Published: 26th of November, 2025 by Patrick Carpen.
Last updated: November 29, 2025 at 23:34 pmTwo apparently conflicting traffic signs near to each other in the town of Lethem have left residents of the town befuddled, but they are actually not misplaced.
If you look at the photo above, you’ll see two traffic signs, one saying “stop” and the other saying, “no stopping.” This setting has been a source of amusement for the past few days with several persons joking about it on social media. Perhaps the “no stopping” should be changed to “no parking”? At first glance, it seems confusing and contradictory, but it’s actually legit. Here’s the explainer.
The red “Stop” sign on the pole indicates that the road perpendicular to the one you’re driving on has the right of way. In other words, drivers on this road facing this stop sign must stop and wait for the adjoining road to clear before proceeding. However, they must stop in the middle of the driving lane, not at the corner or side of the road.
The “no stopping” marking at the side of road is intended to prohibit drivers from pulling over to the corner of the road near the junction and stopping for various reasons, which may include picking up or dropping off passengers, talking to someone, or even parking. Pulling over and stopping at this location, even if for a few seconds, would obstruct the flow of traffic and obscure visibility at the busy intersection.
Generally, motorists are prohibited by traffic law in Guyana from stopping within 30 feet of a junction, so the “no stopping” sign might be redundant, but it is not contradictory. Perhaps it was placed there because of rampant incidents causing traffic hazard?
