There are signs everywhere. Perhaps that's part of the problem, much like closing Raid Shadow Legends ads and MLM marketing scheme popups, perhaps our over assaulted RAS[1] just filters out most or all of the signs as non-crucial to our precious attention. Or something.
That said, some signs are important. You know, like road signs, hours of operation signs, directional signs, etc. Actually, I have found most signs important, or at the very least informative. I have also found that people don't fricken read the signs. Ever.
For instance, at the library we offer a story-time one morning a week for the littles. We have said story-time in the morning hours before the library is actually open, namely for peace of mind for all. Little kids are um, exuberant. Parents tend to worry that their small frys are bothering other patrons when they are in the library, and a lot of the time some of the other patrons get annoyed by the little humans exuberance. Our before opening hours story-time solved all of the potential issues regarding free range mini humans, parents being able to actually enjoy themselves, and non-parent library patrons get to enjoy the normal serenity of the library in it's library-time open hours quietude.
We have had the same hours at the library since 2013, and we put a huge sign right at eye level stating the library is closed and the only reason the door is even open is for STORYTIME. Without fail, every week I have to deal with some irate or irritated soul who just doesn't understand why the computers are off. I cheerfully explain to them why, point to the sign, and offer to provide them service when the library is actually open. Sigh.
Another instance of non sign reading has been occurring lately on my farm. In the northwest corner of my property there is a full service RV spot available for rent on Hipcamp. I actually have been loving renting out the spot, as it is a mostly hands off business, other than a bit of raking and trash removal. Our visitors have really enjoyed the introvert campsite experience, but there have been a couple of them that are sign blind.
At the entrance of our circular, pull-through RV site is a sign that says ENTER. I have included an image of it for you to see as an exhibit of its intentional clarity:
For some reason the last few guests, after months of guests mind you, have been pulling in the wrong way. Now I don't care, but on the flip side it makes them have a view of the driveway instead of the forest, lavender field, and rest of the farm. Hmmm....
That's not even getting into the fact that even though they have well over a hundred feet of graveled parking pad and camping area, that some of the people seem bound and determined to park on my site's drain field. My hubs in a burst of foresight and knowledge of people wisdom, placed an old tree root-wad and transplanted some irises right behind the septic hook up and lid, because he just seems to intuitively know, that people don't read the signs.
And he's right. Because along with signs, I am starting to suspect that people don't read descriptions either. The first sentence of my RV site's listing says it's a full hookup with water, sewer, and 30/50 amp electrical service. I have literally gotten multiple inquiries if the site has power and sewer or water. Um....duh, read the description.
However, in the name of good customer service, I always reply helpfully, other than when a potential guest tries to bully me, which has happened on occasion to my endless amusement. We live in a strange time where curtesy appears to have been flushed down the endless and instant gratification toilet.
My friend the other day told me she wants to buy a billboard before the Long Bridge that crosses Lake Pend Oreille into Sandpoint which states: This Is Idaho, Be Nice And Leave People Alone. I told her I loved the sentiment, but as the above anecdotes illustrate, people don't read signs...
[1]We all have an RAS, the reticular activating system, which is our neural network filter, our data sifting extraordinaire!
And as some of the time, unless otherwise cited, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's perpetually amused at what lights her fuse iPhone.
