# "Post no bills" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 17, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845 "2003-05-17T05:42:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/1 "2003-05-17T05:42:16Z")
What does “post no bills” mean, and what is it’s origin? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/2 "2003-05-17T05:54:09Z")
In olden days, to “post” something was to nail it to a wooden post. The “bill” in question is a handbill, like a flier or poster (which latter name likely derives from its being something that was posted). So now, “post no bills” means “don’t attach any posters or notices here.” Some of the messages that used to posted started being delivered, but it was still called posting, as in postal service and postman. In the UK, they say “post” for what we call “mail” in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/3 "2003-05-17T08:18:13Z")
The general use is to warn people not to stick posters, flyers, etc. on boundary walls or the sides of buildings etc. It is used to deter people from littering these walls. Signs in the same vein include “Do Not Spit”, “Do Not Litter”, “Do Not Urinate”, etc. Generally a request to keep the place clean. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/4 "2003-05-17T10:33:53Z")
If you’re tire of Pizza flyers (“bills” or “handbills”) check your local ordinances. Here’s a piece of mine, for example: > [@](#): > > Sec. 3-22. Prohibiting distribution where properly posted. > > It shall be unlawful for any person to distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill upon any premises, if requested by anyone thereon not to do so, or if there is placed on the premises in a conspicuous position near the entrance thereof, a sign bearing the words: “No Handbills,” “No Peddlers or Agents,” “No Advertisement,” or any similar notice indicating in any manner that the occupants of said premises do not desire to be molested or to have their right of privacy disturbed, or to have any such handbills left upon such premises. > (Code 1967, § 3-1507) I _do_ have my door properly marked (“No solicitors; no handbills.”) Unfortunately at times the pizza joint kids (hell, many adults!) don’t know the word “solicitor” or the word “handbill” so I occassionally get the crap, but not as much as before. If I hadn’t been in such a hurry last night, I would have gotten the names and company of the two damn security-system-selling punks who had the nerve to knock and bother me last night. Plus, why the hell would I want a security system when there’s a big-ass Remax for-sale sign out front? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/5 "2003-05-17T15:07:09Z")
Many years ago I was in England, where the comparable notice was “Bill stickers will be prosecuted.” Under one such sign someone had written “Bill Stickers is innocent!” ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/6 "2003-05-18T09:47:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MLS \* > \*\*“Bill Stickers is innocent!” \*\* “Free Hat!” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/7 "2003-05-18T10:15:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gary T \* > **In olden days, to “post” something was to nail it to a wooden post. The “bill” in question is a handbill, like a flier or poster (which latter name likely derives from its being something that was posted). So now, “post no bills” means "don’t attach any posters or notices here."** Exactly right. Except that it always seemed like those “This page intentionally left blank” statements you see in official documents which do my head in because the page is patently _not_ blank because it has that sentence on it; by posting the notice telling people not to post there, it just sends mixed signals. [sub]Why no, I don’t actually have a life…why do you ask?[/sub]\*\* > [@](#): > > Some of the messages that used to posted started being delivered, but it was still called posting, as in postal service and postman. In the UK, they say “post” for what we call “mail” in the U.S. \*\* Ah yes – in the US the “mail” is delivered by the US Postal Service, whereas in the UK the “post” is delivered by the Royal Mail. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/8 "2003-05-18T10:37:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balthisar \* > \*\*“Free Hat!” \*\* There was a comedian in the '50s in England called “Nosmo King”. (This was the way in which the advisory was written on the windows of London buses.) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/9 "2003-05-18T22:00:37Z")
_Except that it always seemed like those “This page intentionally left blank” statements you see in official documents which do my head in because the page is patently not blank because it has that sentence on it; by posting the notice telling people not to post there, it just sends mixed signals._ For some real fun along this line of thinking, put up a sign that says “Ignore This Sign.” ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/10 "2003-05-19T07:12:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MLS \* > \*\*Many years ago I was in England, where the comparable notice was “Bill stickers will be prosecuted.” Under one such sign someone had written “Bill Stickers is innocent!” \*\* JRR Tolkien wrote a series of stories for his children where the villian was named “Bill Stickers” and the intrepid detective was called “Major Road” - as in “Major Road Ahead”. Just a snippit of trivia to start your day… Grim ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/11 "2003-05-19T09:42:08Z")
boston pills for thinking bill stickers:) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/12 "2003-05-19T10:53:15Z")
You see _Post No Bills_ stenciled onto barriers around construction sites all the time in NYC. So it’s not just an English custom. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/13 "2003-05-19T11:54:28Z")
Aha - I see I am too late to contribute witticisms about poor innocent Mr Bill Posters. Still, being in Britain, I always wish I could pin a “Post No Bills” sign to my door, in the hope of preventing the postman/mailman from delivering bills/invoices. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/14 "2003-05-19T12:27:43Z")
“Post no bills” = “No Snail-Mail Spam Wanted Here.” ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/post-no-bills/175845/15 "2003-05-19T12:39:21Z")
(Only tangentially related) Do you transatlantic peeps have roadsgins (near construction sites) advising “Caution - Heavy Plant Crossing!”? It’s a bit scary 'cos I tend to expect to see an army of triffids.