Thursday, October 17, 2013

The hilarious Indian road signs

'Peep peep, don't sleep!' The hilarious Indian road signs guaranteed to keep drivers alert

By Anna Edwards
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Most traffic signs warning drivers the importance of concentration are sombre and serious.
But these signs peppered across the Indian mountains have taken a different approach - warning motorists that if they fall asleep 'their family will weep' and cautioning drunk drivers that 'whiskey is risky'.
With their rhymes - and at times, confusing - messages, these signs are guaranteed to make the driver pay attention to the road.
What's the hurry? These unique signs are spread across the Himalayas and offer a helpful and funny way to tell motorists to slow down
What's the hurry? These unique signs are spread across the Himalayas and offer a helpful and funny way to tell motorists to slow down

This sign uses word play to caution that gory disasters await those who are willing to take risky routes and rush
This sign uses word play to caution that gory disasters await those who are willing to take risky routes and rush


The hilarious signs are aimed at drink drivers, sleepy travellers and even nagging wives
The hilarious signs are aimed at drink drivers, sleepy travellers and even nagging wives
Stop whining! Passengers are also reminded not to distract the driver - and take in the view instead
Stop whining! Passengers are also reminded not to distract the driver - and take in the view instead

The hilarious information boards - aimed at drink drivers, sleepy travellers and even nagging wives - were pictured by travel writer and photographer Ajay Jain.

He has since produced a book featuring some of the 400 quirky signs he has snapped during a 6,000 mile trip across India.
Ajay, 43, from New Delhi, said: 'These signs are naturally a source of amusement, so collecting these during my travels became a kind of a fun project.
'I never miss on clicking a sign when I see one.'
A large majority of the signs were snapped in the Indian Himalayas - and while most are funny, some are a little confusing
A large majority of the signs were snapped in the Indian Himalayas - and while most are funny, some are a little confusing


The sometimes suggestive signs certainly grab the motorist's attention - and remind them to let oncoming vehicles know of their presence
The sometimes suggestive signs certainly grab the motorist's attention - and remind them to let oncoming vehicles know of their presence

Eyes on the road! This sign reminds the driver to keep their hands on the wheels and their mind on a safe journey
Eyes on the road! This sign reminds the driver to keep their hands on the wheels and their mind on a safe journey

Slow down! This hilarious sign aimed at racing motorists reminds them it's better to be a little delayed than to never reach your destination
Slow down! This hilarious sign aimed at racing motorists reminds them it's better to be a little delayed than to never reach your destination
When he realised that there were so many unique ones across the country, did the idea of a book begin to take shape
When he realised that there were so many unique ones across the country, did the idea of a book begin to take shape

Ajay's book, titled 'Peep Peep, Don't Sleep' after one of the first signs he pictured, has already sold 10,000 copies since hitting the shelves around the world.
The inventive cautionary posts warnings that 'short cuts may cut shorts' and 'darling I like you, but not so fast'.
In a classic example of translation being lost, the signs warn that 'rum is the bomb' and to 'drive on horse power, not rum power'.
Ajay added: 'It was only when I realised that there were so many unique ones going around, did the idea of a book begin to take shape.
Ajay now plans to begin work on a follow up book as there are so many inventive signs across the sub-continent
Ajay now plans to begin work on a follow up book as there are so many inventive signs across the sub-continent

Put the liquor away! This sign seeks to use a little rhyming to make sure that drivers know about the perils of having a tipple before setting off on the road
Put the liquor away! This sign seeks to use a little rhyming to make sure that drivers know about the perils of having a tipple before setting off on the road

Spelling mistake aside, this sign shows how it only takes a little acceleration to destroy a life
Spelling mistake aside, this sign shows how it only takes a little acceleration to destroy a life

A book features some of the 400 quirky signs a photographer snapped during a 6,000 mile trip across India
A book features some of the 400 quirky signs a photographer snapped during a 6,000 mile trip across India

Photographer Ajay Jain says he never misses clicking a sign when he sees a particularly humourous one
Photographer Ajay Jain says he never misses clicking a sign when he sees a particularly humourous one

'I also wanted to preserve these signs for posterity. These often disappear after a while, when new ones appear.
'So the book has also served as an archive for signs we may never see again.'
A large majority of the signs were snapped in the Indian Himalayas, which covers the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Ajay now plans to begin work on a follow up book - which he hopes will hit the shelves in early 2014.
He said: 'I have received a lot of favourable reviews from readers. Many of my readers keep it by their bedside for a few chuckles after a hard day's work.'

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