What do downward sloping stripes to the left mean?

Downward sloping stripes that tilt to the left signal to drivers that they should keep to the left. This type of marking is typically used in configurations where the road or lane is narrowing or where there may be an obstacle or other conditions requiring motorists to adjust their positioning on the roadway. The sloped stripes visually guide drivers to the left side of the lane or road, indicating the safest path to take in that area. These visual cues are important for maintaining safety and ensuring smooth traffic flow, especially in situations where lane shifts or road adjustments occur.

In contrast, the other options provided suggest quite different actions: keeping to the right would conflict with the indication given by the stripes, turning around is an inappropriate response to the markings, and claiming the road is closed ahead would generally be marked in a different way to prevent confusion for drivers.