English language campaigners blast public signs

[hermanntrude]

Thu Sep 13, 9:27 AM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Campaigners for the English language on Thursday attacked a growing tendency for "obvious" public information posters, such as a police sign urging people: "Don't Commit Crime."

Other examples highlighted by the Plain English Campaign -- which fights for the effective use of English -- include "Warning: Platform ends here" on the end of rail station platforms, and "May cause drowsiness" on sleeping pills.

"It's a phenomenon we noticed in recent years -- a kind of talking in a vacuum. There are so many examples," said a spokesman, citing notably packets of nuts labelled

"Warning: contains nuts."

"The 'best' one I have come across was a sign reading 'Caution: water on road during rain'.

"They assume a lack of intelligence on the part of the reader. 'Do not commit crime. Pay for your fuel' is hardly a deterrent to a criminal who has every intention of driving off without paying."

Hertfordshire Police said the "Don't Commit Crime" sign was part of a campaign aimed at stopping motorists driving away from petrol stations without paying for fuel.

"If stating the obvious helps to reduce crime or has any impact at all we will do it," said a spokeswoman. "We are not saying it is going to stop hardened criminals, but it may make someone who is nervous think twice."

The Plain English Campaign cited other examples including:

-- "May irritate eyes" -- on a can of self-defence pepper spray;
-- "Do not open door while airborne except in emergency" -- on emergency exit doors in planes;
-- "Removing the wheel can influence the performance of the bicycle" -- from a Dutch bicycle manual;
-- "Do not iron clothes on body" -- from packaging on a steam iron.

Supermarket Tesco -- which also warns shoppers that cream contains milk and that salted butter contains milk and salt -- defended itself, saying it gave customers "all the possible information they should need."

The Plain English Campaign said politicians were also guilty of the trend.
"Politicians declaring 'We are taking the terrorist threat very seriously', or 'We are committed to improving the health service' is just rhetoric," he said.

He added: "Our advice would be say what you need to plainly and simply then stop. If nothing needs to be said, say nothing."

 

[karrie]

I love driving down 95th Street... 'This area does not tolerate prostitution.'

It makes me laugh. What, are they supposed to try one street over?

Fort St John has signs on all the roads leading up to schools that read, "Drug Free Zone." Sorry sir, you'll have to sell drugs to kids on the OTHER side of this imaginary border, where the signs don't forbid it.

 

[hermanntrude]

it's very annoying when people stick up signs that have no purpose. I much prefer somethign wtih a little wit. My favourite so far is the stencilled "Edmonton designated grey wall. Art prohibited"

 

[Tonington]

I also get a kick out of the warning labels some products have. Like some rubbermaid tote bins with a picture of a baby in the bin, with the big red circle crossed through, like someone would think carrying a baby in a tote bin is a good idea....Or the lawnmowers with a picture of a hand and blades swinging through the fingers. It even shows the tips cut-off on the John Deere mowers...

 

[karrie]

the baby in the rubbermaid Ton, is because every year kids smother to death and/or drown in the damn things. it's to attempt to remind parents to keep toddlers and kids from hiding in them.

 

[Blackleaf]

Police force's signs mocked for stating the obvious: 'Don't commit crime'

Police force's signs mocked for stating the obvious: 'Don't commit crime'

13th September 2007
Daily Mail

CRITICISM: Police sign states the obvious


Language campaigners have mocked a police force which is fighting lawlessness by using posters saying: "Don't Commit Crime".

The police notice at petrol stations in Hertfordshire also tells motorists: "All fuel must be paid for".

A group which aims to improve English usage said the signs were the latest example of a modern linguistic trend in which politicians and organisations "stated the blindingly obvious".

Hertfordshire police defended the notices, saying stating the obvious was worthwhile if it had "any impact" on crime.

The Plain English Campaign said the sign was funny but also an insult to people's intelligence.

"The sign is funny. It must make people laugh. But it's a phenomenon we noticed in recent years - a kind of talking in a vacuum. There are so many examples," said a Plain English Campaign spokesman.

"These signs and notices are the opposite of gobbledegook. The 'best' one I have come across was a sign reading 'Caution: Water on road during rain'.

"They assume a lack of intelligence on the part of the reader. 'Do not commit crime. Pay for your fuel' is hardly a deterrent to a criminal who has every intention of driving off without paying, and is merely an aggressive reminder to everyone else.

He added: "I think the phenomenon comes from a combination of branding and PR spin, combined with the obsession companies have with covering themselves.

"Nut packets which read 'Warning: Contains nuts', or 'Do not use hairdryer in shower' are clearly designed to avoid litigation.

"But politicians declaring 'We are taking the terrorist threat very seriously', or 'We are committed to improving the health service' is just rhetoric.

He added: "Our advice would be say what you need to plainly and simply then stop. If nothing needs to be said, say nothing."

Hertfordshire police said the signs were part of a campaign aimed at stopping motorists driving away without paying for fuel.

"If stating the obvious helps to reduce crime or has any impact at all we will do it," said a spokeswoman.

"We are not saying it is going to stop hardened criminals but it may make someone who is nervous think twice."

She did not reveal figures showing the effects of the signs or reveal the cost of producing the notices.

And she said there were no plans to widen to scheme by, for example, putting notices on banks saying, "Don't Rob Banks".

The Plain English Campaign spokesman added: "We've all seen these pointless notices. I suspect the public can come up with countless examples".

Here are some of our favourites:


• Warning: Platform ends here (on the end of rail station platforms) • May irritate eyes (on a can of self-defence pepper spray)
• May cause drowsiness (on sleeping tablets)
• Do not open door while airborne except in emergency' (on emergency exit doors in aircraft)
• Removing the wheel can influence the performance of the bicycle (from a Dutch bicycle manual)
• Do not iron clothes on body (from the packaging for a steam iron)
• For indoor or outdoor use only (what else is there?)
• Once used rectally, the thermometer should not be used orally. (on a digital thermometer).

Last year the head of a campaign group for food allergy sufferers labelled Tesco "ludicrous" for deciding to warn customers that bottles of milk "contained milk" and bags of nuts "contained nuts".

David Reading, director of The Anaphylaxis Campaign, said the company's decision to label bottles of milk with the warning: "Allergy Advice: Contains Milk" and bags of assorted nuts with the warning: "Allergy Advice: Contains Nuts" undermined the seriousness of the problem of food allergies.

Tesco - which also warned shoppers that cream contained milk and that salted butter contained milk and salt - defended its decision, saying it wanted customers to have "all the possible information they should need."

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