Signs...Signs

As you drive the roads and highways, you see hundreds of billboards and signs...most go by unnoticed. But some are absurd enough that I just feel I have to talk about it. There's three signs that I see pretty regular that are just so insane that I just feel I have to share.

On my way to work I regularly see a PSA billboard that is split in two halves. On the right half we see pictured, a guy in a wheelchair surrounded by five women standing around him, all of them holding an opened cell phone aimed at the camera. None of them are smiling, they're just holding out their phones for a reason that really seems unclear. The left half of the sign features a solid black background with only one word, in the D.A.R.E. font, bolded and red is say RAPE! Now, I pass by this sign pretty regular, but it really took me a long time to figure out what their message was. Was this wheelchaired guy raped? By those women standing around them? If you pass by a little slower and really look at the sign you can see in a smaller font, under the rape people you can see a number for the rape council center, I guess. The whole thing basically goes unexplained. The thing that's insane about this whole thing as you pass by it at 60mph is that it's almost like a subliminal message. I've been a little more "take charge" with my chick lately, and I don't know if this sign has anything to do with it.

Another one is for a local restaurant -- Corleone's. Their sign is so hack, so horrible that I will never enter this establishment on principal alone. It may be the best Italian food for a hundred miles, but their little "funny" on the sign just drives me away. Get ready for it: "We'll make you a meal you can't refuse.

Probably the worst one I see regularly is the one at my kids' soccer fields. It's a standard diamond shaped, yellow typed street sign style with silhouette of a kid playing ball and it says "Kid Safe Zone" and gives the rules of the field. Of course the ATF warning comes first, no alcohol, tobacco or weapons allowed on the fields, uhm yeah...We didn't know this? Be courteous of the ref's and coaches. And (with a sarcastically dripping tone) And remeber, we're here for your kids enjoyment. Now, is this sign really necessary? I really can't believe that anyone would take the time and spend the money for this particular sign. Kid safe zone? Please. It's crazy talk. How friggen ridiculous is this country where we feel we need to place a warning sign to enter a soccer field? On the side of a coffee cup, maybe, but a soccer field, no.