Before we dive into the crux of it all, can we just stop for a moment appreciate the fact that appreciation societies—whether fun or real ones—exist and are a positive thing in general? Keep it up!
With that said, we present to you an admiration society for a curiosity of a concept that we’ve already discussed numerous times, but can’t get enough of—and that is signs. The Sign Appreciation Society collects and shares all manner of signage for the internet to enjoy.
Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.
Scroll on to see the best of the best signs appreciated in the group as well as our chat with the society’s founder.
#1
Image credits: Fleur Brown
#2
Another sign in Tenby Wales. They got a good sense of humour.
Image credits: Stephen Bass
#3
Image credits: Janet Pawlicki
So, the Sign Appreciation Society is a public group found on Facebook that, just like the name suggests, is all about appreciating signs in a collective manner.
The group isn’t even a year old and already it has a bit over 200,000 members—actually surpassed this threshold in the last week—who bring in around 50 new posts a day with 2,000 just in the last month.
#4
I don’t know about you, but I hate bones in my bananas and always make sure to buy the boneless ones
Image credits: Susan Ding
#5
Image credits: Helen O' Rourke
#6
Reassuring to all arachnophobics I’m sure…
Image credits: Erja Summers
Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.
Bored Panda reached out to the founder of the Facebook group to learn more about the society, the signs, and everything in between.
“The group is for the appreciation of signs. Seeing them in another way,” elaborated the founder. “Some signs are inherently intended to be amusing, such as, Warning: Do not enter unless you can cross this field in 9 seconds. The bull can do it in 10.”
#7
NO. THEY DO NOT
Image credits: Laura Orwin
#8
Image credits: Stu Darby
#9
Image credits: Nicolas De Beukelaer
They continued: “Others are humorous because they are unintentionally funny, be they misspelt, located in a peculiar place, ironic, mind-boggling, the image is confusing or can be seen in another light.”
Others are just signs that people get a chuckle out of by not taking it literally or seriously, such as, the warning notice on Ramganga River, posted by Peter Waanders, it had a 1.2m reach (2.9k shares, 380 comments, and 14k likes), the sign was, simply, about not swimming in a river with crocodiles but members found humour in it by thinking and looking at it from another perspective.”
#10
Image credits: Ahmed Jamal Jallad
#11
Image credits: Dan Taylor
#12
My kids goldfish died and I didn’t have the heart to tell them
Image credits: Benjamin Snider
The founder went on to say that humor is a key part of the group–it is in its ethos to find a little fun, happiness, and laughter in that, which is often considered mundane, everyday, or purely simple.
The group’s biggest hit was a coffee shop sign that invited people inside because, outside, there were raptors. The reach on that one was 7.6M with 226,000 likes.
#13
Image credits: Nigel Budge
#14
Image credits: Sign Appreciation Society
#15
Image credits: Simon Eden
“The group membership is diverse and global, yet, on the whole everyone gets along making quips, fun comments or tongue in cheek remarks,” elaborated the founder of the Sign Appreciation Society. “It makes for an interesting mix of view points. We have signs from all over the world, which is fab.”
#16
Oddly specific on some things…
Image credits: Claas Hendrik
#17
Image credits: Amy Keane
#18
Image credits: Sign Appreciation Society
#19
Image credits: ChristopherandSara Weaver
#20
Image credits: Sharlene McCormick
A common theme we see with groups like this is that the Sign Appreciation Society too doesn’t allow for political or religious discourse–oftentimes, that gives a reason for obnoxious people to ruin everyone’s fun. And that’s what the group is all about, really: lighthearted sharing of the enjoyment of signs.
“Although SAS is not a comedy group, it is for fun, but not all signs need to be funny, we have historical and interesting signs and signs that some people appreciate for the sign in itself,” noted the founder.
#21
I’m in Australia and we have big ones – whenever there is a Huntsman or a big whitetail, I scream, try to run away to find the nearest human and promptly pass out at their feet!
Image credits: Lauren Lolly
#22
Image credits: Jonathan Moy
#23
Image credits: Sam Gammilonghi
#24
Image credits: Kaizan Cid Caleon
#25
Image credits: Ilene Manster Goldberg
“We can’t predict which sign will light up the members’ imagination. What has been a nice part of the group, to see as admin, is when members recognise the sign from their street, neighbourhood or indeed took the picture that has been floating around the Internet for years and they can finally be reunited and ‘claim’ it back.”
All the more reason to join the group and appreciate some signs.
#26
Image credits: Nicci Hooper
#27
Image credits: Angela Marie Dedenbach
#28
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#29
Image credits: Jewels Wood
#30
Image credits: Dave Huckle Hutton
If you’ve come this far, then you’re probably craving more sign appreciation and checking out the Sign Appreciation Society on Facebook, or checking out more from Bored Panda on the topic of signs.
And if not, hey, the comment section is always there for your takes, stories and whatever else you feel like sharing! Keep it within the realm of signs, though.
#31
Image credits: Craig Richardson
#32
Image credits: Pete Rhodes
#33
Drinking game taken to the next level!
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#34
Image credits: Fernando Soriano
#35
Image credits: Rich Lucke
#36
Image credits: Peter Derks
#37
Image credits: Kathleen Juarez
#38
Image credits: Beth White
#39
I am not sure I know how to urinate with elegance.
Image credits: Housie Housie
#40
As far as I know, we don’t have these in Canada.
Image credits: Eugene Stickland
#41
Near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Image credits: Steven Brocksen
#42
Here’s my kind of morning run.
Image credits: Ian MacDonald
#43
Image credits: Mike Wells
#44
Image credits: Johnny Rakia
#45
Image credits: Kathleen Juarez
#46
Image credits: Andrew Keith
#47
Bill the sign maker….didn’t notice the problem until he put the sign up.
Image credits: Randy Gyorffy
#48
Image credits: Rob Raincock
#49
Well…this is about to get awkward
Image credits: Sarah McLeet
#50
Lol the purpose of the sign is to warn people about the sign.
Image credits: Bethany Hutchens
#51
Image credits: Brian Jamieson
#52
Image credits: Snakhokonke Snakhokonke Ngwenya
#53
Image credits: Fernando Soriano
#54
Image credits: Katherine Lee Rodriguez
#55
Well-behaved aliens.
Image credits: Pascal Bérubé
#56
Image credits: Dana Adams
#57
Image credits: Jewels Wood
#58
Image credits: Lisa O'Connor
#59
Not sure what’s happening here.
Image credits: Linnie Wieselquist
#60
Image credits: Anne Dillon
#61
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#62
Image credits: Ra Chel
#63
Image credits: Eve Burton
#64
Image credits: Jeff Greene
#65
Image credits: Pietro Lo Giudice
#66
Wow! Did the person just have this with them hoping for a chance to use it, or go home make it and go back to put in on the car?!
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#67
Image credits: Anna Allende
#68
Image credits: Sylvia Maier Broome
#69
Image credits: Bilal Faiz
#70
Image credits: Riley Dolan
#71
Image credits: Martin Cosnette
#72
Image credits: Laura Orwin
#73
Image credits: Joey Carabetta
#74
Image credits: Moshe Cohen
Source: boredpanda.com