Vermerking!

We're cruising highway 1 along the southern coast on our way thru the Vatnajokull National Park (which is a stunning display of volcanic cliffs, waterfalls, coastline, and glaciers - imagine morphing the California and Hawaiian coastlines and inserting glaciers in the valleys). 

Owing to the fact that Iceland has a total of 300,000 people on a landmass the size of Maine, and nearly everyone lives in Reykjavik, there is only need for a narrow two lane highway around the perimeter.  Moreover, the need for two lane bridges is overrated, so when necessary, there is a dosey-doe type dance required with oncoming traffic in order to make passage.  Mind you, there is nobody out here, so it's rarely a problem, but there is commonly a need to pass the slower moving vehicles.  That is the premise of today's episode of: Iceland is Nice.

We were cruising along at a brisk 110 (km/h) and came upon a road maintenance vehicle with warning sign exclaiming "Vegmerking!".  In front was a larger truck doing something (think street sweeper on the freeway with a warning vehicle behind).  Given the width of the machine, and a desire not to be the rude American tourist, I patiently waited behind the two vehicle caravan, edging over to the left to peer around the side in anticipation of a window to make safe passage.  Our moment had arrived after a one lane bridge and the work trucks pulled over.  We inched along the side and suddenly the young driver pops out of the big truck and walks in front of our car.  He wasn't exactly upset, but he wasn't necessarily happy either.  As he walked up to my window he looked down at my tires.

"You've been driving on my lines." He says matter-of-factly.
"Excuse me?"
"We're painting lines on the road and you have been driving on them.  But don't worry, it's not too bad on your tires.". He smiles.
I apologize and slowly move on, wondering if that was the right thing to do.

Now the warning message makes sense... Vermerking must mean - We're Marking!