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Communication is key, but we often forget that it’s just as important in front of a store or on the road as with other people. Fortunately, our species developed the idea of a sign a pretty long time ago. It’s so common, we generally overlook them, unless, of course, we see something completely unexpected. Things like “stop” or “no dogs” contextually make a lot of sense, but if you saw “no frogs” that might start to raise some questions.
These two Instagram pages, which can be explored here and here, gather user-submitted funny and unusual signs from around the world. So give them a look, try to work out why this sign was needed in the first place, and upvote your favorites.
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The world is full of placenames that carry enough secondary meanings to entice people to loot local signage. A simple and somewhat crass example would be Ragged Ass Road in Yellowknife, Canada, where the city had to weld the sign to the post. They also started to sell replicas of the sign locally, so people would have an alternative to theft.
In a similar vein, the sign for Butt Hole Road in England was also a frequent victim of theft, as well as a welcome sign for the wonderfully named village of Shitterton. In the case of Butt Hole Road, it was ultimately renamed to Archers Way, after residents grew tired of both the constant theft and no doubt endless jokes about the area. The people of Shitterton were more resolute, instead having the sign chiseled into a massive stone that the average thief might struggle to steal. Seems like a potential plot for a pretty low-stakes heist movie.
As one can imagine, the United States isn’t immune from this plague as well, as any sign with 69 or 420 is subjected to frequent theft. Mile markers that read 66.6 get stolen quite often as well, though it seems like a simple solution would be to move them just 0.1 of a mile away. Though one must expect that whatever contractor is responsible for replacing it is pretty happy with the whole situation.
#8
Like in the United Kingdom, some places just have less-than-fortunate names, such as Harry Baals Drive in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where the sign, inevitably, used to get constantly stolen. It was replaced with a sign reading "H. W. Baals Dr," which may have somewhat alleviated the issue, but it just underlines the fact that anything remotely recognizable, like a sign denoting “South Park,” or anything vaguely humorous will end up taken.
#11
DadManBlues 1 year ago
You didn't get it. The shorter you say, the higher the price. If you do not speak, the price is infinite.
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Savithri Amendra 1 year ago
And how about ' Hello Good morning dear, one small coffee please" free coffee
Fly_Agaric_Frog 🇺🇦 1 year ago
"Hello, may I get one small coffee please? Thank you!" (Insert price here)
pfeils wife 1 year ago
sad that they have to resort to this just for some basic human courtesy
Isabel Care 1 year ago
Too nervous to talk? Smile and wave, and hand them a polite note with your request.
Kenny Kulbiski 1 year ago
Jeez, you really expect me to talk before my coffee? I can't afford this place.
Nezuko_Chan 1 year ago
“Hello how are you doing today? One small coffee please. Have a nice day!”
cookie_cat 11 months ago
Me: "Hello, how are you? May I please have one small coffee? Thank you!" *gets coffee for like five cents*
Mary Peace 1 year ago
"Good day, you handsome person, I'd like one small coffee, please. Is that 1.25$, thank you so much."
Riley Quinn 1 year ago
I think I can speak for waitstaff the globe over, this pricing should be mandatory.
#12
Momma Panda 1 year ago
I got fired on monday, but still have to come in for the next month. No one told me I have to be on time so this works perfect 😂
Commercial signs tend to be stolen less often because they are generally not as “interesting” to people with an inclination for larceny. Both ancient Rome and China both had examples of businesses advertising a brand or events using publicly visible street signs. In China, sign printing would include a trademark, most famously a white rabbit, to designate that this shop has items from a specific manufacturer.
#15
freakingbee is going offline 1 year ago
i'm the one who has to clean my bathroom...and i have an 11 year old brother so i've seen some things
While these days we might be annoyed at the bombardment of signs, ads, and neon lights, Medieval shopkeepers and craftspeople were often explicitly ordered to display signs. In England, Richard II passed a law that stated "Whosoever shall brew ale in the town with intention of selling it must hang out a sign, otherwise he shall forfeit his ale," although this was more to help inspectors quickly find locations that brewed alcoholic beverages.
Originally, these signs would designate just what sort of thing you could buy inside, but in larger urban areas, as there would be multiple of the same store, businesses started to develop their own names and symbols to stand out from the crowd. Over time, many would display royal coats of arms to fake royal endorsements, until laws were passed to specifically prevent such manipulation.
#25
Mike_The_Nike 1 year ago
i was in a beuty shop (in a different state) and their was a sign that said “children left unattended will be given a puppy and an energy drink”
#28
Isa's left eye 1 year ago
I get the joke but I don't like it. If the roles were reversed, it would be considered misogynistic. Misandry is no better than misogyny.
#29
Take me to dinner first 1 year ago
Please tell me I'm not the only one trying to make sense of the "DTTEOEYUNESAO"
#30
DadManBlues 1 year ago (edited)
In case you don't know: they found Nemo: finding-ne...14fa03.jpg 
#32
#37
censorshipsucks 1 year ago
This one keeps appearing. It's a real warning sign in St Lucia crocodile park in KZN, South Africa.
#46
#49
Em 1 year ago
Had this on the liquor store sign for ages (with "ex" rather than "girlfriend"). Most people loved it, but a few would go "nah, her heart was frozen!" At which point I, utterly straight-faced, would reach into the back of That One Cooler, and hand them a beer with a quarter inch of ice adhered to the top of the can.
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What do you think ?
PattyK 1 year ago
Almost half of these are repeats from previous posts. Can’t these people come up with something new?
Lakota Wolf 1 year ago
Welcome to Bored Panda XD Some weeks we'll see the same entries span multiple posts within days of each other! The REALLY fun ones are when someone on BP staff reposts a post from two years ago, but doesn't make it a NEW post, so you'll reply to someone's comment with a clever rejoinder and then you'll notice that it says "2 years ago" next to their username... XD
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Deborah Rubin 1 year ago
Most of these are really old and have turned up all over the place. I collect pictures of signs and was hoping for some new ones.
Eulalie Grace 1 year ago
ICYMI - #43 is a sign at the Roosevelt Island Cat Sanctuary. Great place.
PattyK 1 year ago
Almost half of these are repeats from previous posts. Can’t these people come up with something new?
Lakota Wolf 1 year ago
Welcome to Bored Panda XD Some weeks we'll see the same entries span multiple posts within days of each other! The REALLY fun ones are when someone on BP staff reposts a post from two years ago, but doesn't make it a NEW post, so you'll reply to someone's comment with a clever rejoinder and then you'll notice that it says "2 years ago" next to their username... XD
Load More Replies... Deborah Rubin 1 year ago
Most of these are really old and have turned up all over the place. I collect pictures of signs and was hoping for some new ones.
Eulalie Grace 1 year ago
ICYMI - #43 is a sign at the Roosevelt Island Cat Sanctuary. Great place.
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