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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Gadling picked this up via user Sel on Flickr, but no one on either of those sites has the foggiest idea what this sign means. I think our readers are smarter, however, so give it your best shot! (We’re pretty sure it’s not “no walking on hot coals,” “it’s forbidden to sleepwalk on a holey blanket” or “refrain from surfing shark-infested waters on perforated plywood,” so you’ll have to get more creative than that.)
Comments (59)
Comment
Beware of pedestrian-caused land slides?
posted by Celeste on 5-24-2007 at 12:40 pm
For one thing, this sign would be a lot easier to understand if the photographer had showed some context.
But my guess is this sign is warning against walking on some kind of old wooden walkway, like a bridge or pier.
posted by Colin on 5-24-2007 at 12:41 pm
No collapsing the fabric of reality into a nameless void with your solipsistic might.
posted by dukerayburn on 5-24-2007 at 12:41 pm
‘PLEASE DO NOT PEE “HANDS-FREE” ON THE OUTSIDE OF A DUMPSTER’
posted by JaneM on 5-24-2007 at 12:44 pm
I’ll guess no selling things on the beach.
posted by Robert on 5-24-2007 at 12:49 pm
No surfing area due to high water and sharks?
posted by JackD on 5-24-2007 at 12:55 pm
The idea is to guess what it is and not complain about what isn’t shown. Geez.
posted by Sam on 5-24-2007 at 12:57 pm
No Magic Carpet Rides
posted by Dana on 5-24-2007 at 12:58 pm
It definitely seems to be something along the lines of, “do not walk on an ice or snow covered roof.” However it is quite confusing.
posted by Patrick on 5-24-2007 at 12:59 pm
No riding on filthy magic carpets.
posted by Dave on 5-24-2007 at 1:06 pm
Please do not pet the tar monster.
posted by Constance Reader on 5-24-2007 at 1:12 pm
The graphic indicates surfaces too rough and treacherous for skateboarding, so the message is:
Dood! Gnarly drop! No noobs, knobs or dweebs allowed.
posted by Tom on 5-24-2007 at 1:16 pm
Sam: The idea is to guess what it is and not complain about people complaining about what isn’t shown.
posted by Jimbo on 5-24-2007 at 1:17 pm
No picnicing? Closest guess i have.
posted by Josh on 5-24-2007 at 1:21 pm
No shaking off on someone else’s towel when they are on it.
posted by jim martin on 5-24-2007 at 1:28 pm
No shaking off on someone else’s towel when they are on it.
posted by jim martin on 5-24-2007 at 1:28 pm
No shaking off on someone else’s towel when in use
posted by jim martin on 5-24-2007 at 1:29 pm
“Do not walk on the roof, danger of falling ice/snow.”
posted by Haydonimo on 5-24-2007 at 1:36 pm
stay off of icy roofs??
posted by niki on 5-24-2007 at 1:45 pm
No gardening near zombie graveyard.
posted by Debi on 5-24-2007 at 1:48 pm
Actually, I know what the point of the game is, but I have to agree with Colin on this one. It’s obvious that the sign stands above something that looks like the thing the sign is warning people not to climb on, so maybe the point of the game is to guess what that thing is. So, my guess is that the thing people are being asked not to climb on is one of those fountains like the one near Battery Park in NYC where water flows down flat over a slab of slate. This has been fun!
posted by Lindsay on 5-24-2007 at 1:56 pm
Don’t stand on the rusty corrugated tin roof.
I have no reason for thinking this, but I have the feeling that the sign is Australian.
posted by Bill T. on 5-24-2007 at 2:01 pm
I think it is a waterfall and the sign is saying not to lean over to look. Like it is warning that it is slippery or something.
posted by Isaias Torres on 5-24-2007 at 2:05 pm
“Do not kick Doritos off of old tin roof.”
“Danger! Sarlac pit. Keep out.”
posted by Jason! on 5-24-2007 at 2:11 pm
Or it could be warning not to lean over something else. The more I look at it, the less I think it is a waterfall. I think it warning not to get too close to an edge of a roof or other above ground structure because something (maybe ice) would fall down below.
posted by Isaias Torres on 5-24-2007 at 2:12 pm
It appears to say: Do not throw liquids on the boardwalk as they will fall through.
posted by Chris Kelley on 5-24-2007 at 2:18 pm
DO NOT…
STARE OR YOU WILL CRASH
BE LURED BY DORITOS TO THE BIG HOLE
AUSTRALIAN FOR:
WATCH YOUR STEP!
posted by ricosuave on 5-24-2007 at 2:22 pm
It means Danger! Thin Ice!
It is a river, with ice breaking.
posted by Keith on 5-24-2007 at 2:40 pm
Don’t walk on thin ice
posted by Steve on 5-24-2007 at 2:41 pm
A warning against pedestrian-caused land slides? (but I like the zombie one better).
posted by Celeste on 5-24-2007 at 2:42 pm
It is probably in a beach: Forbidden to stand on an inflatable raft
posted by Beachboy on 5-24-2007 at 2:46 pm
It means no planting seeds in the feild
posted by Jason on 5-24-2007 at 2:51 pm
‘No stylized pictures which are ambiguous or incomprehensible!’
posted by Marc on 5-24-2007 at 2:56 pm
Do not stand on hors-d’oeuvres!
posted by Barb on 5-24-2007 at 3:06 pm
do not come to the party bearing a large loafs of bread and whitefish while walking on troubled waters
posted by scot on 5-24-2007 at 3:37 pm
It clearly states that street vendors can not sell seashells by the seashore on a blanket, because some pointy shells are sure to tumble off the blanket when an angry customer returns the shell necklace he bought for his mistress because she said it gave her herpes, and the shells might cut some astonished onlookers feet as they slowly back away.
posted by Rob on 5-24-2007 at 3:43 pm
Welll, I was going to say…
“Watch out… Holes!”
But after reading the comments, Im going to have to go with Debi’s
“No gardening near zombie graveyard”
posted by donnie on 5-24-2007 at 3:45 pm
My guess would be no rafting.
But like someone else said, it would be a lot easier to tell if we had some sort of context. If we could see a river next to it maybe, or something along those lines. If it’s in the middle of Kansas with no flowing water in site, I’m obviously wrong.
posted by Robb Bobertson on 5-24-2007 at 3:51 pm
It means “no bush-whacking”, i.e. hiking off trail, which promotes erosion. This sign appears at the trailhead of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, AZ.
posted by David Hmmm on 5-24-2007 at 4:18 pm
I think it means don’t walk on the roof because this will cause ice chunks to fall off.
And, seeing as I’m from Canada, and have never seen such a stupid thing, it must be European.
posted by Jennifer on 5-24-2007 at 4:23 pm
Warning: Do not do the Macarena in potato fields.
posted by Allison on 5-24-2007 at 6:23 pm
Please do not “flush” inorganic materials down outhouse facilities.
posted by Pam on 5-24-2007 at 6:49 pm
I was actualy refering to the fact that this photo was found on other websites with also had no idea what the sign was refering to. If this was a part of a larger picture then we would be able find out was the signs’ true purpose is.
But Sam thank you for being the first ever person to be rude to me on the internet. This has turely been special. I will cherish this moment in my heart forever.
posted by Colin on 5-24-2007 at 7:35 pm
Don’t shoot your raft while standing afloat in shark infested waters.
posted by Monique on 5-24-2007 at 8:00 pm
It’s at a hot spring…don’t walk on it
posted by Sam S on 5-24-2007 at 8:57 pm
“Do not walk on bridge after making it holey by pouring acid on it.”
posted by mri on 5-24-2007 at 9:04 pm
“Attention gods/goddess:
No spontaneous rains of tortilla chips allowed.”
Or perhaps:
“Do not walk on bridge; you will fall through holes and land on Stonehenge.”
But I like Constance’s best of the ones posted so far.
posted by Pointy-Hatted Geek on 5-24-2007 at 9:38 pm
Colin: Whoo boy, I’m glad to be the first! Gave me a warm and fuzzy that lasted all day. Now, is it rude to point out your spelling errors too?
posted by Sam on 5-25-2007 at 7:04 am
It’s quite clear - it means, “Danger - do not push your shopping cart across shark-infested minefields”.
posted by Doc Stuart on 5-25-2007 at 7:17 am
Do not stand on the end of the Earth.
posted by Rick on 5-25-2007 at 7:42 am
Beware the leopard!
posted by Frank Booth on 5-25-2007 at 7:48 am
Archeology is prohibited!
posted by Frank Booth on 5-25-2007 at 7:50 am
“Now Hiring: city street sign artist, must be awful at Pictionary, Inquire Within”
posted by Craig on 5-25-2007 at 1:10 pm
Being a sign person this is very easy for me.It says to not throw old stale doritos into shopping cart because they fall thru onto the ground,thus causing litter.
posted by don on 5-25-2007 at 1:52 pm
I think it has to do with selling things being prohibited. I think it is meant to show things displayed on a rug for sale, as in middle-eastern style markets, maybe?
posted by Melissa on 5-25-2007 at 8:06 pm
No treading on ancient Indian burial grounds?
posted by Tom on 5-27-2007 at 2:13 am
I have nothing to add to this post except my thanks to everyone who guessed. I’m crying because I’ve been laughing so hard. I especially love the zombies. :D
posted by Sara on 5-28-2007 at 10:32 am
Do not think you are James Bond and shoot at sharks through the corrugated roof of the pool shed, as you will blow holes in it and it will collapse. Even if you have the fancy shoes.
posted by robin on 5-28-2007 at 3:44 pm
‘Don’t walk on the giant Shredded Wheat’
posted by pupdog on 5-29-2007 at 1:26 pm