# Did the sign really say THAT? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 18, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461 "2007-06-18T14:41:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/41 "2007-06-18T23:05:28Z")
I guess that we now know recheck and redneck can be interchanged to fool people. 😃 It does make for a funny line. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/42 "2007-06-18T23:14:34Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] There is a trucking company called Fuchs Trucking that has it emblazoned on the semis. I know what it is, but I always read Fucks Trucking. A slight variation to misreading a sign follows. As for the Slow Children sign, I think we all go “Well, make them go faster.” [/QUOTE] And when I see a sign that says: Watch Children I always think: I wonder if they are more effective than watch dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Offkenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@Offkenter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Offkenter)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/43 "2007-06-18T23:34:42Z")
In Danbury, Connecticut there used to be a sign that said: ## Department of Motor Vehicles State Correctional Facility Until I noticed the line, I always thought “That explains a _lot_” ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/44 "2007-06-18T23:42:27Z")
During the Carter administration, when the Camp David Accords were in the news every day, I was surprised to see that a local highway had been named after Israeli Prime Minister [Menachem Begin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachim_Begin). Eventually I figured out what the “Begin Highway” sign meant. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/45 "2007-06-18T23:56:46Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] A slight variation to misreading a sign follows. As for the Slow Children sign, I think we all go “Well, make them go faster.” [/QUOTE] I always think that they grow up to be Slow Men Working. ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/46 "2007-06-19T00:21:27Z")
Loooong ago (also during the Carter administration), there was a bar that my now-ex and I drove by in San Jose. The bar’s name was in a tall sign, in early-70s hippy-dippy font. I never could figure out what the sign said. Apparently my ex couldn’t figure it out either. One day he asked what I thought the name was – and it was at the very moment of his question that Hi Phugger morphed into Hip Hugger. (fortunately, no rednecks were involved) ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/47 "2007-06-19T00:24:36Z")
I’ve always felt sorry for those slow children. Seems mean to embarrass them by posting signs where they live. And to **Sternvogel’s** link: 😃 One should always choose fonts carefully. And probably have lots of people look at the resulting graphic to make sure it won’t look unintentionally stupid
 GT ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/48 "2007-06-19T00:29:05Z")
My partner and I have a standing agreement to say out loud what you _first_ thought you read. Drives are much more interesting that way! We also call them “reados” - kinda like typos. Too bad none of them are in my head right now. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/49 "2007-06-19T00:55:24Z")
[QUOTE=lorene] I always think that they grow up to be Slow Men Working. [/QUOTE] That’s a good one. TouchĂ©! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/50 "2007-06-19T01:12:55Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] You learn not to open your mouth until a recheck verifies what you thought was funny. [/QUOTE] Um
me too. And i didn’t figure it out until I read some of the other posts. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/51 "2007-06-19T02:01:40Z")
I recieved a check from a client; the name of the company was SBX Pearl. The font they used made it look exactly like “SEX Pearl”. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/52 "2007-06-19T02:34:50Z")
One of my favourite reado’s (thanks for the word, **Fetchund** ) happened while driving on the NJ Turnpike. The license plate slogan of a nearby car caught my eye, for it read “Expiration Date”. _That’s odd,_ thought I, _that can’t be right_. It wasn’t. When I got close enough to re-read it, what it actually said was “Constitution State”. Another was the sign on a bathroom door at work, placed where you had to see it on the way out. It read “Please check your personalities at the door”. My eye! A re-read revealed it to actually say “Please check your personal items at the door”. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/53 "2007-06-19T03:09:32Z")
I do the misreads all the time, especially with thread titles. Unfortunately, I can’t remember any right now. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/54 "2007-06-19T03:59:21Z")
I don’t do this for signs much - I reserve my special talent for song lyrics. At least I entertain my husband and me with them! ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/55 "2007-06-19T10:25:39Z")
[QUOTE=Litoris] I used to drive past a sign (that was planted right in front of the local community college, by the by) that I always thought said “Vechicle Testing Center” with an arrow pointing in the correct direction. [/QUOTE] Am I the only one who thought this story was going to end up with ‘testicle vesting’? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/56 "2007-06-19T13:49:33Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] I do the misreads all the time, especially with thread titles. Unfortunately, I can’t remember any right now. [/QUOTE] Perhaps this very thread-- “Did the sign really say TWAT?” ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/57 "2007-06-19T13:56:56Z")
The old Montreal Expos [logo](http://images.ask.com/fr?q=montreal+expos+logo&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlbsite.com%2Fplayers%2Fa%2Farmas_tony.htm&fm=i&ac=16&ftURI=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.ask.com%2Ffr%3Fq%3Dmontreal%2Bexpos%2Blogo%26desturi%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mlbsite.com%252Fplayers%252Fa%252Farmas_tony.htm%26imagesrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mlbsite.com%252Flogos%252Fmontreal_expos.gif%26thumbsrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F65.214.37.88%252Fts%253Ft%253D13482130603180316681%26thumbuselocalisedstatic%3Dfalse%26fn%3Dmontreal_expos.gif%26imagewidth%3D126%26imageheight%3D126%26fs%3D1%26ft%3Dgif%26f%3D2%26fm%3Di%26ftbURI%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ask.com%252Fweb%253Fq%253Dmontreal%252Bexpos%252Blogo%2526page%253D1&qt=0) always looked like “E L B” to me. Still does, in fact, although I now realize it actually is a cursive M. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/58 "2007-06-19T14:13:35Z")
I’m not sure how my twisted brain ever got to this one, but there’s a business in my town called “Rug Depot”. But the words on the sign are right against each other, no space in between; the only indication that it’s not one word is that the word “Rug” is ever so slightly more bold than the “Depot”. Somehow, all mashed together like that, my brain read it as “Rudge Pot”. I have no idea what that means. ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/59 "2007-06-19T21:59:42Z")
[QUOTE=Atomicktom] The old Montreal Expos [logo](http://images.ask.com/fr?q=montreal+expos+logo&desturi=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mlbsite.com%2Fplayers%2Fa%2Farmas_tony.htm&fm=i&ac=16&ftURI=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.ask.com%2Ffr%3Fq%3Dmontreal%2Bexpos%2Blogo%26desturi%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mlbsite.com%252Fplayers%252Fa%252Farmas_tony.htm%26imagesrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mlbsite.com%252Flogos%252Fmontreal_expos.gif%26thumbsrc%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F65.214.37.88%252Fts%253Ft%253D13482130603180316681%26thumbuselocalisedstatic%3Dfalse%26fn%3Dmontreal_expos.gif%26imagewidth%3D126%26imageheight%3D126%26fs%3D1%26ft%3Dgif%26f%3D2%26fm%3Di%26ftbURI%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ask.com%252Fweb%253Fq%253Dmontreal%252Bexpos%252Blogo%2526page%253D1&qt=0) always looked like “E L B” to me. Still does, in fact, although I now realize it actually is a cursive M. [/QUOTE] It took me years to recognize the cursive M. [Quote=Harmonious Discord] There is a trucking company called Fuchs Trucking that has it emblazoned on the semis. I know what it is, but I always read Fucks Trucking. [/quote] There’s also a Dart Trucking company, but the way they have the name and logo (a diamond) painted on the back doors of the semis the “D” gets broken up and has always looked like “Fart Trucks” to me. Oh, and it took me years to figure out Titleist golfballs didn’t say “Tit-Least.” ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461/60 "2007-06-19T22:09:22Z")
Driving through northern California last year I passed a business whose sign I thought said “THE TRANNY MAN.” I shook my head vigorously and rubbed my eyes and it still said “THE TRANNY MAN.” It was a transmission repair shop. Seems like they’d get sick of hearing the jokes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-sign-really-say-that/408461.md?page=4)