Oh, The Signs I’ve Seen

In the places I’ve been

If there’s anything about being a photographer, it’s the astuteness one has of one’s surroundings.

I’ve taken oodles of pictures, and many are of the oddest things — like signs. I didn’t set out to take photos of them; they merely caught my eye.

Some are odd, some funny. Others are informative. There are some seriously scary ones out there too.

Let the signs begin.

My lead photo is telling drivers to be cautious as they’re in Pukeko territory. These pretty blue-feathered and red-legged birds love swampland and are often seen roadside strutting around looking for fodder.

Thanks to the urban sprawl in New Zealand, many of them have been driven out of their homes.

I was a bit perturbed seeing many of these Tsunami warning signs around the coastal areas of New Zealand. Surrounded by water and smack bang on the ring of fire poses a huge threat for earth-moving moments that will cause havoc.

NZ seems prepared. In Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, they were everywhere; either pointing to evacuation routes or outlining the potential consequences if a massive earthquake strikes on the other side of the world, triggering a tsunami.

A rather sobering thought.

On a funnier note, when I was further down south in Dunedin, I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this brilliant sign in a restaurant bathroom.

On the same wall was some pertinent advice. What better place to spread the word about urinary problems including bladder cancer?

Let’s jump across the ditch to Aussie now. Although this first pic was actually a shop window display, they really did have some imagination — and balls!

Speaking of balls, I found this sign to be rather amusing too. I guess they were sick and tired of being asked to pay for nearby residents' smashed windows?

My fave is the following sign; tosser is a polite way of calling someone a dickhead. What a great advert to stop littering!

I’m guessing there are some tossers out there for the next sign to be posted in the ladies' bathroom in Terrigal, New South Wales. It could well be used in beach bars in Florida, USA too. Hanky panky anyone?

Another one that had me thinking was this sign in Oz. Refuge island? Is it a place to vacation and escape the bustle of the city?

Nope; it’s a place in the middle of the road for pedestrians to wait for the cars to let them cross. Never heard this one before — and I’d rather not be standing in the middle of a road, refuge island or not!

Now for some random signs in other places I’ve visited.

First to Jamaica when they had large illuminated billboards to educate about HIV. It was a bit shocking, but so are their statistics. According to an article by the Institute for Global Health Sciences in 2021, 51% of transgender women are HIV positive. Their research points to the cost of preventative treatment being a major contributor to the high caseloads.

This is, unfortunately, global health: lower- and middle-income countries slog along making hard-won incremental progress long after miracle drugs become widely available in wealthy countries.

When I was in Hong Kong, we visited these magnificent gardens that were somehow tucked between highrises and the craziness of that city.

The entrance sign was pretty full-on. It might have been easier for them to put a sign up on what you could do!

Florida’s signs were a little freaky. This one was right near the condo we were staying in. I was watching every step I took in case I came across one lurking.

I’ll leave you with a classic sign that is on the hillside in Wellington New Zealand. The city is notoriously windy and this welcome sign is perfect!

Perhaps you have captured some unique signs that are tucked away in the photo archives? I’d love to see them!