Why are the road markings, "Keep Clear" written as "Clear Keep?"?

With a book, you read in whichever order is linguistically appropriate.
But driving dictates its own order because of visibility.
Simply put, you read whichever word you see first.

Is this a British thing? Or at least not American because I have never seen this.

@lillycoyote Neah. I’ve seen it in the states.
You’ve probably seen it too. She means this type of thing.

@Nimis Oh. O.K. Got it now. :-)

I am in the UK and I have never seen that. But I guess its because you read the closest word first when you’re driving.

What downtide said. Here is another example.

and more examples in NYC
http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/blog/bronxhub.jpg
http://www.nyc.gov/html/brt/images/photos/bus_lane_painted3.jpg

When you’re driving, you’d see the “Keep” before you see the “clear,” either because of distance or because other cars are on top of it. If they did it the other way around, drivers would wonder the same thing you’re wondering. ;)

Road painters do the same thing with PED XING. You see the PED first as you approach it.