Living large with warning signs

I’m fortunate to live within a short distance of some of the Bay Area’s great protected open spaces. The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District offers a wide variety of ecosystems for hikers to explore.  High, arid grasslands, stands of ancient oaks, and glades of coastal redwoods are home to different kinds of wildlife, some of which can pose a danger to those who enjoy it most.

There are signs posted at major trailheads warning that the MROSD is a mountain lion habitat , and and they enjoy a mild fame for inspiring nervous laughter among hikers and cyclists.  As functional designs, these signs perform their office well because they communicate a lot of instruction very quickly.

They combine elements of color, helpful pictograms, and spare written instructions for what one should do if confronted by one of these big cats. It was a particularly clever designer who was willing to pair a somewhat awkward, not-to-be-taken-literally warning to “be large” with a picture of a human figure madly waving his arms in the air.  The user gets the idea immediately.

Perhaps the designer was cleverly using humor as a communication device. He or she may have stumbled upon the phrase by accident, but upon putting in a layout rightly decided that it worked.  I’m probably not the only person to have taken on "be large" as a personal motto.

Creative Commons Photo credit: user jurvetson on flickr.com.