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The universe is full of signs and synchronicities. If you’re looking for a sign to stop working and scroll social media instead, you’ve come to the right place. Signs serve several purposes. They're meant to communicate or convey information, and guide us to make decisions. But sometimes they surprise us. And all we can do is stop. Stare. And scratch our heads.

Bored Panda recently came across a very funny Facebook group called Strange, Stupid, Or Silly Signs. You guessed it. They share the best of the worst signs spotted around the world. With over 900,000 members, there’s no shortage of signs to leave you shook. Or make you smile. Keep scrolling for our top picks and don't forget to upvote your favorites.

#3

Strange-Stupid-Silly-Signs

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Boredest Panda
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hello, yes I’ll take one not coffee and 2 choccy coffees to go?

Jenna Kay
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a great explanation for those of us who don't drink coffee! ... yes, we exist, shocking, I know. Coke-a-Cola is my vice.

Shark Lady
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Me too! Only hot drink I have is the occasional hot chocolate in the winter.

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Mrs.C
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I drink decaf and get asked 'What's the point?' all of the time. My answer: I drink and eat what I like the taste of. Why don't you?

Mary Peace
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Haha, I like that. I drink cappuccino but usually one shot, but the bit I love is the foam. "I'd like a cup of foam with a dash of coffee flavoring, please."

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Yippee
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd like a Not Coffee for my friend and a Still Not Coffee for me, thanks.

Maartje
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand that especially in Asian countries drinks are concocted that involve both tea and coffee. That would be Halfass coffee perhaps? Or Identity crisis coffee? What do you think, pandas?

Gracie Mae
Community Member
2 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

aside from the ridiculous prices, trying to figure out what kind of double shot, half caff, no whatever is a big reason I don't go to coffee shops! this one, i could handle

Liz Butt
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brilliant. I have never known what these coffees are except for the flat white. It all makes sense now. Thank you.

Jane W.
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope they do a little better with the espresso than just give you a tiny amount of black coffee, though.

Rebecca McManus
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I frequently ask for a black coffee, the server then says "americano?", I reply, if it's black coffee then yes. At which point they ask me if I want milk with it 🤦‍♀️

CT
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Americano is not just black coffee, but espresso (miniature coffee) diluted with water

PrettyJoyBird
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Black, white, and miniture for me please. Idk this sounds dirty. Is this Austrailia, bc of choccy i ask? Seen on YT vlogs.

Cuppa tea?
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This! I only drink coffee away from home as I cannot get decent cup of tea, but I'm sick of explaining that all I want is big cup of black coffee, dollop of milk and heap of sugar.

Guess Undheit
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No mention of the abomination that is ruined and cold coffee (not "iced"). I don't care if it's 40C or 45C outside, I still want hot and black.

Schnitzel
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm feeling a Still Not Coffee topped with fresh whipped cream!

Remi (He/Him)
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So you think a cappuccino is just frothy coffee, thanks for the warning you don't know to have the cocoa included. Skill issue

Petra Schaap
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when you're scared of normal words in a different language. Going to rename spaghetti too? carb strings with sauce?

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Not all signs are straightforward. Some can lead us down a path of side-splitting laughter. Others can create chaos and confusion. Sometimes signs are meant to be funny. Sometimes their strangeness takes us by surprise. There are times we might have to read twice, or thrice to understand what’s being (attempted to be) said. Have you seen one that you just had to take a snap of? I know I have. Wait. Let me check my Instagram…

#5

Strange-Stupid-Silly-Signs

Jun Atadero Report

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Boredest Panda
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

WARNING: IT WILL DRAW YOU IN WITH ITS CUTENESS AND THEN ATTACK YOU WITH KISSES

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If you’ve been to Thailand, you might have seen what the locals refer to as “songthaews”. They’re basically pick-up trucks that have been adapted into passenger transport. Once, while traveling the islands, I got into the back of one. After carefully placing my suitcase at my feet, I looked up to the window separating the driver from us passengers. Right there in big, bright orange letters were the words, “Please luggage before smoothing out of the car.” Say what? I still haven’t figured that one out.

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I’d like to believe the Thailand songthaew sign was a case of lost in translation. And it probably was. But sometimes signs are deliberately designed to take you on a detour to ‘death by laughter’. There’s a bumper sticker, sold internationally, that reads “Honk if you love Jesus. Text if you want to meet him.” It’s a clever campaign to highlight the dangers of texting while driving.

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In America, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says driving at 55 mph while sending or reading a text for five seconds is the same as driving an entire length of a football field with your eyes shut. And that 410 people died in accidents in 2021, because of texting and driving. That's more than one death a day.

And did you see the “Do your duty. Buckle that booty” sign while scrolling through this list? It was part of another witty road safety campaign that had some drivers in stitches. CBS reported the brains behind the highway billboard was someone called Sam Cole, who got clever and creative while working with the Colorado Department of Transportation. Cole designed several similar signs to help the department raise road safety awareness in a time of need.

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Ironically, some of the funny road safety signs are a danger themselves. If you like having a good chuckle while reading signs and driving in America, enjoy it while it lasts. As the LA Times reported, “Buckle up, windshields hurt” or “We’ll be blunt, don’t drive high” could soon be a thing of the past.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) announced earlier this year that it would be banning all humorous highway signs by 2026. The agency released this new rule book for signs and other traffic control device regulations. It is getting rid of overhead signs with “obscure meaning, references to popular culture, that are intended to be humorous”. The FHA says funny signs could be misinterpreted and are a dangerous distraction to drivers. It noted that road signs should communicate “simple, direct, brief, legible, and clear” messages.

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The debate over side-splitting road signs got heated in 2022, after the New Jersey Department of Transportation rolled out a campaign featuring funny messaging for motorists. Some were so hilarious that the Federal Highway Administration tweeted a warning not to take pictures of them while driving. Soon after, the FHA told New Jersey to 'cease and desist'. But the state’s senator wrote to the agency, saying other states were doing the same. And so began a blanket nationwide ban, begging drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

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A lot more goes into signage than meets the eye. Or so it should be. The International Sign Association (ISA) has members around the world. They’re experts in the signage, graphics and visual communications industry. According to their website, “Successful signage involves more than just creating an attractive arrangement of logos and slogans.” Some of the important things to take into consideration are the materials used, lighting available, placement, typography and size of the sign elements.

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The ISA advises "How well a sign works for your business depends in large part on how easy it is for people driving or walking by to see and read it. For maximum readability a sign must be detectable, conspicuous, legible and comprehensible.” And we really wish the designers of some of these signs had referred to the ISA site before blindly going about their business.

Have you spotted any strange, silly or downright stupid signs in your 'hood? We’d love to hear about them and maybe even have a laugh. Let us know in the comments. And if you enjoyed these pics, see here, and here, and here, for more strange, silly, stupid and funny signs.

The ISA advised "How well a sign works for your business depends in large part on how easy it is for people driving or walking by to see and read it. For maximum readability a sign must be detectable, conspicuous, legible and comprehensible.” And we really wish the designers of some of these signs had referred to the ISA site before blindly going about their business.

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Have you spotted any strange, silly or downright stupid signs in your hood? We’d love to hear about them and maybe even have a laugh. Let us know in the comments.

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#38

Strange-Stupid-Silly-Signs

Darren Ho Report

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Koala ala ala
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3 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hell to the yea I'm ALWAYS the problem. May not be the flex I think it is.....

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#45

Strange-Stupid-Silly-Signs

Melissa Brown Report

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Lotekguy
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

His sermons were becoming too tedious, so we found a better way to serve him... uh, we mean for him to be of service to his flock.

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#49

Strange-Stupid-Silly-Signs

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Boredest Panda
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3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dogs pee to claim territory. No doubt the dog put that up to send a clear message to the hoomans

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#50

Strange-Stupid-Silly-Signs

Tubby tank Report

Note: this post originally had 65 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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