I love signs, especially those that strike my funny bone or "speak to me" for one reason or another. Generally speaking, signs are intended to identify or advertise a place or an event, or to command your attention and influence your behavior. I find the latter particularly entertaining. On safari in Kenya many years ago I found it funny to read a sign on the path to our tent that announced that the path was for "humans". Who was the sign meant for, the humans or the animals? In Trenton, Tennessee there are signs along local roads that read "Speed Limit 31", not 30 0r 35 but 31! What's that all about?
A friend of mine sent me a photo of a sign she saw in Florida last spring, knowing that I "get a kick out of signs" and that poor grammar drives me around the bend.
Do we really need to drive home this message with a sign, let alone one that is written in poor English. It is downright wrong to use "good" as an adverb after action verbs, and, trust me, Drive, Ride and Walk all qualify as actions. I believe the only behavior this sign influences is the incorrect use of the word good as an adverb. How does such a sign ever get approved?
My apologies, I'm hijacking my own blog ... this is a subject for another post, let's get back to signs.
On a recent trip, Peter and I came to these crossroads and as the photo was taken I chuckled and thought out loud, "What a wonderful place to live!"
I'll close with one last photo which is not technically a sign but is something that touched by funny bone and made me chuckle.
I hope you found this post entertaining and that it starts a series on Open Window, because signs can be quite humorous and we all need to laugh more. Have you found any funny signs lately? Share them with us. Send them in and I'll post them as long as they aren't too off-colored and/or hurtful.
Signs are supposed to be noticeable, right? Some odd signs would definitely get anyone's attention, but there could be times that the wrong idea will be delivered. Don't you agree?
Posted by: Carl Patten | Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 10:32 AM
Sarah, Do you recognize the contribution? Keep those signs coming.
Posted by: Claudia | Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 07:50 PM
What a great topic for your blog! Love the signs....
Posted by: Sarah | Monday, August 23, 2010 at 08:32 PM
Not yet, but you can bet I'm going to be on the lookout! These were great!
Posted by: Barbara | Monday, August 23, 2010 at 05:44 PM