Do you ever wonder whether we are getting smarter as a species or the exact opposite is happening? Well, you’re not the only one. While we’ve achieved great progress in the last couple of centuries there are some worrying signs that the trend may be reversing.
The evidence for that is the signs we can see everywhere around us. Sometimes these signs are telling something that should be obvious to everyone but the trouble is, people can do some really dumb things so they need equally dumb signs you won’t believe exist.
You’re about to see 75 signs which demonstrate that we’re not as smart as we think we are.
1. Peanut in a shell
In case you didn’t figure it out on your own, peanut butter is actually made of… peanuts. The same goes for the product on the picture. Peanut allergy is no joke so we understand why they needed to put a sign to warn their customers, if their own eyes failed to do the trick.
2. Read the sign
Some people may be tempted to break into a library during the night, which is why every library needs a sign to disssuade them from attempting something stupid. Next time you plan on paying a visit to the library, keep in mind that it’s closed until it’s opened.
3. No giant hot dogs
You probably find it annoying and unfair when you buy a product and find out that it isn’t quite the same as what the image on the package showed. This sign has been posted for a reason – to avoid confusion.
4. It’s hot
Would you put your hand in the fire for someone? If you ever consider it, be sure to remember that the fire is hot.
5. This will only hurt a little…
People who don’t bother to read danger signs may often find themselves in real danger. Just in case you forget: flames are not good for your skin.
6. Slippery ‘floor’
Watch your step or you might slip. You can’t say you haven’t been warned.
7. Greetings earthlings
No matter what city, state or country we’re from, we’re all from Earth. This sign reminds us of that simple fact.
8. Push, don’t knock
When God closes a door he opens a window and vice versa. You won’t need a window if you simply try the alternative entrance.
9. A picture is worth a thousand words
We love the drawing. When words aren’t enough, the drawing is there to remove any doubt in respect to the harmful impact of swallowing a hanger.
10. No, cats don’t give milk
Cat food manufacturers obviously didn’t consider the possibility that their product name might be confusing for some customers. If they did, this sign wouldn’t have been necessary.
11. Under the sea
If you ever succumb to a reflex to breathe under water, remember this sign and let it serve as a warning. Unless you have gills, then this warning doesn’t apply to you.
12. The Devil’s Pitchfork
Teens and adolescents have a habit to sit on the nearest fence they find to spend their leisure time. It really pays to be careful on what kind of fence do you sit on to avoid accidents.
13. Don’t overstep your boundaries
When you’re attending a party it’s easy to get carried away chatting with your friends. One step too far while standing on a balcony can prove fatal, unless there’s a sign like this one warning you that you’re not on the ground level.
14. The spirit of exploration
The first explorers didn’t need signs to guide them while they were discovering the Americas. If Columbus could do it, why shouldn’t you be able to do the same?
15. No, that’s not an exit
We can only wonder what’s the story behind this sign. It has to be a good one.
16. Who doesn’t want a lollipop
Too often we focus too much on the form and forget about the substance. It’s all nice to enjoy your lollipop when you’re getting a shot but don’t forget what it’s all about.
17. Single use only
The best way to know what you’re buying is to try on the product before you actually pay for it. Sometimes that’s impossible, however, so we have to trust the manufacturer.
18. No diving in shallow water
Think of all the underwater wonders just waiting to be discovered in a public toilet. Unfortunately, the risk of getting injured while attempting to dive in a toilet is too high.
19. It’s not a toy
Some things are just not meant to be used for hitting each other. If you really want to smack someone – use a pillow.
20. It’s only a game
Nasty things can happen when we take sports too seriously. More sports facillities should have signs like this one.
21. Ghostbusters
Every home for sale should a have a sign ‘no ghosts on the premises’. Nobody wants to repeat the mistake that couple from the Amityville made.
22. No selfies with crocodiles
Tourists can be a troublesome bunch, especially when they want to take selfies with crocodiles. Don’t ever attempt it yourself.
23. Enter the sea here
One can’t just walk into the ocean from a random point. Who knows what could be lurking in the depths. That’s why it’s always safe to enter the sea through the entrance.
24. Kids play should be voluntary
Parents need to realize that their kids have limits. Signs like these are necessary to avoid heartbreaking scenes of weeping kids who are forced by their parents to ride the mechanical bull.
25. Remember to wash your clothes
If only more manufacturers put tags such as this on their products, there would be less dirty t-shirts in the world. The only problem with that is that people who need to be reminded to wash their clothes may also need to be reminded how to wash them as well.
26. Out of service
When you really need to go you hardly pay attention to what urinal you’re using. Even if it’s a hole in the wall.
27. Rain makes the road wet
Traffic safety is important and everyone needs to know all the regulations right down to the last detail. Better safe than sorry, right?
28. So that’s why we had problems with slippery walls
People who watched too many Jim Carrey movies might get some strange ideas from time to time. Licking the bathroom walls sounds disturbing enough to warrant a response from the staff.
29. The door’s locked for a reason
Keys exist for a purpose. If you don’t have have one and door is locked it’s better you go back the way you came.
30. Organic food
You need the best ingredients to prepare healthy and nutritious food. Doesn’t matter which ingredients, just make sure they’re organic.
31. Watch your steps
Stepping into an empty elevator shaft is everyone’s nightmare. These folks were smart enough to put a sign to avoid unfortunate accidents from occurring.
32. Swimmers only
This sign is very unfair to non-swimmers. You don’t have to be a swimmer to enjoy water sports like everyone else. Stop discrimination against non-swimmers!
33. The end of the road
Every sidewalk has to end somewhere. What’s problematic is what happens after you reach the end of the sidewalk.
34. Don’t cup your hands underneath the vending machine
There comes a time when you need coffee so badly you’d do just about anything to get your hands on that cup. If there’s no cup available, your hands will do just fine.
35. Pay attention to stop signs
Stop signs are everywhere so we take them for granted and often forget about their existence. This sign is here to remind us of their existence.
36. Language issues
Ordering a coffee should be a fairly straightforward task, no need to complicate things by speaking Klingon. Unless you’re at spaceship bar, that is.
37. Unmovable trees
Experienced skiers know that moving trees are just an illusion. We don’t live in Middle Earth and Treebeard is not real.
38. Have some decency
Showing in your underwear in public may be considered fashionable in come circles but most of us old-fashioned folks still see it as rude. The people who run this establishment have had enough.
39. Traffic lesson
You don’t have to be a first time driver to be reminded of some of the basics of road etiquette. If there were more signs like this one there would be less traffic accidents.
40. You’ll be redirected to the nearest functioning toilet
It must be a bad feeling to enter the toilet and unzip your pants just to find out that the toilet is actually a fake. Here’s another reason not to like IKEA.
41. Elevator buttons are complicated
Things aren’t always what they seem and it applies to elevator buttons too. Nobody wants to press the wrong button and end up on the 12th floor instead of 7th.
42. Watch out, mountain ahead
Before you jump to conclusions about this one, you should know that it’s actually a name of the mountain. ‘Big Mountain’ may not be a particularly inventive name but it describes it pretty well nonetheless.
43. The 6th commandment
For those of you who didn’t read Crime and Punishment, no murder goes unpunished. Though, it’s not quite clear why do we need a sign to tell us that.
44. Red man and green man
It never hurts to be reminded of basic traffic rules. Safety first.
45. Oreos are evil
Oreos and books seem like a toxic combination. We don’t know what exactly happened but never enter the library with oreos again.
46. Hot beverages
This sign was likely posted because of huge cleaning bills caused by drink spills. It might seem painstakingly obvious but it’s so easy to forget yourself and sip steaming hot coffee.
47. On this day in history
They say that every place has a story but this sign demonstrates it’s not always the case. A plaque looks fancy, though, so why not install one in your own backyard?
48. Flooded road
Taking a wrong turn while on a trip can be costly as you could literally end up in deep water. If you this sign, it will probably be too late already.
49. Punch the wall at your own risk
You’re probably familiar with the expression ‘hit a brick wall’. However, its meaning is not only metaphorical but can be quite literal as well. Only Harry Potter can get away with rushing headlong into a brick platform.
50. Wet paint sign
Signs like this one are a waste of paper. We hope that it’s recycled paper at least.
51. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst
This sign won’t come as a surprise to you if you played Fallout. We only need to find out what’s the vault number and the apocalypse can start.
52. My chair is not working
Chairs are complicated devices so it may be difficult to differentiate between a broken chair and a working one. Ignore this sign at your risk.
53. What is dead may never die
A sure method to make people be more cautious is to strike fear into their hearts. Don’t try to drown more than once because you may not get another chance.
54. Marketing 101
This is an example of a perfect marketing slogan: it’s short, truthful, and tells you everything you need to know. Who would buy used toilet paper anyway?
55. Don’t forget your baby
Every sign has a story. On the other hand, some stories are best left untold.
56. The urinal controversy
You probably didn’t want to know that but they put this sign in a local pub only after the damage was done. Here’s a perfect evidence that the evolutionary clock can also go backwards.
57. That’s a helpful sign
Driving lesson number one: watch where you’re going. Driving lesson number two: do not hit pole. Number three: always read traffic signs no matter how stupid they might be.
58. Never eat popcorn in a toilet
The only thing more disturbing than eating popcorn in a public toilet is the image of popcorn blown over the room by a hand dryer. Nobody can blame the staff for putting this sign, considering all the trouble they’ve been through because of popcorn.
59. Zippers against men
Let this be a lesson to all guys to use their zippers with extreme caution. It takes but one moment of recklessness to endanger your reproductive health.
60. Don’t say we didn’t warn you
When you’re parched all you can think of is how to quench your thirst as soon as possible. If that’s the case then this sign won’t mean much to you.
61. Basics of life
Just because something’s painstakingly obvious doesn’t mean it should not be talked about – or put on signs. Now let’s have a hamburger before we all starve to death reading how dumb some signs can be.
62. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out
Before they ask you to leave an establishment you can always choose to do so out of your own free will, while you still have some dignity. Jokes aside, this sign is either a prank or a monument to human stupidity.
63. This isn’t a lucky fountain
Carp aren’t known for their high IQ and they eat pretty much anything they spot (or smell) – even coins. Throwing coin into this fountain won’t make your wish come true, it will extinquish a life of an innocent carp.
64. Enter here
We feel it’s best to leave you draw your own conclusions about this one. Sometimes it’s best not to say anything.
65. A fair warning
Unlike most other signs we’ve seen so far, this one can be really useful. If only everyone was as conscientious as the folks who put up this sign, there’d be less money squandered on lawsuits.
66. “Steps”
Does this even need a comment at this point? Somebody call the sign police, we can’t take this anymore.
67. Gas pump fetish
There are all sorts of weird fetishes out there but this one certainly comes close to being the most bizarre of them all. Unless it’s not a fetish but a really unusual stunt which involves farting gasoline.
68. Two times is better than one
You have better chance of getting your point across if you keep repeating it long enough. After all, repetitiveness is the key to a successful marketing effort.
69. Eyes on the road
Whoever put up this sign knows very well how dangerous it can be to drive with your eyes closed. Don’t even blink, just to be safe.
70. Danger at every step
Next time you wander off into the woods alone, remember to watch your steps and stay on the trail. Apparently a fall can kill you.
71. Meanwhile in Alaska…
Moose is a majestic species that roams freely in the northern wilderness and is not quite accustomed to modern technological wonders such as the auto-door. They’ll just have to use those old-fashioned doors in Alaska.
72. Undersea adventure
Some signs are more helpful than others. This sign is not one of them.
73. The children
Parents, don’t leave your children in the cart, it’s not cool. Your kids may think you don’t want them anymore and that’s even less cool.
74. Reduced friction
Walking on ice is like walking down a slippery slope – you never know when you may hit the ground. Well, there’s at least one good thing about global warming: less people will slip on ice.
75. Hiking in the mountains
The Alps are no place for the faint-hearted, nor for people in high heels. It doesn’t pay to be fashionable in the mountains.