UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??

Subject: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 12:07 AM

I thought this was a great name for a thread and I can just imagine some of the responses, but I really started it hoping someone from the UK would interpret.

Watched a show on BBC-America tonight and this was on what looked like a road sign. I can only surmise what it means. Please, Penny S; Leagle Eagle; or one of you "lot":-) let me know what this means.

Thanks a bunch!

katlaughing

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 01:27 AM

It's not common - found during alterations to road layouts. So, if you are approaching a junction, and you had right of way, you might find that now, you have to give way to one of the other roads.

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 03:04 AM

I believe I saw one outside Millbank Tower at around the time of the last election.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 03:53 AM

A similar sign occurs commonly in France - 'Vous n'avez pas la priorité', used to indicate, well, you don't have priority.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 04:39 AM

As you say - excellent name for a thread. I just had to look to see what it was on about..... Nothing to add tho'

Kris

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Banjer
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 05:25 AM

I would imagine from having read the material recently published by the Irish press and studying some of the literature that my wife has gathered on Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, that sign could have a totally diferent interpretation to some Irish folks! I do not pretend to understand all I know about this, it does boggle the mind to realize that in this enlightened world in which we live that these types of struggles still exist! Another thread deals with The Wearin' O' The Green, and the oppression that song deals with is hard to understand for someone having grown up in a free world.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bert
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 09:40 AM

Banjer, I seem to recall there was a similar conflict between North and South over here in 'this enlightened world' Something about not wanting to be part of a union of states.

Bert.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 09:50 AM

Brian: I think this would be an excellent bumper sticker come our next elections! Great comment!

Thanks, Penny, Dai, and everyone else. Frankly, I am surprised no one has posted a more facetious reply, yet!

katlaughing

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 01:35 PM

I think my favourite road sign here must be 'HEAVY PLANT CROSSING'. It always make me think of 'The Day Of The Triffids'.

One I saw last night, 'Please Drive Carefully Though Our Village' and the name of the village was Slepe.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 03:52 PM

Brian, like the Millbank comment

Shambles - our family joke, too!

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 03:58 PM

Shambles- You took the sign right out of my mouth. First time I saw it, I had this vision of a militant aspidistra stomping across the road.

In Canada, in the Maritimes my favoritre road sign is:

?

(it means tourist information. )

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 04:14 PM

While driving through Britain on our honeymoon, I drove our rented Peugot ove two large bumps (not good for the car). "Where the hell did the curb come from?" I yelled. Heather replied, "you just drove through a roundabout!"
I'll take traffic lights anyday!
rick

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 04:18 PM

I fear many of us see the last election as having promised but not delivered altered priorities.

I am also very tempted to compare the views expressed on separatists and loyalists in and island near to England and the views expressed on separatists and loyalists in the Balkan states.

And if that does not put some petrol on the bonfire, I don't know what will.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: annamill
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 04:23 PM

I would love to have one of those signs to hang in my house. I'd put it right on the door leading to my honeys music studio in the basment. I love it..where can I get one? Can someone in the UK get one and send it to me? I'll pay you for it. (Not a lot though)

I see it now..

CAUTION-Altered Priorities Ahead

Hey, now there's a great name for a band.

annap

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 04:41 PM

While touring England and Scotland I was surprised as we pulled into one of those Restaurant/Gas station places on the side of the Highway. There was a sign as we drove in saying 'No Football Coaches.' As a North American I took this as being very unfair to those people who devote their time to helping our youth with sport, it took me a second or two to realize that in North Americanese (?) ir meant no soccer buses. Given the reputation of the British Soccer fan, I can see the need for these signs.

Steve Martin said 'Those French, they have a different word for everything", it always amazes me that many so called English speaking places seem to live by the same rule.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 06:27 PM

Rick, they had roundabouts in New England to, but they call them "rotaries" and they accept both female and male drivers. (For non-US Mudcatters: that was a joke about the Rotary Clubs, sort of business/altruistic clubs, which just admitted women members a few years ago.)

Some of the funniest, to a Westerner at least, I saw and photographed in New England were:
Frost Heaves meant to warn one of "buckled pavement" on the road which caused by expandsion from the frost;
No Outlet meaning "dead-end"
; and, Bridges Freeze Before Pavement which I took to mean the actual structure of the bridge would freeze before I had to worry about glare-ice on the road, but OH-NO, that's not what it meant at all! My New Hampshire born husband had to explain to me that it meant, because there was no land underneath the bridge surface to keep the frost insulated from the road, that the pavement would freeze before the rest of the roadway!

Then there were the constant orange highway construction signs warning us all that the road was closed and we were driving on that particular highway at our own risk. This was meant to protect the state from any liability should someone be hurt because of the construction going on. What was really interesting was absolutely nobody paid any attention, still drove on each other's tails, going way past the speed limit, regardless of any work, unless it actually happened to be in their lane and they HAD to slow down or even stop!

My other absolute favourite was in Maine and simply said Moose Crossing, but, we didn't see any. There were no crossing guards, either:-)

katlaughing

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Banjer
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 06:36 PM

I have a picture of a sign behind a local convenience store. The sign, attached to a large shady tree under which stands a nice picnic table, says, NO LOITERING!

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Fadac
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 06:47 PM

How about the poor neighbor hoods with the children that just don't quite cut the mustard, you see the sign, SLOW CHILDREN. However there is hope, did you see the sign, SLOW SCHOOL ZONE? I'm still looking for FAST SCHOOL.

I keep looking for the girls when a sign anounces SOFT SHOLDERS.

Then I drove alongside a mountian, sign says "FALLIN ROCK" No problem, got hit by a TREE!

-Fadac

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 06:58 PM

We've got the Rotary, too.

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 08:26 PM

Oh, thanks, Penny, didn't know if they were international or not.

I also saw some in New England that said SLOW CHILDREN PLAYING and, while the sentiment was great, I really had to wonder at whoever came up with CAUTION BLIND CHILD. I mean really, one would hope there wouldn't be any children in the road,let alone one that is visually impaired! NOI!

kat, who is thinking now, she should have named this thread: Interesting & Unusual Road Signs

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 08:39 PM

Some more-

As a kid in Brooklyn, I used to be fascinated by

COMMIT NO NUISANCE

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jun 99 - 09:05 PM

Ah, Dick....that just meant they couldn't lock you up in the asylum, even with all those songs running through your head!**BG**

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 01:30 AM

This one I had to take a picture of - so I dashed into a variety store and got a little cardboard camera to preserve for posterity this sign above a place called the Richmond Inn. KEN WHITELY AND NUDE JELLO WRESTLING TONIGHT
Now I knew that this was a diverse club..and that my friend Ken has had some strange band names in the past, but I hadn't known that the new owners had opened a strip club in the basement! (the folk room was still upstairs)

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 01:47 AM

from Traffic Signal Heart by LEJ circa 1969

Red means stop, yellow's caution, green means go,go,go

That Traffic Signal Heart of yours has got me feelin low

Darlin' when we first met

Your light was one of green

But when I slipped it into gear

You started actin mean

"Soft Shoulders", "Dangerous Curves Ahead"

Be careful of mistakes

But I'd rather wreck my heart

than keep a-stompin on my brakes

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Rita64
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 02:18 AM

I know this isn't really related but it might amuse some of you. In Australia, inland a little and away from the cities, the are diamond shaped roadsigns filled with black outlines of kangaroos and wombats. The dear little things tend to wander across the asphalt roads and occasionally ... SPLAAAAATTTT!

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 04:32 AM

Here in the UK, we have standard triangular warning signs to indicate that there may be animals in the road. You get two types: a silhouette of a cow (indicating - WARNING! Domestic Livestock In Road) and a silhouette of a deer (indicating - WARNING! Non-Domestic Livestock In Road).

I've often wondered why there's a distinction - surely hitting a sheep is much the same as hitting a muntjack...

However, on the A6003 to Oakham, there is a 'generic warning' sign (an exclamation mark in a red triangle) with a qualifying plate beneath, which reads 'Badgers'. Presumably the little pied chaps are waiting in the verges to leap out and cry 'Stand and Deliver!' or something.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: alison
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 05:02 AM

In the republic of Ireland there are signs which have a big black dot on them and the words "Accident Black Spot",... as a kid I was always waiting for pirates to jump out to give each other the black spot.

Several churches and graveyards also have the speed limit sign "Dead Slow."!!!!

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 05:11 AM

Then there's the sign by airfields "beware low flying aircraft". As Michael Flanders used to say:"What do you do? Take your hat off?"

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: AndyG
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 05:33 AM

Not a road sign as such, but Birmingham New Street Station used to have wonderful signs just before the end of each platform that read:
No Beasts Allowed Beyond This Point.

AndyG

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 05:44 AM

Oh, I forgot. In France, you get signs as I described above (red triangle, exclamation mark) with a plate beneath reading 'Boue' (eek!).

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Legal Eagle
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 06:22 AM

How about

"Police Slow"

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 07:12 AM

In a few places, near ponds, there are red triangles with toads, as there roads cross migration routes. Not only is it to the benefit of the toads, but also to drivers, as roadkill amphibians tend to reduce tyre grip.

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 08:29 AM

I believe in France they have street signs that say "Défense d'uriner"?

A few miles up the road from my home is a pub called "The New Plant". For some reason it has a picture of a coal mine on the sign.

... but the road sign that always makes me laugh is the one that says "we apologise for any inconvenience".

Steve

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 08:58 AM

Pub signs, eh? The biggest one I ever saw was 'The Seven Alls' in Bideford, I think... pay (John Bull), pray (vicar), fight (soldier), care (nurse), any advance on four??

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bert
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 10:22 AM

Seeing as we've expanded to all signs. One I saw read "Live Dancers"

We were driving with a friend once and saw this sign "...School for Hurting Children..." Our friend piped up "I've got a couple that need hurting real bad what are the fees?"

Bert

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 10:29 AM

People from all over the world, who travel through Wyoming, frequently make it a point to drive through Lamont just to take a piture of its population sign which reads 3. There was a big todo about them taking it down when a Bed & breakfast was trying to make a go of it. They used it in all of their publicity. Now that they've closed, I think the pop. is down to 2, but the state won't spend the money to change it.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 10:36 AM

...further to Dai's pub signs - I saw one called the White horse with a sign showing a black cat- painted by a friend of the landlord's who couldn't do horses!

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: annamill
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 10:37 AM

In New York City, we have signs that say "Don't even think of parking here!". I love NY.

annap

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 11:05 AM

And The Star in Ashton-under-Hill (nr. Tewkesbury) has a picture of Copernicus holding an Astrolabe... and wearing Ray-Bans.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 12:15 PM

Dover had a "Five Alls" - one was "pleads for all", a lawyer. I'm pretty sure it didn't have a nurse.

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Fadac
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 12:28 PM

When in the UK, I noticed that everyone anounced their toilets. Signs all over the place. I did see one that was about 20' tall on the side of the building. What did it have? Balconies?

Of course it was spelled a bit funny. TOLET, I think they forgot the I.

:o)

-Fadac

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bert
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 03:10 PM

There's a sign in Colorado "Bust - Population zero"

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 03:11 PM

And here I thought they were all water-closets or loos:-)

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bert
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 03:33 PM

You're going to need a separate thread if you start talking about euphemisms for the outhouse.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 03:41 PM

Bert...I'm not even going to contemplate that one. There's been enough BS on here already without adding that to the mix!HeeHee

BTW: where in Colorado is BUST? Not anywhere near the BUSTop outside of Boulder, where all of the coeds dance topless to pay their tuition is it?

katteeheeing

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bert
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 03:51 PM

Bust Colorado is on I24 West of Colorado Springs on Ute Pass, just before you get to Crystola.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 04:47 PM

Five Alls, from Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

I rule all - king
I feed all - farmer
I pray for all - priest
I fight for all - soldier
I plead for all - lawyer

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The Shambles
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 04:48 PM

There used to be a pub in Dorset, which had an outside loo, that took a long time and a lot of walking to find. Written in large letters, when you eventually arrived there was 'OO ARR YIR TIZ'.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 04:50 PM

Forgot to add, in Tenterden, in the Weald of Kent, they decided to label the public conveniences in several languages to help the tourists. Thus:

Toilet
Toilette
Toiletten

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 05:34 PM

I knew the title of this thread was nagging at me about something. In Dover, when the Five Alls was destroyed, another pub was demolished as well. It was "The Cause is Altered". I don't know which one!

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Fadac
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 05:42 PM

Why can't looking for a sandbox, not put you in an Altered Prioritie? That sort of pressure can put one into an altered state...

-Fadac

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 06:24 PM

Shamb: Sorry, but would you please translate the sign you mentioned in your last post? I've tried saying it, slow, fast, and in-between and still can't get it.**BG** Thanks!

kat

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Jun 99 - 08:38 PM

"OO ARR" is what people think West Country yokels say as a conversation filler or comment." YIR TIZ " is a contraction of "Here it is" with the appropriate accent.

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The Shambles
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 02:20 AM

Thank you Penny.

People here do say OO AH, but it is a little more subtle than how it is caricatured. You certainly hear YER TIZ, said all the time.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 05:34 AM

Hope you didn't mind my answering ... I had left it a bit, thinking you would still be around. I tried to show the subtle distinction you have amplified without spelling it out. The trouble with English accents is that traditional orthography just wasn't developed for them, and as soon as you try to write them, you push them towards caricature. Especially in arch pub signs and so on.

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: The Shambles
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 12:30 PM

I think the best translation, incorporating the relief of finding the loo, after a long uncertain trek, would be:

Aw yeah, I've found the John!

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Peter T.
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 03:50 PM

I have never worked out what it was doing there, but once when driving through New Brunswick, on your average road, we came upon a sizeable official sign which had, in black and white: ROAD. There were no access roads nearby, nothing. No shift from dirt to asphalt. Just a sort of existential label. We stopped and looked around, as if there was going to be, oh I don't know, clouds in the sky saying SKY. Really weird. Changed my whole way of thinking about signs. Why not: CITY. In case you were driving in from the country, and so on. Life is complicated: why not simple identification signs, just to reassure you. Yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Alice
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 04:08 PM

At a bar near Ennis, Montana, there is a bit of a hunting theme to the place, hunting dogs and such. The men's room and lady's rooms have signs on each door:"Pointers" and "Setters".

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: LEJ
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 06:48 PM

Peter T... Your post reminded me of a great novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude . In it, a plague of forgetfulness descends on the land. Soon people are forgetting the names of every thing, and one clever fellow decides to place tags on every object, so that people will remember the names, like "rock", "tree", "cow","grandmother", etc. This works extremely well until everyone begins to forget how to read.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Llanfair
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 06:51 PM

Here in Wales, the loo is referred to as "Ty Bach"- little house. I really like this thread. Bron.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Jun 99 - 08:57 PM

In Glen Echo Park, where the FSGW has held its annual festival for 22 years, the sign at the toilets, until several years ago, said "Comfort Station" (with NO hint of what sort of comforts were available)...One day, as we were preparing for the festival, the crew stopped for supper. Instead of joining us, Ms. LaMarca(a sadly missed poster here for the last few months) said.."I'll be with you in a few minutes, I'm going to the euphemism." I cackled......(The signs now say only 'men' & 'women'...not nearly as interesting)

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Jo Taylor
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 06:20 PM

Back to road signs - along with the French ones mentioned by Dai & Steve, at a certain time of the year we see the red triangle with 'Danger - Betteraves!' which is an improvement and explanation on the rather more curt 'Boue!' It's just that I have images of these rather menacing beetroots marching along the road.
On the sides of matchboxes (slipped over to the UK now) I've often seen the advice 'Keep away from children' which seems quite sensible if a little unfriendly...(NOI)
And in Holland we were amused by the signs for traffic caling humps (why are they called that, I find them far from calming?) which say 'Let op, drempels!' Don't know why I found it funny now, writing it... In England they're 'sleeping policemen' and here in France 'Dos d'anes'. What are they called in the US? Do you have them?
Jo
Ooh arr. There, I just had to say it, I comes vrum Devon.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 07:13 PM

Ooh arr, yerself, Jo!**BG** we have just the mundane "speed bumps", here in the USA. I love the sleeping policeman, that's great!

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Fadac
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 10:46 AM

Here in the good old USA, it's HUMP AHEAD. I keep looking but never get humped, I do run over this mass of blacktop though. :o)

-Fadac

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Bert
Date: 30 Jun 99 - 12:43 PM

Bill D, I love "I'm going to the euphemism" I'm going to have to adopt that saying.

Bert.

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 05:22 PM

Have you come across "Adverse Camber"

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Legal Eagle
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 05:30 PM

I think "Adverse Camber" is near Camber sands. (local joke).

"The Cause is altered" is really "The case is altered"

"Yer Tis" is "Here's Johnny"

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Penny S.
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 05:39 PM

Which case was it?

(I thought of Camber Sands, and then decided not to.)

Penny

Subject: RE: UK-Caution Altered Priorities Ahead??
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 06:34 PM

Had to rush out to fetch daughter from drama school.

Now I have been thinking about the case, and I can't be sure, but it was either a very famous lawyer - not recent like FE Smith but sort of Blackstone-ish period, or perhpas DR Johnson. It was something to do with a hypothetical question of some sort, and he was than asked a "what if", and that waw the reply.

But my favourite road signs must be place names: -

Pratt's Bottom

Piddlehinton (and the RIver Piddle)

And Penistone