Question on triangle symbol on vehicles

dzirhan · Post by **dzirhan** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:54 am

Hi all,

Figured one of you guys could answer this question, a number of modern military vehicles have this black triangle symbol on them, what does this stand for? Hope somebody here has the answer

Threetoughtrucks · Post by **Threetoughtrucks** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:38 am

Most vehicles have the triange symbol which I believe is the universal symbol for "slow moving vehicle".

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. As evidenced by the accident last year in GB when a Dukw was on a major highway and at 40 mph was rear ended by a tractor trailer doing 70 and was pushed off the road and flipped. Nobody seriously hurt except the tractor trailer driver. How in the world you can not see a Dukw going 40 mph is beyond me.

Anyway, every vehicle Ihave owned and currently drive has the triangle.

TTT

dzirhan · Post by **dzirhan** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:58 am

They are also on humvees so I'm now curious if this is the case, are humvees considered slow moving vehicles?

edited to add: thanks and it's beyond me too as to how anyone could missed seeing a DUKW

though I should add that when I was a teenager, the company driver taking us around on our work crashed into the back of a steamroller though it was around a corner, nobody seriously hurt though the car front end was a mess but that's kinda obvious given the circumstances

.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:01 am

are you talking about the black 'V' or upside down 'V' that most modern vehicles have? I don't know what it means but it's not for indicating a slow moving vehicle..

dzirhan · Post by **dzirhan** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:07 am

Yes, the upside down V like on the BBI abrams.

Dzirhan

acetow · Post by **acetow** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:07 pm

It means vaminos or victory or vehicle or vroom

Threetoughtrucks · Post by **Threetoughtrucks** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 12:25 pm

My response was to the question of a triangle. Three equal sides. Almost all states DMV's have the triangle to mean "slow moving vehicle".

All my trucks except one had the triangle on the back, some had been painted over in years past re-paints, but all came up in restorations.

The only exception was my Command Car, and that came from French surplus so may have lived most of it's whole life with the French after our use in the war.

Maybe the ^ on modern vehicles means "this end up"

Sorry, bad joke.

TTT

GooglyDoogly · Post by **GooglyDoogly** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 2:34 pm

If you mean the chevrons on modern u.s. armor, I believe they are symbols of the company that the tank belongs to. For example, a chevron pointing up is first company.

don · Post by **don** » Mon Dec 27, 2004 6:06 pm

dzirhan,
In the future, a photo with your question might save some confusion.
A bright orange refective triagle on a vehicle is used to signal slow-moving, or over-sized vehicles.
A green or black V, or inverted V, was used during Operation Desert Storm to signify a coalition vehicle. (Seen in the picture inside the Blue circled area)
Many army units (don't know about other services markings) use a "spinning-vee" system to mark vehicles. The chevron, depending on the angle, indicate the company of the vehicle, while the small pips inside it indicate the platoon.
The vehicle pictured in the scanned document is from the 2nd platoon, Bravo company. (chevron, and two pips inside the red circled area), 2nd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division (Mech), Iraq, February 1991.

And an unaltered photo:

This photo was copied from a little poster that comes with the Corgi 1:64 scale Bradley.

dzirhan · Post by **dzirhan** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 4:03 am

Don and everyone else, thanks for the answer, my bad on the photo as I kinda thought everyone would know what I was asking about, sorry on that, I should have written more clearer and put a photo and not have posted the question at 2 am local time, obviously I'm not very coherent or thinking straight at that time. Again thank you for the help and apologies for the confusion.

chesy · Post by **chesy** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 9:22 pm

I know the Marines use the same type of markings and when applied to an AAV (troop carrier) it is in reference to the embarked infantry (about 1/2 a platoon per vehicle) and their position in relation to the Company when dismounted... Tanks and even Hummers are marked in this manner as well to aid in quick identification and help in assuming dif. battle formations, i.e. echelon left/right, wedge, on line, etc... we usually just used plain old duct tape when marking as well.

tko211 · Post by **tko211** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 1:36 am

Its funny this subject came up, I was curious myself. Last week around christmas I had a chance to ask my buddys dad who has just retired a brig. General from the army reserves. He said that they are general markings to tell friend from foe, and that occasionally they will change the direction of the V to a delta or forward position. I guess the army takes the whole friendly fire thing serious.