This sign drives me crazy.
As soon as I see DRIVE SLOW, I wonder do they want me to drive slowly? Or does the condo complex want me to drive like a moron?
We know what they mean, but would it really be that hard to add -ly? Before you reach for Google or for your style manuals, I’ll admit it up front. Slow, more commonly used as an adjective, can be an adverb to describe how an action is taken. But it still sounds really stupid grammatically incorrect when used as an adverb.
Plus, DRIVE SLOW is a command. As if I’m not already driving slowly. So annoying.
What do you think of the picture? I realize that we have been seeing this picture since…..1920 or so? Oh that’s right, we weren’t alive then. Isn’t it time to update the picture? If I showed that to my 5-year-old grandson, he would probably ask why the kid is running and patting the letter O. And why his finger is so long.
Not to mention that he doesn’t look like a kid. And does he have shoes? And aren’t girls playing too? And kids of all ethnic backgrounds?
Or just maroon and white kids?
Here’s another question for you. When was the last time that you drove past a park and said “Oh look at all the children at play!”
Children at play. *sigh* My kids are out playing.
And I’m driving slowly.
When I see a sign “End Construction ” I immediately think it is a protest sign and wonder who is so against construction that a sign needs to be made?
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hahaha I will ALWAYS think of that now. That’s a very political statement, lol.
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You’re welcome!
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I love this. And definitely feel your pain. To the extent that I’ll avoid the childish urge to chop an “ly” off some innocent adverb.
I remember my grandpa pointing out a sign that said “Slow children ahead” and saying “Not nice of them to broadcast it to everyone.” I think I was about 8 and felt like a member of the club when I got what he meant.
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Oh, and he also pointed to a “Stop ahead” sign and said “Remember that, if you ever see one rolling past on the street.” I liked that one even more, and in hindsight, blame him for my love of puns. I was the only 8 year old on the playground telling dad jokes.
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hahaha
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That’s a good one. A comment from another reader was also great. I don’t know if you read it, but she referred to the “End Construction” signs as if they are a political sign. Why would someone want to end construction? lol
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How about changing the image to that of a teenager glaring into a smartphone?
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That’s a great idea. They walk blindly into the street. I worry more about that teenager driving while staring.
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I hate it when the “ly” is left off. It makes me edgy, after all those years as an English major. And I agree: when was the last time a child has played with a hoop? They weren’t even in use when I was a child, unless you count hula hoops!
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And we didn’t roll the hula hoops down the street with a stick.
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-LY doesn’t fit on the sign, otherwise they’d have to use a smaller font which wouldn’t be as visible and people wouldn’t scream DRIVE SLOW in their head when they see it since it’s not as overbearing. On my Grandparents street there is a “turtle crossing” sign. I know old people can be slow, but….
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lol The sign could be in landscape then it would fit. Are there ever actual turtles crossing?
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I think it’s actually meant for the speed bumps on the street, but it’s still weird to me.
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Here we have those signs, too, but they are actually meant for the big snapping turtles who cross in specific places to lay eggs or find water or something like that. And there will be a turtle or two at times. They are big and besides splattering the turtles, I don’t think your tires would fare well, either. If I were your grandfather, I would sit for hours waiting.
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Oh man. I don’t think they’ve ever seen a turtle on their street. He sits waiting with a fly swatter in the summer. Unfortunately its no match for the raccoons.
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Ahhhh…..raccoons.
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. ” I think I was about 8 and felt like a member of the club when I got what he meant.
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