“Danger of death" redirects here.” - what a thrilling opening to a Wikipedia article.
What could possible go wrong? Well, honestly, a lot.
Today is all about danger - and how authorities and others try to help us avert and avoid it.
This is relatively new. Most signage appeared when people started driving cars. Before then, it was just bad luck, or stupid, or both if you fell off a cliff, ate cyanide, etc.
But nowadays it’s hard to walk a couple of hundred metres without encountering some warning sign.
Caution: wet floor.
Beware of falling rocks.
Do not feed the beast(s).
A lot of effort goes into preventing harm, serious injuries, and death.
As for road signs: they do vary in different countries, with warning signs being mostly triangular or diamond shaped. The European ones were standardised during the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, which makes it pretty easy to safely drive around Europe. Unless you’re on a roundabout in Paris or Rome of course.
Warning signs are especially abundant in places like amusement parks.
What could possible go wrong? Well…
Today, keep an eye out for all the warnings you receive.
Stay behind the yellow line.
Look left.
Beware of the dog.
And never, ever, feed the wild monkeys.
Warning sign in Chion-In, Kyoto - photograph Else Kramer
Do be careful - and share your warning signs using the hashtag #kramerseye on Instagram or Twitter.