Even if you’re an internet veteran and you’re used to seeing all kinds of things while surfing the web, some images are so bizarre and amusing that they make you do a double-take. And they make you worry about the future of humankind even more than you already do. One online community that encapsulates this feeling well is the popular r/trashy subreddit.
There, you’ll find all sorts of examples of people behaving in awful but comedic ways. In some cases, folks end up behaving so trashy that someone has to put up signs for things (not) to do that should be common sense. We’ve collected some of the most peculiar pics to share with you, from signs meant to remind people to avoid nasty behavior to ones designed by questionable people themselves. Scroll down to check them out.
#1 This Is At My Local Park That Has 5 Baseball Fields. The Parents Need To Control Themselves
Image credits: MrPortal123
#2 Travel To Country And Complain About Bad English
Image credits: el_raton
#3 People Throwing Objects At A Dog And Scaring Him
Image credits: blackcovenant666
The main goal of a sign—any sign!—is to successfully transmit information to its intended audience. The content itself can be incredibly varied. It might be an official warning about wild bears in the area. It might be information about today’s lunch. It might be a company’s rebranded logo trying to attract new customers. Or it might be a general plea to behave like a civilized, polite, kind human being inside the shop.
No matter the content, though, what you want and need are clarity and brevity.
#4 The Guy On The Left Has Had A Slew Of Signs Like This
Image credits: 3aTroop
#5 Toilet Sign From A FB Group
Image credits: Timmah_Timmah
#6 Found This In My Gym
Image credits: wildreab
Broadly speaking, you want to include enough information in your sign so that your audience understands your intent, but you don’t want to overwhelm them.
So, again, clarity and brevity are key. Ideally, you’ll cut out all unnecessary info and leave what’s irreplaceable because you only have a moment or two to get your audience’s attention. It’s harder than it looks.
#7 Found In London
Image credits: xClouddd
#8 People Won’t Stop Throwing Trash On Trees
Image credits: sayke
#9 As Someone Who Just Started Their Own Little Outdoor Garden, I'd Be So Angry
Image credits: bobekyrant
How much context do you want to include? How long of an explanation is too long? If you want your customers to act a certain way (e.g. to use utensils instead of their hands for the potato salad), you want your signs to be short, snappy, and direct while avoiding walls of text.
That being said, if your signs raise more questions than they answer due to their brevity, the situation might also backfire.
#10 Stopped At A Gas Station And Saw This Sign On The Entrance Door
Image credits: timmy0101
#11 The Fact That This Sign Is Necessary
Image credits: microwaveableviolin
#12 Stealing The Sign Reporting Your Shoplifting
Image credits: reddit.com
If you get a bunch of customers asking the staff for further explanation for the signs you’ve put up, it is a waste of everyone’s time. Sure, it might be fun to explain the context in person the first few times, but after the hundredth case, your staff will be annoyed and exhausted.
No sign or rule will cover every possible outcome, but you can at least use them to answer the most common questions or complaints.
#13 The Fact They Even Needed To Put This Sign Up
Image credits: Hankman66
#14 Found This In My Apartment's Stairwell. Give Them Their Granny Back!
Image credits: MrBulldopes
#15 Stealing From A Self-Isolating, Vulnerable Neighbour
Image credits: maylesa
The r/trashy subreddit has been one of the most well-known pillar communities of Reddit for more than a decade now. Even if you don’t browse Reddit, you’ve probably come across some of the viral content its members have featured in your own social media feeds at some point in time.
The sub was first created in the middle of the summer of 2012 (which feels almost like a century ago). Now, more than twelve years later, the online group boasts a massive following. Currently, nearly 3 million people from around the globe follow it for the freshest demotivating and cringy content.
#16 It Got So Bad They Had A Sign Made
Image credits: seehispugnosedface
#17 Lmao My Town Is Dealing With A Lot Of Snow Right Now And My Apartment Tenants Are Not Handling It Well
Image credits: hoodayum
#18 I’ve Never In My Life Seen A Sign That Has To Instruct People To Not Hit On The Employees. Yikes
Image credits: madlaceann
If you plan on being an active participant on r/trashy, then you should put in a bit of time to get acquainted with the type of content all the other members share. Luckily, the friendly moderators who keep the entire place running smoothly have a handy list of rules in the sidebar that should help you get started.
#19 My Gym Is Trying To Catch A Phantom Pee-Er
Image credits: 4_tha_ents
#20 You Know This Sign Was Only Put Up After Someone Grabbed A Fistful Of Potato Salad. Seen In Waldwick, Nj
Image credits: willduan
#21 For When The Problem Is So Bad That You Have To Post A Sign About It
Image credits: FreshPowder556
The rules are there for a reason. When you run an online community of any size, you want to have a high bar for quality if you plan on attracting more followers. For one, any content you share on r/trashy shouldn’t have any sensitive, private information in it. For example, you should not post photos with people’s or business’s names. Vehicle license plates are also off the table.
#22 Imagine Having To Make This Sign
Image credits: thatsmadbro_
#23 This Yard Sale Sign
Image credits: LeeOCD
#24 A Sign In Our Local Bars Bathroom
Image credits: Kryzilla
According to the mods, the posts need to be a “celebration of trashiness.” That means that, at their core, they have to be funny. At least on some level. “If it makes you angry then it doesn’t belong here,” the moderators explain, adding that you can share that kind of rage content on other communities.
#25 Sign In My Bathroom At Work. I Work In Construction, Sad That This Sign Is Necessary
Image credits: Thawayshegoes
#26 Was Told To Post This Instead. Blows My Mind How People Clearly Just Disrespect These Signs
Image credits: cassandrasoleil
#27 Notice At Anime Convention Due To Attendees' Body Odor
Image credits: reddit.com
All members who post are also expected to put in some effort with their titles. Any social media screenshots that you share also have to be presented in context so that the audience doesn’t feel lost. In other words, you want to make the pics as friendly and approachable as you can. Meanwhile, the sub is no place for parody, satire, memes, or photos of literal trash.
#28 This Sign
Image credits: pinkglitterblunt
#29 Sign On The Door Of The Brand New Dollar Store In My Neighborhood
Image credits: TrixieAaa
#30 They Definitely Made This Sign With This Sub In Mind #seeninthelaundromat
Image credits: redditguevara
Which of the signs that we’ve featured today in this list surprised you the most? Were there any that honestly caught you so off guard that you had to re-read them to check if you weren’t hallucinating? What is the strangest sign that you’ve ever personally seen or had to put up in real life? What is the trashiest behavior you've ever witnessed?
We’re always happy to hear your take, Pandas. If you have a spare moment, share your thoughts in the comments at the bottom of this post.
