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.
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: Jewels Wood
#2
Image credits: Angela Marie Dedenbach
#3
Image credits: Fleur Brown
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
Another sign in Tenby Wales. They got a good sense of humour.
Image credits: Stephen Bass
#5
Image credits: Peter Derks
#6
Oddly specific on some things...
Image credits: Claas Hendrik
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
Image credits: Ahmed Jamal Jallad
#8
Image credits: Katherine Lee Rodriguez
#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: Janet Pawlicki
#11
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
#12
Image credits: Kathleen Juarez
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: Sharlene McCormick
#14
Image credits: Nigel Budge
#15
Image credits: Dan Taylor
“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
Drinking game taken to the next level!
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#17
Image credits: Rich Lucke
#18
Image credits: Amy Keane
#19
Image credits: Pete Rhodes
#20
Image credits: Sign Appreciation Society
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
Image credits: Kaizan Cid Caleon
#22
Image credits: Kathleen Juarez
#23
Image credits: Moshe Cohen
#24
Image credits: Beth White
#25
My kids goldfish died and I didn't have the heart to tell them
Image credits: Benjamin Snider
“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
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
#27
NO. THEY DO NOT
Image credits: Laura Orwin
#28
Reassuring to all arachnophobics I'm sure...
Image credits: Erja Summers
#29
Image credits: Dave Huckle Hutton
#30
Image credits: Anne Dillon
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
Well...this is about to get awkward
Image credits: Sarah McLeet
#33
Image credits: Sign Appreciation Society
#34
I am not sure I know how to urinate with elegance.
Image credits: Housie Housie
#35
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#36
Image credits: Brian Jamieson
#37
Image credits: Johnny Rakia
#38
Here's my kind of morning run.
Image credits: Ian MacDonald
#39
Image credits: Ilene Manster Goldberg
#40
Image credits: Fernando Soriano
#41
Image credits: Helen O' Rourke
#42
Image credits: Nicci Hooper
#43
Image credits: Stu Darby
#44
Image credits: Sonja Marie Isaacs
#45
Image credits: Sylvia Maier Broome
#46
Image credits: Snakhokonke Snakhokonke Ngwenya
#47
Image credits: Simon Eden
#48
As far as I know, we don’t have these in Canada.
Image credits: Eugene Stickland
#49
Image credits: ChristopherandSara Weaver
#50
Image credits: Jonathan Moy
