'Danger' Strikes Me Funny

I was walking home, now just two blocks away from morning coffee, and setting a brisk athletic pace. I crossed a street and read 'DANGER' atop a city works sign in the middle of the road.

I stepped atop the metal hole cover. I stepped off. I stepped back on. I stepped off. I thought, Where's the danger?

If the cover is in place there is no danger. I can jump on it and there is no chance I'll fall into a sewer.

If the cover is gone, say sitting on an adjacent neighbour's lawn, then the warning atop the sign is misplaced. There's no danger on my neighbour's lawn but now there's an open hole in the middle of the road. So, some form of warning is required near the gaping hole.

But, wouldn't the open hole serve as its own warning? (Example, how many people do you know who would just jump down into a hole in the ground? Humans are typically afraid of falling into holes, I reasoned. So, perhaps a posted warning is hardly needed.)

I heard a car approach. A horn honked.

I waved, put my camera away and continued home.

Danger, I thought. Where's the danger?

Photo by GH

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