# Amusing Signs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074 "2024-02-03T19:04:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/101 "2024-02-07T01:33:35Z")
Back when we lived in Chapel Hill, there was a movie theatre that was showing Kiss of the Spider Woman Plenty (with Meryl Streep) White Nights (starring Gregory Hines and Mikhail Barysnikov) Only they had them (and the stars) listed in a side-by-side fashion. So it read ```auto Kiss Of The Baryshnikov Spider Woman Hines Meryl Streep White Nights Plenty In Stereo ``` We decided that “Kiss of the Baryshnikov” sounded like a great horror movie. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/102 "2024-02-07T01:39:33Z")
In Bolinas CA, a very quirky little beach town, I saw a door with the stern label, “MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS _ **ONLY** _” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/103 "2024-02-07T02:04:23Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > We decided that “Kiss of the Baryshnikov” sounded like a great horror movie. I saw the following photo of a movie theater sign in a _National Lampoon_ book in the 1980s, with the caption, “Never could trust those Fly Gods.” [![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pKsFAHRazxg/SesWIrCrnyI/AAAAAAAAQzw/DYg9Q89YFJM/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/photo-794854.jpg) ](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pKsFAHRazxg/SesWIrCrnyI/AAAAAAAAQzw/DYg9Q89YFJM/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/photo-794854.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/104 "2024-02-07T03:54:10Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Just wanted to say thanks for that. Despite his success I had not heard of Pinette. Domo arigato 🙂 My wife had never heard of him, either, something jogged my memory one night, and the “Why you here four hour?” came to mind, I had her look it up on YouTube, she was an instant convert. A very funny man, I’m always sad to know he’s gone, who knows what he would have gone on to do. ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/105 "2024-02-07T03:58:32Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Moose Crossing signs are pretty commonplace in the northeast What I want to know is how the animals read well enough to know to cross at those places? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/106 "2024-02-07T04:00:50Z")
Because they are proud graduates of Whatsamatta U. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/107 "2024-02-07T04:48:09Z")
Pinette’s skill at impressions adds to the fun. In his skit about being “the boss of cake”, his impression of Brando’s Godfather was absolutely spot-on! And in the bit where he speculated that the reason English nobility had such huge lawns surrounding their castles was as a defensive measure because no army could cross such vast territory, he mimicked a frustrated French soldier halfway across the lawn to lay siege to an English castle pulling the ubiquitous French cigarette out of his mouth and going – here one has to imagine a very thick French accent – “this is bullshit!”. I nearly lost it! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/108 "2024-02-07T05:34:55Z")
> [@Dogginit](#): > > What I want to know is how the animals read well enough to know to cross at those places? I’ve heard anecdotes in which people complain that the sign people chose a bad place to tell the animals to cross. I can picture that happening, but have seen no direct evidence of it. I can attest to requests for duck crossing signs, together with regrets that such signs are nonstandard and will therefore not be installed. The signs are nonstandard because the FHWA and Caltrans only have signs for animals large enough to mess up your car and possibly injure you. A line of baby ducks will not do that. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/109 "2024-02-07T06:16:41Z")
Ask the right question, and get the best answer. The sign wasn’t what made it great, it was the crazy distance quoted. How deer know where to cross: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Na8XMUTb33g/maxresdefault.jpg "Pete Correale: Deer Crossing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na8XMUTb33g) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/110 "2024-02-07T09:01:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m more amused by Arizona having a “Tuba City”. It’s on Navajo/Hopi land so somewhat disappointingly it’s not about the musical instrument, it was originally a Mormon settlement named after this guy: > **[Tuba (chief)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuba_(chief))** > > Tuba (also Tuvi or Toova; c. 1810–1887) was a Hopi leader in the late 19th century. Tuba was the headman of the small Hopi village of Moencopi, roughly fifty miles west of the main villages on the Hopi mesas. However, he apparently was an important person in the village of Oraibi as well. Eventually, Tuba joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and later received his endowment in the St. George Temple. Tuba City, Arizona, was named in his honor. > Tuba was born in ... ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/111 "2024-02-07T12:59:06Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > “MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS _ **ONLY** _” I once rented a hall for a party. I was about to sign the contract and pay $600 when I noticed the contract had “Non-Member” written across the top. I asked if there was a discount for members. Yep, members just paid a $60 clean-up fee that was returned if all was tidy. Could I become a member? Yep, $25. I saved $600 by paying a $25 membership fee. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/112 "2024-02-07T13:22:10Z")
In the 80s I went to college at Wayne State University in Detroit. Even back then the city was well on its way to losing population to the degree that large swaths of the city other than downtown, midtown and the WSU campus area were largely abandoned, desolate wastelands. There was a local market / convenience store nearby the campus area called ‘TOMBOY’. One night I was driving by and I noticed that the ‘OY’ part of the neon sign had burned out, so the sign just said ‘TOMB’. I thought, how appropriate. I wished I had had a camera to take a pic of it, but that was well before camera phones existed. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/113 "2024-02-07T16:43:10Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > ETA: Nuts. Zoom in to read the sign. Ah. the former Sun Devil liquors. Right next to George’s, the best gyros in town! > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > For decades, they have used a sign, well in view of the interstate, to feature puns related to cows and insemination. I never took a picture, but I remember “SEASONS BREEDINGS” ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/114 "2024-02-08T00:05:57Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I can attest to requests for duck crossing signs, together with regrets that such signs are nonstandard and will therefore not be installed. The signs are nonstandard because the FHWA and Caltrans only have signs for animals large enough to mess up your car and possibly injure you. A line of baby ducks will not do that. There’s a [turtle crossing sign](https://wapo.st/495YKTr) on the Dulles Greenway, or at least there was (I haven’t been out that way in years). It was paid for by a private citizen. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/115 "2024-02-08T00:15:11Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > > [@Yllaria](#): > > > > I can attest to requests for duck crossing signs, together with regrets that such signs are nonstandard and will therefore not be installed. The signs are nonstandard because the FHWA and Caltrans only have signs for animals large enough to mess up your car and possibly injure you. A line of baby ducks will not do that. > > There’s a [turtle crossing sign](https://wapo.st/495YKTr) on the Dulles Greenway, or at least there was (I haven’t been out that way in years). It was paid for by a private citizen. Official German road sign: [![](https://www.strassenausstatter.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/verkehrszeichen-101-14-amphibienwanderung-aufstellung-rechts-gemaess-stvo.jpg) ](https://www.strassenausstatter.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/verkehrszeichen-101-14-amphibienwanderung-aufstellung-rechts-gemaess-stvo.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/116 "2024-02-08T00:26:53Z")
For those of us who don’t read German, what does it mean? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/117 "2024-02-08T00:38:48Z")
“No Parking - Violators Will Be Toad.” ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/118 "2024-02-08T00:40:37Z")
Warning: Frenchmen ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/119 "2024-02-08T00:41:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > “No Parking - Violators Will Be Toad.” I drew a single-panel cartoon with that title, once. Takes me back. I assume that’s a yield sign. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074/120 "2024-02-08T00:46:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > For those of us who don’t read German, what does it mean? _Krötenwanderung_ - Toad Migration; a warning that migrating amphibians may be crossing the road. > **[German Road Signs](https://routetogermany.com/drivingingermany/road-signs)** > > A complete list of road signs in Germany, meanings of German road signs, and comprehensive explanation in English. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/amusing-signs/997074.md?page=7)