Signs, Signs Everywhere A Sign, but what do they all mean?

Five Man Electrical Band released this song in 1970 (am I dating myself?), but the message is still relevant.

                                                         Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
                                                   Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
                                                Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?



During my travels throughout the UK I came across numerous signs covering the spectrum from humorous to bizarre to no, what??  Signs on the whole have universal meanings, but the signs that drew my attention were those with distinct regional appeal.  That same sign at home would be met with laughter and confusion, but here in the UK they appear as natural as fish and chips.  

Signs are intended to provide you with clear direction.  There is no mistaking that only in Britain would a "No Parking" sign have such a polite tone.  As I walked around Ryde I wondered if this would work in Ottawa or Toronto or how long it would remain graffiti (comment) free?

Manners never hurt.

Word signs should be clear so there is no room for confusion.  It is inevitable that words that carry a different meaning at home warrant inclusion in this blog.  The word "hump" is used a lot in British signs.  They may be pointing to a pedestrian crossing or  indicating upcoming speed bumps.  On the scale of "words should not be ambiguous" the word "hump" fails miserably.

This refers to a pedestrian crossing, not a new breed of zebra

Does NOT refer to a potential red light district for 65 yards

Well then, let's just move away from words for a moment, while we wipe the smirks off our faces and look at picture signs.  You're not going to see any of these signs any time soon, but they are everywhere throughout Scotland.  A bit redundant in my opinion as the livestock aren't hiding. They are everywhere, so why announce them?

Sheep Crossing

What, you didn't believe it was me?

Cows and Oxen, oh my!

Not sure if he saw the sign. He could do with a trim.

What are you talking about?

Some signs can be outright  insulting.  I mean sure I may have felt like this at times, but is it necessary to announce it for all to see? Keeping up with the long strides of Al and Kat sometimes had me almost jogging. I said almost since everyone knows I do not jog!  They were always so apologetic because their natural strides leave most people in the dust. Thankfully they didn't hold it against me, though they seem to have reduced their pace after seeing that sign. (coincidence?) 

No offence................none taken.

Buses, like at home also sport signs. Three such signs caught my camera's attention. The first sign was of  M & M's.  I thought it funny to think of them speaking with British accents, but mostly I wanted to know where to find them so I could "test" if they tasted the same. The second sign looked like something from the 50's with Happy Days, Marion Cunningham offering to inoculate you.   The third sign just made me laugh.  Have you ever seen a cruise ship and a pussy cat in the same sentence? Yeah, me neither.  

English right down to their "Royal" bearskin hats!

I'm not convinced

Well of course not, it's a cruise ship.

Then there are those signs that stretch your credulity.  I was almost tempted to look for the hidden camera. The sign below had so many instructions that I was momentarily confused.  I then focused in on "no ball games". This sign stands in the square outside of the Cowes train station.  It is a relatively small, but crowded square filled with tour buses, cars, taxis and pedestrians.  Who honestly believes this area is in danger of someone suddenly coming up with the brilliant idea to start a (base) ball game?

Then there's this ludicrous access sign.  So is the sign saying that I need to be 6'6" high or  6'6" wide or, d'oh who has a measuring tape?  I am sure the sign makes sense to the locals, but for all we non-British perhaps we should be granted free access pending a review board's acceptance our eligibility. Otherwise, hit detour on your GPS and avoid these roads at all cost.

How about this next sign we saw outside the Household Cavalry Museum?  The wording is certainly clear.

Except perhaps for this lady.

Whoa, Nellie. Ahh, Lady did you not see the sign?

Of course with Nellie preoccupied with the Lady, Al, Kat and Steph posed for a photo op.

The problem is sometimes there are just too many signs and it can become a bit overwhelming.  We were standing outside Trafalgar Square and looking up the street.  There were crowds of people and signs and more signs.  Our eyes spotted one particular sign: the small oval black side that read:  "The Old Shades".  It had all the "signs" (excuse the pun) of being a typical English pub.

Once inside, the first sign that met us was one that is quite common in pubs.   It's actually a pretty efficient "serving" system.  Efficient, that is, once you know that sitting and waiting for a server is just not the British way. You go to the bar, order, pay, take your drink and a server brings your food order.

To be the one who avoids having to pay the bill, just say,"I'll stay here and "mind the bags".  Works every time!

This brings up a word that the Brits just love using: "mind".  It's a word you will hear or read over and over again whether you are riding a bus, train, tube or elevator.

Sign we read as we went through the walkway/entrance towards our Loch Ness tour

I cannot see this or re-call hearing it without an all out smile.  Good times, good times!!

This reminds me that Brits are indeed very safety conscious.  They are always alerting you to danger and telling you to "mind" your way.  At the London Tower they had a Health and Safety sign.  I sincerely doubted whether any "vest",  Kevlar or otherwise would provide protection, but I did "mind" the message.  Al, graciously tried on the safety helmet, to the whir of snapping shutters and looks of numerous onlookers.  She did confirm that the metal helmet likely would safe guard you against all assaults, with the exception of  the headache from wearing such a heavy helmet.

It will take more than protective clothing

Nice hat, Al.

Now here comes those signs that you'd recognise anywhere.

London's underground  transportation is amazing and really needs no introduction.

Al in front of Westminster Station 

Underground Tube 

The comfortable clothing sign that makes you look so darn good.

This plaque in Royal Victoria Park, Bath could not have a more worthy recipient for a Tree Hugger award.

 Plaque reads, "Tree Hugger, You are Home"

Many of the stores throughout our travels had souvenir paraphernalia that read:

I thought, how cool is that?  England too is part of this craze that has swept the Internet through Twitter and Facebook among two of the most popular social media platforms.

We in Ottawa were all over the phrase during the 2013 hockey playoffs.

Maybe WE shouldn't have been so calm, now that our beloved Alfie is gone!

How was I to know at that time that this phrase had actually originated in the UK?  It was the basis of a motivational poster created by the British government in 1939, just prior to the beginning of World War II. It ties in with the universality of signs and that brings my blog full circle.

 Five Man Electrical asked: "Can't you read the signs?"   I'd say  50/50, but I had a blast trying!