While in England this past summer, I was obsessed with taking pictures of street signs. American signs are loud, in-your-face and demand, rather than ask, for you to obey them. And why shouldn't they be? After all, their function is to get your attention and to warn you about things.
However, our neighbors across the pond seem to have taken a slightly different approach and utlize signs that are slightly less direct and more polite. For example, I used to spend 2 hours a day on the Baltimore Beltway, and when traffic was backed-up large electronic signs would flash messages like, Delays Ahead, Use Alternate Rt. 100, as myself and everyone around me continued to scream expletives at no one in particular, ("no s#@%, there's an f-ing delay! Too bad I passed the exit for rt. 100 three miles ago!") as we banged our heads against the steering wheel.
In the UK, I never saw any demonstrations of road rage, even at those pesky, confusing round-a-bouts. Whenever we were held up in traffic, we were greeted by signs that said, Queues Likely or Please Form Orderly Queue. It was still annoying to have to wait, but for some reason it wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking. Maybe it's the power of the "please"?
No matter what your opinion may be, I do feel like signs in both the US and UK definitely represent something about our cultures. On that note, I thought I'd share some of my favorites.
No yeilding here...but please 'give way'
Yikes, watch out! Humps for 15 yards
I don't understand how anyone can drive with so many signs everywhere. It seems so confusing. And I would never drive over anything with signs labeling it as a 'weak bridge'
Took me a minute or two to understand what this one meant. I feel like a simple "No Turn On Red" would have worked just fine.
Again, WTF? So glad I wasn't driving
No butts, just ends. Love it!
I guess you gotta watch out for those humps.
It was hard to obey this sign. But we stayed out.
I saw this car a couple times, and I thought it was so cute but puzzling. I just couldn't figure out how they'd fetch and carry anything in such a tiny little car!
In the UK, help was not wanted, rather it was required. So proper, indeed!
"Divers, please use discreation when undressing." Need I say more?
You have to watch out for those elderly people. They can get pretty rowdy!
We loved the fact that there were stink waves coming off the british-flag shaped doggy-foul
This was Phil's favorite sign. Guess it's a guy thing. (No pun intended)
The 'Big Tidy Up'. How cute is that?
This was my favorite. It was in Clifford's Castle in York. It pretty much speaks for itself. Keep your damn kids under control. Amen to that!
Again, so polite. (Please ignore my reflection in the window)And, below, these are examples of two little things I love about the UK:
1.) No ugly, reflective, day-glo street signs, instead they're far from an eye-sore and built right into the walls. And--not to mention--a tasteful black and white.
2.) When people parked their cars on the street they would pull up half-way onto the sidewalk in order to keep the roads from becoming to narrow to drive down. I was still living in Baltimore at this time, therefore this seemed like the best idea ever!
