A good sign should be eye-catching, easy to understand, and informative. But this post is about a different kind of sign.
You see, some signs are so weirdly specific and hilarious that they make people, intentionally or not, wonder about the whys and whats. They make your imagination run errands and seem to tell us a whole lot more than they’re actually supposed to be saying. How is that possible, you ask? Pull your seat closer.
Below we wrapped up some of the most entertaining signs from all walks of life, spotted by passersby who suddenly had more questions than they had answers. Upvote your favorite ones as you scroll down below and be sure to check out more funny signs that very likely have stories behind them in our previous feature.
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The Sign Is The Story
Sign At A Cat Cafe
Tent Poles
I wonder how many times the tent came crashing down on a disappointed father hmm?
“Signs that cause confusion often result from poor design choices or messaging that is too complex or open to interpretation,” Laura Vanagaite, an international freelance graphic designer who specializes in branding and social media content creation, told Bored Panda in an interview via email.
As an example, she added, these are signs with ambiguous or conflicting messages that can create confusion for those who see them.
Yes The Deer Are The Danger
Hikers Are Warned
Very Spooky
Moreover, confusion may also arise not only from the sign itself but rather from its placement. “Signs that are poorly placed or not visible can fail to communicate their message effectively,” Laura said.
This is because the placement and the context of a sign can have a significant impact on its meaning, Laura argues. “For example, a stop sign placed at an intersection can convey a clear message of traffic control, but the same sign placed in a parking lot may not have the same intended meaning.”
Blursed Sign
Ok
Saw This In A Restroom Today And Thought That It Belonged Here
“Similarly,” Laura continued, “a sign with a bold font and bright colors placed on a city street may communicate urgency or danger, while the same sign in a more relaxed setting may not have the same effect.”
Essentially, the context in which a sign is placed can create associations with the surrounding environment and influence how people perceive it. “Therefore, it is crucial to consider the placement and context of a sign to effectively communicate its message,” Laura told us.
I’m About To Spray My New Kitchen Cabinets
Buys House Next To Pub, Complains When Pub Is Noisy
Interesting
I told my bloody Satnav I was happy to use the Toll paying bit of the M6 in England. 3/4 of the way along, it took me off the Motorway for half a mile then back on through the Toll Booth, meaning I had to pay twice! My own fault I know, it tells you don't just follow the instructions without thought.
The sign may also be confusing if it’s put at the wrong time and at the wrong place. “A sign that is not relevant to its location or its audience can be ineffective or even counterproductive,” Laura warns. “For example, a sign advertising winter clothing during the summer months or in a location where it seldom gets cold may not resonate with its audience.”
Found In My High School. I Would Not Like To Know What Necessitated This
How Many Times I Wonder?
Posted Inside The Lyft I Am Riding In. It Has Never Crossed My Mind That This Could Be A Bad Question, So I Appreciate The Heads Up!
insted ask "why don't you like the "where are you from" conversation"
I hate this question. I have been living in England for 20 years. Most people asking this question just want to let me know they can tell I am a foreigner. I will always have an accent. There are some nice people and we will talk about my home country for a bit but those are rare.
I'm with you. Sometimes it's being bring friendly, but majority of the time it's people pointing out that you are "other" which is not appreciated. Yes, I'm not white or blond, and Yes I was born here. Shocking
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I read it as lift, as in elevator, and I was wondering what the elevator was hiding.
Interesting, because my rideshare drivers whilst usually local do not seem to mind if I ask this, as sometimes you can tell they aren't local. I've had a few zimbabweans, for example. They're usually quite happy to talk about it. Maybe this guy was a refugee or got abused and told to "Go back" or something?
It depends on how you ask or if you ask outright. If we’re both in chatty moods, I usually talk about the city and their life and let them tell me where they’re from if they’re foreign and they want to. And then it sparks a fun conversation, especially because I’ve traveled a lot and lived abroad —and so have many members of my family— and often have visited or lived in their home country. Edit for spelling
Load More Replies... I hate that question too. I'm from Russia and I didn't have a good time there. Being an ethnic minority in Russia sucks and I'm glad my family and I were able to get out. I hate that country and what it did to me and my ancestors. I don't want to make polite chitchat about your vacation in Moscow twenty years ago.
As a person of color, I find this question to be a veiled racism even if the person doesn't intend it to be.
There are more original and considerate questions , such as "How long have you been a Lyft driver?" or "Have you driven any unusual customers?"
I live in NYC and don't speak to any of them ever except to say "hello" at the beginning and and "thanks" at the end.
When they ask me "You have an accent; where are you from?" I tell them "Fox Island." The majority can't figure out from this answer that my national origin is not something I want to discuss and ask "Yeah, but before that?" "Seattle."
It doesn't matter if I know where you're from. What matters much more is that you know where I'm going.
I came from nothing and will go back to nothing. So what have I lost? Nothing! All together now: ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRI-I-IGHT SIDE OF LIFE *whistles*
I totally understand that, used to work in cafe in UK and had this question X times per day. Depending on my mood I started give different answers like : I'm from (UK CITY) client:...but your accent? Me:Ooo,I have accent?Didn't know that! Yes, passive aggressive but why should I answer? Its not your business. I'm here to make your coffee,not to feed your prejudices. Sometimes I don't mind tell ppl where I'm from,but usually it was not friendly question. And yes, after while you got sick of it. Its like having the same conversation X times per day with different people.
why? This immediately makes me want to ask where you are from, cause now I KNOW there's a story there.
The story probably goes something like "I was continuously mistreated and discriminated against in my country of origin and barely escaped with my life. I do not want to make superficial conversation about how you loved your vacation there."
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Believe me, it's the same. As well as "what language do you speak at home?"
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That question is often meant and/or interpreted as "You're a foreigner. You don't belong here."
I relate to this - I'm not really "from" anywhere. I mean, I know where I was born but I only lived there for 3 weeks, the next place was 3 months then I moved continent. After nearly 2 years I moved continent again. After another 2 years, again. And again. I've lived where I am for about a quarter of my life - when people ask where I'm from it's basically here (which was for me a foreign country until I moved here) or everywhere or nowhere.
I usually just chat with them about their day and we have a nice organic conversation and they mention where they’re from on their own. My Uber & Lyft rating are 5 stars, evidently lol
I'm a talker, come from small town in Indiana and truly love people. I just tell people that I love their accent and then they are open to share or not.
Dear Driver, i am here for ride not a chat. Ten and two please and thanks.
“Similarly, a sign promoting a product or service that is not available in a particular location can create confusion and frustration for those who see it. It's important to consider the appropriateness of a sign's placement and messaging to ensure that it is effective and useful to its intended audience,” Laura explained.
When creating a sign, Laura argues, it's crucial to consider the user experience. “As a sign designer, you need to take into account the needs and expectations of the intended audience.”
I Work In An Industry Where Rude Customers Are A Constant. Today We Posted This Sign. The Team Loves It
Let's Be Honest, You Would
1. I Have No Idea Where This Is, And 2. I Want To Be There Immediately
The raccoon chooses its special person. Dave, he just doesn't like you, stop coercing him.
According to a graphic designer, a well-designed sign should possess these key features: “have clear and concise messaging, be visually appealing and easy to read, and be placed in a location where it can be easily seen and understood.”
“Additionally, it should consider the audience's needs and expectations to effectively communicate its message,” Laura concluded.
My Gym Is Trying To Catch A Phantom Pisser
Huh
I Wonder
Don’t Touch The Mug
Don’t Feed The Wildlife
Who Has Pet Bears
Someone asked if they could bring a 'Pooh Bear'....sadly reception had the wrong idea and the mess took ages to clear up.
I Apparently Didn't Get An Invite
Uhhhh
I unintentionally scared the people at airport security. I had my laptop charger and a candy box (which I left in the backpack when I got through security). The guy watching the screen froze, his face turned white and he moved back and forth the band with my backpack. Then he turned to me and asked me what I had in the backpack. "Nothing important, some candies, my laptop charger, an agenda..." He explained me that it looked like an explosive device. It was nice to see his face regaining the normal colors :)
I Wonder Who Tried To Milk Their Cat
I’m Pretty Sure This Is Like A Fish Tank Or Smth… 💀 I Just Don’t Understand Why A Sign Would Be Needed, Have Ppl Been Stirring This Fish Tank For Fun?
There's A Story Behind Every Sign Like This
Note: this post originally had 90 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
We -had- to add a sign to the sink basin at the small office ("single" occupancy restroom) where I once worked, "Do NOT sit on the sink" (yeah right, "sit"...)
It wasn't the sitting on the sink that damaged it. It was butts on the sink during sexing.
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Every sign has a story behind it. The sign comes after the deed.
Was looking forward to 90 signs that probably have a story behind them. Looks like BP is stiffing us 2/3 of those signs. False advertising + clickbait, what has become of this world?
Click the link at the bottom of the article for the rest
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We -had- to add a sign to the sink basin at the small office ("single" occupancy restroom) where I once worked, "Do NOT sit on the sink" (yeah right, "sit"...)
It wasn't the sitting on the sink that damaged it. It was butts on the sink during sexing.
Load More Replies... Every sign has a story behind it. The sign comes after the deed.
Was looking forward to 90 signs that probably have a story behind them. Looks like BP is stiffing us 2/3 of those signs. False advertising + clickbait, what has become of this world?
Click the link at the bottom of the article for the rest
Load More Replies...