15 Strange Signs People Found in the Most Unexpected Places
Most signs have a fairly straightforward job. They tell you where to park, which door to use, or what not to touch. Then there are the ones that make you stop walking just to read them twice. Somewhere along the way, a perfectly ordinary warning becomes a strange little mystery. Why would anyone need to specify which animals can enter a building? What happened to inspire such an oddly specific rule? Some signs are deliberately funny, while others seem completely serious about something ridiculous. Luckily, people keep photographing these roadside surprises, questionable instructions, and unexpected warnings. Here are 15 strange signs that deserve a second look.
Ducks Have Special Privileges
A sign at London’s Wetland Centre restricts an area to ducks and staff only, giving the local waterfowl the same access privileges as employees.
Watch Out for Mermaids
A mermaid crossing sign gives mythical sea creatures their own traffic warning, complete with a familiar roadside symbol that nobody expects to encounter.
The Zombie Emergency Procedure
A sign instructs people to close a gate in the event of a zombie outbreak, offering a surprisingly simple emergency plan for a fictional catastrophe.
This Bridge Has a Strict Speed Limit
A sign on Vermont’s Chiselville Covered Bridge threatens a one-dollar fine for driving faster than walking speed.
Your Car Might Get Crushed
A parking sign in France reserves a space exclusively for Citroën vehicles and jokingly warns that all other cars will be crushed.
Beware of Angry Crows
A warning sign alerts pedestrians to aggressive nesting crows, identifying a surprisingly specific threat that anyone walking nearby might prefer to avoid.
Frisbee Golf Has Gone Too Far
An unusual ordinance sign forbids frisbee golf near thin-barked trees, singling out a very specific concern about potential damage.
Leave Your Ego at the Curb
A sign on Crosby Street in Manhattan tells passersby to “Curb Your Ego,” offering some unsolicited personal advice in the middle of SoHo.
A Very Unusual Bathroom Reminder
A humorous sign photographed inside a men’s restroom in Australia adds an unexpected message to a place where visitors usually expect straightforward instructions.
Watch Where You Fall
A bilingual warning sign in Lijiang, China, tells visitors to “Take care to fall into wafer,” thanks to an unfortunate translation of the word “water.”
Drunk People Crossing
A roadside sign in the Virgin Islands warns drivers about drunk pedestrians, using the familiar style of a traffic warning for an unusual hazard.
The Most Specific Parking Spot
A sign in the Bahamas designates a parking area for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, giving one particular kind of vehicle its own dedicated space.
A Town With an Unfortunate Name
A roadside sign welcomes travelers to Hell, Norway, where an ordinary place-name doubles as an unexpectedly dramatic message for English-speaking visitors.
Unattended Children, Beware
A sign warns that unattended children will be given an energy drink and taught to swear, offering parents a rather unusual incentive to keep an eye on them.
Emergency Cheese, Apparently
A sign in Cardston, Alberta, prominently advertises emergency cheese, although what qualifies as a cheese-related emergency is left entirely unexplained.