter Road, on Chek Lap Kok Island. Its length stretches into the horizon, spanning across the ocean. The road itself can be recognized by the black and yellow concrete barriers on either side.
Hungary · Identifying Hungary
Hungarian bollards are black-and-white, wedge-shaped, and typically have a red reflector at the front, and a white reflector at the back. Blue reflectors are also somewhat common.

NOTE: Croatian bollards are very similar. They do, however, typically have the reflector closer to the top, and appear somewhat thinner than in Hungary.
Hungary · Spotlight
The road east of Tornanadaska, right by the border to Slovakia, can be easily recognized by the snow on and along the road, combined with the bollards and the railway right next to the road.
Iceland · Identifying Iceland
Iceland has unique yellow bollards with a white reflector. These bollards are extremely common and can be found throughout the country on almost every section of rural road.
India · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Thin grey metal poles are seen all over northeastern India and in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. You will commonly see two of these poles in close proximity.
India · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Small metal poletops in the shape of a window are found in Punjab and Haryana.
India · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Pole paint consisting of five or more thin black and yellow stripes can be found in Delhi.
India · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Pole paint consisting of exactly four thicker black and yellow stripes can be found in Bihar.
India · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Small yellow pole markings are commonly found in Kerala.

NOTE: Similar stickers can rarely be found in other states.
India · SpotlightAI
On the Andaman and Nicobar Islands you can find these black pole stickers, containing several digits as well as an arrow in the middle.
Indonesia · Identifying Indonesia
Indonesia commonly uses these black-and-white square or circular bollards, as well as these yellow-and-black ones, which can also have a red reflector. Other designs can also be found.

NOTE: UK-style bollards are mostly found in Kalimantan.
Indonesia · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
You can find these poles with a triangle attachment under the horizontal bar in the following regions.

NOTE: This does not apply to stacked poles.
Indonesia · Regional and province-specific clues
Central Sulawesi features these unique bollards that are painted black on the bottom, white in the middle, and yellow on the top.
Ireland · Identifying Ireland
These green and white bollards can be a good clue for Ireland. They are not entirely unique to the country, but they are especially helpful in 50-50s with the UK.
Isle of Man · Identifying Isle of Man
These blue bollards can commonly be found in urban areas.
Italy · Identifying Italy
Italian bollards are triangular in shape, and white with a black top. They have a red front and a white rear reflector.

NOTE: Albania uses the same bollards.
Italy · Identifying ItalyAI
Unlike most Mediterranean countries, Italy features a lot of round concrete poles.
Japan · Identifying JapanAI
You can find a variety of pole reflectors in Japan. They are typically short and do not touch the ground. Common patterns found all across Japan include:
- Yellow vertical stripes.
- Yellow diagonal stripes.
- Vertical or diagonal white stripes.
NOTE: The Taiwanese variant has diagonal stripes that reach the ground. The South Korean ones have diagonal, thicker stripes.

You can learn more about the different regional reflectors in the region guessing section.
Japan · Identifying Japan
Japan usually uses simple white bollards with circular reflector(s) on the top. However, sometimes these bollards are black, or have other extensions. They can also have the city or prefecture written on it in kanji.

You can learn more about the bollards and kanji in the region guessing section.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific cluesAI
These orange and black bands wrapped around poles can often be found in Shikoku.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
This flat, white bollard, found on the island of Kyushu and in Yamaguchi Prefecture, will have a series of separated orange reflectors on one side, and the same white on the opposite.

NOTE: Rarely, you may find similar bollards in Hokkaido. However, both sides will have orange reflectors.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
Some bollards on the island of Shikoku can have a black stripe just under the reflector. They can be found normally, attached to guardrails or walls.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
This thick, white bollard, found in the Tohoku region, will have an octagonal reflector, and yellow stripe just underneath. In addition, you can find the same bollard, but with a rectangular top.

Finally, there are two other variations. You can find a black octagonal, and rectangular version. They are often found on National Highways or Expressways and can have the number printed on them.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
This bollard, much like Tohoku, will be a thick, white bollard with an octagonal reflector. However, this Akita prefecture variation will have two yellow stripes underneath the reflector.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
The Toyama prefecture bollard has one reflector, is extendable and has a red stripe underneath the reflector.

NOTE: Be careful: if there is either a second reflector, or a yellow stripe instead of a red one, these are different bollards. These are more common variations found across many prefectures.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
This bollard, with an octagonal reflector, and red stripe underneath it, is exclusive to the Okayama prefecture. Additionally, there will be a sloped connection where the base meets the reflector.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
This bollard, found in the Aomori prefecture, has two yellow stripes, a single circular reflector, and is extendable. Sometimes, only one thicker stripe near the top may be present.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific clues
These striped bollards (which cover over the original) have a thinner top half, and no reflectors, and are common to the Tohoku region. They are especially common in Akita prefecture.
Japan · Regional and prefecture-specific cluesAI
In the northern parts of the Chugoku region, you can primarily find these basic snow poles, with either a thin extended, or thin contracted top. They can also sometimes be found in Iwate.
Japan · SpotlightAI
These artistically painted poles, made to resemble birch trees, are unique to the city of Date in Hokkaido.
Kazakhstan · Identifying Kazakhstan
A lot of Kazakh infrastructure, from pedestrian signs, poles, houses, to bollards, is very similar to what you see in Russia.
Kazakhstan · Identifying Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan uses a variety of post-Soviet style bollards, as well as ones that resemble Turkish bollards. Notably, the bollards seemingly consisting of two thin bollards attached at a 90° angle are unique to Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan · Regional cluesAI
These regions/cities have the most useful pole paints you can learn.

The descriptions will be written from top to bottom:
- West Kazakhstan Region uses red, white, and black paint.
- Atyrau Region uses blue, white, and black paint.
- Akmola region has a very thin layer of red, then white, and a thin layer of black on the bottom.
- Kostanay uses a thin layer of turqoise, and yellow.
- Petropavl has a thin layer of white, and light grey.
- Taraz has red, yellow, and black.
- Kyzylorda poles have a thin layer of yellow and red, then white.
- Kyzylorda lamp posts are white, and have turquoise on the bottom.
Kazakhstan · Regional cluesAI
These pole paints are less useful than the above hint, but still worth learning if you want to master Kazakhstan.

The descriptions will be written from top to bottom:
- Rudny has red, yellow, red on the top, with white below it.
- Kokshetau uses a few designs, but they all have light blue on the bottom, and sometimes, a thin strip, or two, of yellow on top.
- Shchuchinsk has a thin layer of red, and yellow.
- Ekibastuz has a thin layer of blue, and white
- Shymkent poles have a thin layer of yellow and red, then green.
- Kentau poles have thin layers of blue, yellow, and red, then blue and black below them.
Kyrgyzstan · Identifying Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan uses these simple white bollards with a diagonal black stripe near the top.
Kyrgyzstan · SpotlightAI
These towns east and west of Bishkek feature these colourful poles with yellow, green, white, and sometimes red on top.

NOTE: Sokuluk will not have the red paint on top.
Kyrgyzstan · Spotlight
This rocky dirt road going to Chunkurchak is mostly high up in the snowy hills south of Bishkek. Some of the soil here has a red tint to it. On the northern part of the road, you can only see the snowy hills to the south. Also pay attention to the red-and-white bollards on the sides of the roads.
Kyrgyzstan · SpotlightAI
This divided road north of Bishkek, that leads up to the international airport, uses unique yellow-and-black curbs on the median, which consists of mostly grass. Some sections have small planted trees, and poles with red-and-yellow paint on the bottom. The horizontal section west of the airport has a lot more trees.
Laos · Identifying LaosAI
Laos uses square concrete poles, with small pinholes on the sides in a row from top to bottom.

NOTE: Similar poles are found in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and less commonly, Cambodia.
Laos · Identifying Laos
Laos uses square concrete black and white bollards with one or more black bands.

NOTE: Thailand, Indonesia, and rarely Cambodia use similar bollards.
Laos · Identifying Laos
A red and white painted cuboid concrete bollard can sometimes be seen a few metres off the side of the road.
Latvia · Identifying Latvia
Latvian bollards have a thin, slightly curved shape.

They have a rectangular reflector on the front, and two circular reflectors on the back. The reflectors can be white or orange. The black strip is slightly angled. Bollards often have numbers below the front reflector.

NOTE: Estonian and Lithuanian bollards look different.

! shows the main similarities and differences between the bollards of the Baltic and Nordic countries.
Lebanon · Identifying LebanonAI
Lebanon uses a variety of metallic mesh poles, which are sometimes painted bright yellow. Generic-looking wooden poles are common too.
Lesotho · Spotlight
Several sections of the A5 south of Nyakosoba are under construction. As a result, you will often see a sort of temporary “bollard” next to the road, consisting of a stick that is mostly painted white.

Even on sections without the bollard, you can often recognize this road, as it is a wide dirt road with very dark brown soil.
Liechtenstein · Identifying Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein uses black-and-white cylindrical bollards with a white or grey reflector and a rounded top. They also often have a blue attachment on the side.

When attached to guardrails, they will use the wedge design instead.

NOTE: Switzerland can use almost identical bollards.
Liechtenstein · Identifying LiechtensteinAI
You can find these yellow-and-black striped road separators, with a rounded top, and a Lego-like knob on the top. They have 3 stripes of both colours, with yellow on the bottom.

NOTE: Switzerland uses a variety of different Road Separators, some of which will look identical to the ones in Liechtenstein.
Lithuania · Identifying Lithuania
Lithuanian bollards are wedge-shaped.

They have an orange reflector on the front, and a white reflector on the back. Both reflectors are rectangular. You may find this thin version as well.

NOTE: Estonian and Latvian bollards look different.

This infographic shows the main similarities and differences between the bollards of the Baltic and Nordic countries.
Lithuania · Regional and county-specific cluesAI
Metal pole tags are predominantly found in the eastern part of the country.

For more information on Lithuanian pole stickers and car metas, please see this document.
Luxembourg · Identifying Luxembourg
Bollards are black and white. They are wedge-shaped and have grey reflectors. Some have a distinctive indent in the lower half.

NOTE: They look more or less identical to German bollards. The most notable difference is that the reflectors on German bollards have two bolts, while in Luxembourg they have three.

The bollards of Belgium, the Netherlands and France look very different.
Madeira · Identifying Madeira
Madeira commonly uses small and unique stone bollards with a red reflector. They are either cuboidal or cylindrical in shape.
Malaysia · Identifying MalaysiaAI
These thick yellow bars are also almost exclusive to Malaysia.

NOTE: You can very rarely see similar patterns in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.
Malaysia · Identifying Malaysia
Malaysian bollards will often have the colours black, white, grey and red. Here are three examples of typical Malaysian bollards.

NOTE: There can be multiple varieties of these bollards, but the layout is mostly the same.
Malaysia · Regional and state-specific cluesAI
Black pole stickers are most commonly found on the mainland.

NOTE: The black stickers on Borneo only exist in Generation 4 coverage.
Mexico · Identifying Mexico
These small, cylindrical white bollards with a black base are unique to Mexico. A yellow reflector can sometimes be seen, as well as a flat version.
Mexico · Region-specific clues
Bollards with a red band near the top are unique to Nayarit, apart from one exception being Federal Highway 190 on the Oaxaca-Chiapas border.
Mexico · Region-specific clues
Jalisco bollards will sometimes have a crown and the text ‘Jalisco’ written on it. These are usually barely legible unless very close, however no other Mexican bollard will have writing on it.
Mexico · SpotlightAI
This road divider with a yellow top and bottom edge is found all along the 95D from Mexico City to Acapulco.
Mongolia · Identifying Mongolia
Mongolia uniquely features white bowling-pin shaped bollards with two red stripes around the top.
Montenegro · Identifying Montenegro
The most common bollard is white with a red reflector on the front and a white one on the back. The bollard also has a black top.

NOTE: These bollards are also found in Slovenia.
Montenegro · Identifying MontenegroAI
Montenegro uses simple round concrete or wooden poles.
Montenegro · Spotlight
The Skadar Lake Bridge can be recognized by the railway and stone bollards next to the road.
Namibia · Identifying Namibia
You can spot these small stone bollards at intersections and on the sides of roads.
Namibia · Identifying NamibiaAI
Round metal bins, often painted green and white like the Nigerian flag, can be spotted at many rest stops and intersections.

NOTE: On some roads, the bins are blue and white.
Namibia · Spotlight
The C34 looks like darker streaks of black sand surrounded by more sand as far as the eye can see. Some coastal shrubbery, and even the coast can be seen in some parts. Unique white bollards with two yellow reflectors on the front, and one red in the back can also be seen along the road at regular intervals.
Nepal · Identifying Nepal
Nepal mainly uses black-and-white striped concrete bollards that often have a red marking on the top. The amount of stripes vary from 3 to 5.
Netherlands · Identifying the Netherlands
The Netherlands has a simple, white bollard with a red reflector.

NOTE: On rare occasions, you can find round French-style bollards with a red band and a pointed top. A difference with French bollards is that the red wrap usually does not go all the way around the bollard.
Netherlands · Identifying the NetherlandsAI
On some roads, especially in rural areas, you might find these distinctive striped barriers.
Netherlands · Regional and province-specific clues
Some road markers (“hectometre markers”) have province-specific designs. This only applies to markers for regional N-roads, which have road numbers in yellow boxes.

Not all N-road markers have province-specific designs: some just have a generic design that can be found nationwide.

The A-roads all have the same signs and are recognizable because the road number is in a red box.

Bollards sometimes feature kilometre stickers, which are also limited to specific regions.

You can click on the image to enlarge it. Image provided by Timzkii.
New Zealand · Identifying New Zealand
Bollards in New Zealand have a red strip which wraps around the top of the bollard. This strip wraps the whole way around the back and part of the front. The front or back of the bollard often contains a thin yellow or white reflector.

NOTE: These bollards are unique to New Zealand.
New Zealand · Regional clues
Two-digit state highway numbers follow a sequential pattern from North to South, making them easy to find. Single digit highways run through large parts of the country, but are easy to remember due to the small number of them.

NOTE: Bollards can sometimes have highway numbers written on them.

You can click on the image to enlarge it.
New Zealand · Regional cluesAI
A small black horizontal pole sticker, with several numbers, is often found in Taranaki and Wellington. The sticker may rarely be found in parts of Manawatū-Whanganui, Waikato, and southern Hawke's Bay.
New Zealand · Regional clues
A typical bollard, but with a green stripe, is common in southern Canterbury, as well as in some pockets in eastern Southland.
New Zealand · Regional clues
A typical bollard but with a black stripe instead of a red one is commonly found in Wellington, especially in older Generation 3 coverage.
North Macedonia · Identifying North Macedonia
North Macedonia uses two types of bollards. One is rounded and very thin, while the other one is wedge-shaped. They both are white and have red or white reflectors, typically on a black surface.

NOTE: Croatia uses the same wedge-shaped bollard. Hungary has a similar wedge-shaped bollard but with more white space above the black rectangle.
Norway · Identifying Norway
Norway uses thin, curved rectangular bollards with the reflector inside of a black parallelogram.
Norway · Identifying NorwayAI
Norwegian snow poles are typically orange, with a fairly thin white reflector. The reflector is normally toward the middle of the pole.

NOTE: Swedish snow poles typically have a wider reflector slightly higher up, and Finnish snow poles have their reflector at the very top.
Norway · Region-specific cluesAI
Black snow poles are most commonly found between Bergen and Trondheim.
Norway · SpotlightAI
Fairly large black or red pole plates can be found in Oslo.
Panama · SpotlightAI
Yellow pole socks can be found near the Panama Canal, around the town of Gatún.
Peru · Identifying Peru
Bollards in Peru are painted red or yellow, and the country mainly uses a variety of triangular-shaped concrete bollards. Occasionally you will also spot other designs, such as these circular concrete variants.
Peru · Region-specific clues
This cylindrical bollard, with a black and yellow stripe at the top, is unique to the state of Moquegua, which is located in the south of Peru.
Philippines · Identifying the PhilippinesAI
These tall, square yellow road stones are unique to the Philippines.
Poland · Identifying Poland
Polish bollards have a red strip that wraps all the way around the bollard. This strip has a red reflector on the front (sometimes hard to see), and a white reflector on the back. Bollards sometimes have numbers on them.

There is also a thinner, curved version of the bollard.

NOTE: The same design can be found in Zakarpattia Oblast in Ukraine.
Poland · Regional and voivodeship-specific cluesAI
Black pole markings are most commonly seen in the southeast of the country, as well as some areas in the north.
Portugal · Identifying Portugal
Portuguese bollards are either wedge-shaped with a noticeably thin white top, or flat with a wide reflector. While most reflectors will be white, you may also find orange reflectors. These are noticeably darker than the yellow reflectors in Spain.
Qatar · Regional clues
Bollards in Qatar are only found on a few roads, and you can easily tell them apart.
- The horizontal road just west of Qatar map label uses black and yellow centre lines.
- The horizontal road south of Madinat al Ka`ban has a lot more greenery and, the coverage is also very overcast.
- The coastal road south of Fuwayrit has coastal shrubs all around, and you can often see the coast.
- If the road doesn’t fit the above descriptions, guess on the long vertical road west of Qatar map label.
Reunion · Identifying Réunion
Being a French Department, you will see French infrastructure, such as signs, bollards and poles.
Reunion · Spotlight
The two largest towns in Réunion can be differentiated by their bollards, commonly seen at intersections. Saint Paul uses black bollards, while Saint Denis uses green bollards, often with white balls on top. Saint Denis is also more built up, being the capital.
Romania · Identifying RomaniaAI
Round concrete poles are also quite common.

NOTE: These are very similar to poles found in Bulgaria.
Romania · Identifying RomaniaAI
This type of extremely large yellow pole sticker is specific to Romania.

Beware that smaller stickers are also common and that both Bulgaria and Hungary can have similar ones.

NOTE: The town or city name will typically be written close to the middle of these stickers. In this case Podu Iloaiei is written.
Romania · Identifying Romania
Romanian bollards are thin and white, with a red vertical strip near the top. It is worth noting that bollards in Romania are somewhat rare.

NOTE: Turkey has a very similar bollard.
Russia · Identifying Russia
Russia has three main types of bollards: a very thin type being attached to a stick, one with a black top section and a red vertical reflector below and a German-style bollard.
Russia · Identifying Russia
Near intersections in Russia you will commonly see a very large number of bollards.
Russia · Identifying Russia
Along with containing a large number of bollards, many intersections are unusually wide compared to other countries.
Russia · Identifying RussiaAI
Black & white-striped pole shields are common along highways, especially in European Russia.
Russia · Regional clues
Russian bollards that appear very thin and attached to a stick are usually found in the eastern part of the country, starting around Omsk. Note that ordinary Russian bollards are still plentiful in this part of the country.
Russia · Regional cluesAI
These alternating red and white poles are mainly found in Ulyanovsk city, but also less commonly in the greater Nizhny Novgorod area as well as somewhat randomly elsewhere in the country.
Russia · Regional cluesAI
These striped red and white poles are found mostly in Saransk, but also in a few other cities in Mordovia.
Russia · SpotlightAI
Yellow pole plates attached by a metal band are commonly found in Tatarstan. They are found on the majority of poles, but not all.
Russia · SpotlightAI
These red painted poles are only found in Murom.
Russia · Spotlight
This unique bollard, with a grey rectangle and double red reflectors, is specific to the P100 in Kostroma Oblast.
Rwanda · Identifying Rwanda
Rwanda uses multiple different red and white cylindrical bollards.
Rwanda · Spotlight
The Nyungwe Forest National Park goes through a lush and hilly landscape, which has 2 distinct covered roads; The yellow NR10 is paved, with roadlines. French style bollards and green lamp posts can be seen on the sides of the road. The white NR26 going south is mostly paved, except for the southernmost section. No roadlines are present.

This coverage was taken with the brown Google car.
San Marino · Identifying San Marino
Road signs and bollards are generally identical to the ones used in Italy.

NOTE: Many road signs give directions to the nearby Italian city of Rimini.
Senegal · Identifying Senegal
Being a former French colony, Senegal uses French infrastructure such as bollards, poles, signs and road lines.
Senegal · Identifying SenegalAI
The road number and the distance to the nearest towns can be seen on these white kilometre markers with a red top.

NOTE: The town that is the furthest distance away is usually the largest.
Serbia · Identifying Serbia
Serbia has a few bollard designs, however most of them will have an off-centred reflector. The bollards are usually flat, with no depth to them.
Singapore · Identifying Singapore
Moreover, all bus stops are protected by concrete bollards with unique black-and-yellow warning bands.

NOTE: Similar, but not quite identical designs are found in some Malaysian cities.
Singapore · Identifying Singapore
In addition to the concrete bollards on bus stops, Singapore sometimes has a unique and yellow bus-leaving box with an arrow on the street.
Slovakia · Identifying Slovakia
Bollards in Slovakia have orange double reflectors on the front and a single white reflector on the back. There are also rarer blue and red variants.

NOTE: The only other country with the same design is Czechia.
Slovakia · Identifying SlovakiaAI
Slovakia and Czechia most commonly use wide, round concrete poles, which are quite often attached in pairs.
Slovakia · Identifying SlovakiaAI
Stripy gas and water poles reminiscent of snow poles can often be found next to the road.

NOTE: Dozens of poles of various utilities all over Europe use stripy patterns. Consider the location of the pole, as well as other clues before making a guess.
Slovakia · Identifying Slovakia
Slovakia recently changed its standard bollard to a design very similar to the one found in Hungary: a standard European wedge-shaped bollard with a red front reflector. Note that for the time being, this bollard is still very rare.
Slovakia · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
Concrete poles in Nitra and Trnava regions commonly have yellow circles painted on them, usually containing a number. They are also occasionally found in adjacent regions.

NOTE: This is only the case with circles, other shapes are found elsewhere in the country.
Slovenia · Identifying Slovenia
Slovenian bollards are white with a black top. The front reflector will typically be bright red, while the back reflector will be white.

NOTE: Austrian bollards have the same design, but with a dark red front reflector and a black or grey back reflector. Montenegrin bollards also have a very similar design, also with a red and a white reflector.
South Korea · Identifying South Korea
You will sometimes see these black and white wedge-shaped bollards. They have a round yellow reflector on the front, and a grey one on the back.
Spain · Identifying Spain
The standard Spanish bollards have a yellow-orange reflector on the front and two white dots on the back (though the back can also be blank). They are typically hollow.

NOTE: Very close to Andorra, you can find a slightly different bollard, which is also used in Andorra itself.
Spain · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
Yellow snow poles with one or two reflectors are unique to Asturias. They are usually found in the south of the region.
Spain · Regional and province-specific clues
In Aragón, it is common to see this bollard design on regional roads.

It has a simple design, consisting of a short flat rectangular white stick with a grey reflector on both sides.

NOTE: There are similar bollards in other regions, but they appear much less frequently than in Aragón.
Spain · Regional and province-specific clues
Within mainland Spain, this bollard is almost exclusive to the provinces of Lleida and Tarragona in Catalonia.

It features a more square and orange reflector on the front, compared to the standard Spanish bollard design. There is a white reflector on the back, instead of the two dots of standard bollards.

Some toll highways like the AP-6 also use this design.

NOTE: This bollard can also be found on the eastern half of the Canary Islands.
Spain · Regional and province-specific clues
In the region of Extremadura, it is common to see the normal Spanish bollards with green tops. This bollard variant is exclusive to this region.
Spain · Regional and province-specific cluesAI
Blue and yellow snow poles are unique to Andalusia.
Spain · Regional and province-specific clues
This unique bollard design is extremely common in the province of Las Palmas (which includes the islands of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote).

It features a more square and orange reflector on the front, compared to the standard Spanish bollard design. There is a white reflector on the back, instead of the two dots of standard bollards.

This bollard can also be found on mainland Spain, in the provinces of Lleida and Tarragona.

NOTE: The province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (which includes the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma) only uses bollards on highways, with the standard Spanish design.
Spain · Spotlight
The AP-15 in Navarra features unique bollards with a simple flat design and a square red reflector. Guardrails also have red reflectors unlike the rest of Spain.
Sri Lanka · Identifying Sri Lanka
These short, wide stone bollards are unique to Sri Lanka. They have a tapered shape, with a black base and a white top.
Sweden · Identifying Sweden
Swedish bollards are black-and-white, typically with a grey reflector. Reflectors by intersections are commonly orange instead. They can be either wedge-shaped, round, or thin and curved.
Sweden · Identifying SwedenAI
Snow poles are typically orange, with a tall white reflector slightly above the middle of the pole. Some poles have a second, thinner reflector above the normal one.

NOTE: Finland and Norway both have similar orange snow poles. The reflector on Finnish poles is usually much thinner and very close to the top. Norwegian poles typically have either one or two slightly thinner reflectors, with one commonly being very close to the middle.
Sweden · Regional cluesAI
Green snow poles can occasionally be found in the area surrounding Umeå.
Sweden · Regional clues
Wedge-shaped bollards, similar to those found in Germany, are most common in the southern regions of the country.
Sweden · Regional clues
Cylindrical bollards, with a completely horizontal black section near the top, are most commonly found near the west coast and in Värmland and southern Dalarna.
Sweden · Regional clues
Flat bollards, or cylindrical bollards with a black rectangle containing the reflector are most commonly found on major roads in the northern half of the country.

Beware that one type of flat bollards can look similar to the cylindrical bollards from the last tip, however the black section here is not horizontal.
Sweden · Regional clues
These small white bollards with either a blue or a red strip near the top can be found in the countryside of Skåne.

NOTE: You may occasionally find similar bollards in urban areas further north.
Sweden · SpotlightAI
If you are in a mountainous area with orange snow poles that have two wide reflectors close together, you are very likely to be near the Norwegian border on, or close to road E12.
Sweden · SpotlightAI
The stretch of road 95 closest to the Norwegian border can be recognized by a large number of yellow snow poles, all having two white reflectors. The coverage can be either Generation 2 in autumn or winter, or snowy Generation 4.
Sweden · SpotlightAI
If you see a mixture of orange and yellow snow poles in a mountainous area, you should be on road E10 close to the Norwegian border.
Switzerland · Identifying Switzerland
Swiss bollards are black-and-white with white or grey reflectors. They can be either wedge-shaped or cylindrical with a rounded top.

NOTE: Liechtenstein uses almost identical round bollards.
Switzerland · Regional and canton-specific clues
In the canton of Valais, you will often see thick wooden bollards, which can either be square-shaped or cylindrical.
Switzerland · Regional and canton-specific clues
In place of bollards, reflectors in the canton of Glarus will often be attached to fences following the road.
Taiwan · Identifying TaiwanAI
Poles almost always feature these black and yellow diagonal-striped markings that run all the way to the bottom.

NOTE: Similar markings can be seen in South Korea. However, the markings are much shorter and do not run all the way to the bottom.
Taiwan · Identifying Taiwan
Taiwan uses these bollards with either two or three circular reflectors on a black rectangle.

You can also find these lollipop looking reflectors on guardrails, similar to the designs found in Japan.
Thailand · Identifying Thailand
The Thai bollard is square shaped with a pointed top, and has black-and-white stripes.

NOTE: In Southeast Asia, these bollards are also found in Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia.
Thailand · Regional/province-specific clues
This black bollard with three large white reflectors is most frequently seen in Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.
Tunisia · Identifying TunisiaAI
These white concrete markers with a rounded red or yellow top can be found throughout Tunisia. The top can be red, yellow, or green.

NOTE: They are very useful for pinpointing your exact location. On either side, they show the distance in kilometres to the nearest town. The side facing the road shows the road number.
Turkey · Identifying Turkey
Turkish bollards have a simple design: rectangular, plain white, and with a red reflector on the front. They are thin when seen from the side.

There is a rare yellow version, seen in some areas with high snowfall.

NOTE: Romania has similar bollards. However, bollards are relatively rare in Romania.
Turkey · Identifying TurkeyAI
Snow poles usually feature a colour sequence of black-orange-black-white from top to bottom, with small red reflectors.
Uganda · National ParksAI
The National Park is located by the northern end of Lake Albert and can commonly be recognized by the low dirt barriers along the side of the roads. A savannah can be seen in the western part, while the eastern parts contain many small trees and bushes. Apart from a fairly low and wide mountain range far away to the west, there are no mountains in the vicinity.
Ukraine · SpotlightAI
These poles, with a red band across them, are unique to Kryvyi Rih.
Ukraine · Spotlight
These “Polish” bollards can be found in the Zakarpattia Oblast. They have a red reflector that wraps around the bollard.

They are identical to the standard bollard used in Poland (hence the name).
United Kingdom · Identifying the United Kingdom
The most common bollard in the UK looks like this. It has a rounded shape, with a red reflector on the front and a white one on the back. The base and top are black, with a white stripe in the middle.
United Kingdom · Identifying the United Kingdom
This yellow traffic bollard is commonly found in the UK.
United Kingdom · Identifying the United KingdomAI
Pedestrian crossing signs are almost non-existent in the UK. Instead, pedestrian crossings will often have these distinctive black and white striped poles, with a yellow light bulb on top.

NOTE: These signposts are also common in Ireland.
United Kingdom · Regional clues
In Scotland, you can often find these red and white bollards. They are round, bulky, and have a red-and-grey reflector that wraps all the way around.

They are sometimes found in other parts of the UK.

NOTE: The bollard looks similar to the French one. However, there are some small differences. For example, the Scottish bollard is round on the top, while the French one is more spiked.
United States of America · Identifying the United StatesAI
This is an example of the most common type of orange construction barrel in the United States. They are made out of orange plastic with horizontal white stripes and a black rubber base. They are usually used to block off lanes to traffic during times of road construction.
United States of America · Regional and state-specific clues
This bollard is found in Nevada. It consists of a reflector on a thin stick. The reflector is a vertical rectangle that consists of a white field surrounded by a black outline.
United States of America · Regional and state-specific clues
The most common type of roadside bollard in South Dakota and Montana features a dark metal post with a white diamond on each side of the top.

NOTE: These bollards can be found to a lesser extent in other western states.
United States of America · Regional and state-specific clues
Roadside bollards in Wyoming often feature a dark metal pole with a white circular reflector at the top. The top of the metal pole is sometimes painted white or grey, which is unique to Wyoming.
United States of America · Regional and state-specific clues
The state of Washington uses bollards that consist of a white or brown post with a white rectangle on the front of the bollard, and two smaller white or silver squares on the back of the bollard.
United States of America · Regional and state-specific clues
These simple white bollards with black reflectors are unique to Wisconsin.
Uruguay · Identifying Uruguay
These white bollards, with one side often painted yellow, and stone barriers, are specific to Uruguay.
Vietnam · Identifying Vietnam
The most common bollard type is a small square concrete bollard that is painted white with a red top.
Vietnam · Identifying VietnamAI
Waystones that are painted white with a colourful top, usually red or blue, are common throughout the country.

NOTE: Waystones like these are also common in Thailand and Cambodia. Often, they will include the road number in a large font on the side, and in a smaller font in the red area on the back and front. In addition, the front and back will list distances to towns. This information can be really helpful with pinpointing.
Vietnam · Regional cluesAI
Round concrete poles usually feature many pinholes on the top half of the pole, however in the north they often feature a minimal amount or even no pinholes.

NOTE: Although more rare, pinhole poles may be found in the north.