Funny signs appear all over the world. From spelling mistakes, mistranslations and poor grammar to deliberate jokey ones, funny signs permeate all aspects of our life, from grocery shopping to going to the bathroom to our daily commute. Here’s a selection that touched my funny bone.
1 Stop (literally)
A stop sign by itself doesn’t qualify as one of the funny signs in any language but in this case, it is the four signs underneath that say the driver cannot go forwards, back, left or right. Not only do you have to stop but you also can’t go anywhere if you were allowed to – hmm, confusing!
Frequently asked questions
2 When You Are Ready Tiger
This is a funny poster for the fact that it causes men in pickup trucks to crash. If that is not great advertising then who knows what is.
3 Not Good Enough to Be Eaten by Animals
We know that humans can often be unkind to animals – we ruin their habitats, steal their fur and eat them, but never did I imagine that one of the funny signs that I would find would tell me that humans are bad for an animal’s digestion.
4 Sound Advice
What’s the purpose of a sign? To provide information, direction, to give a warning or to offer some advice. Good advice is good advice, as this sign shows.
5 Texting Whilst Driving Kills
It would be a great sign if it were not for the sub line that says, “for more driving tips, text 'SAFETY' to 79191.”
6 Revenge
They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. I’m not sure where it says post it on a huge bright yellow sign and stand it in your garden for the world to see. If you don’t mind airing your dirty laundry in public, I guess erecting funny signs is one way to hit back.
7 Hooking!
Hmm – I wonder which county or highways official signed off the artwork for this one?
8 Beware the?
So what’s this all about then? Jiving deer? Could it be a sign telling you that the next series of Dancing with the Stars will be celebrities paired with animals?
9 How Not to Sell Your House
Well I guess that provides the answer to the age old question most prospective house buyers ask – what are the neighbors like? Would you even considering taking a look at this house for sale?
10 How Religion Helps
So many funny signs are a result of the juxtaposition of certain phrases and/or missing punctuation. This one will leave you scratching your head about whether faith can provide solutions to your problems.
11 Does Size Matter?
Men will tell you it does. Women are supposed to tell men it doesn’t. These pics above urinals will leave men in no doubt that size does matter! I love the one with a magnifying glass.
12 In Case of Drowning
This is a great sign because it looks like “lol” on the sign. As you know, “LOL” is text talk for “laugh out loud” and that is what the person in the water looks like on the sign. Quite distracting if you’re laughing at the sign when you should be dialing 911.
13 Stating the Obvious
Really? I know young mothers are inexperienced and often need guidance but do they really need instruction on how not to stick their hand into what could be a very messy situation?
14 More Parenting Advice
Part of a nationwide initiative to save orphanage spaces? Some funny signs are just plain odd. I guess if it makes moms and dads stop and think before they abandon their children, the sign has done its job.
15 What a Bargain
When I shop for groceries online I am always annoyed by extra special offers like multibuys that save me 5p (8 cents), or even how a multibuy costs more than the single item, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across an offer less tempting than this one. Fail!
16 Mechanics Bite Back
How many of us has experienced that sharp intake of breath moment when your car mechanic tells you a ball park figure of how much your repair work is going to cost? Mechanics and car repairers have a reputation as being overly costly – this sign tells us what they think or our impressions of them.
17 Safety First
Safety signage enters the 21st century!
18 Suicidal Cows?
What this sign is trying to say is that the land above the road is unstable and that cows graze up there. So they created a sign that expresses it quite clearly. I have to say the perspectives are quite weird. Don’t you think?
19 Magic Fruit
I bet even the best Iron Chef couldn’t make lemons produce orange juice. What a unique marketing idea! What’s next? Olive oil to make coffee?
