Over the years, I have made the occasional comment about signage, such as this, and that.
Well, at a recent visit to our local hospital, I happened upon this beauty:
Well, at a recent visit to our local hospital, I happened upon this beauty:
but what can it mean?
My guess:
IN THE EVENT OF FIRE, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING YOUR SPACE HOPPER INSIDE YOUR TENT.
Alternatively, it could be something to do with safety measures upon re-entry after a moon landing.
Signage does move with the times, although the wheelchair symbol has stayed resolutely the same since its' inception. I do understand why many disabled people get annoyed by it. It does look passive, as if the wheelchair user is bowed, with arms in a fixed position as if being pushed. But the main issue is one of history- the symbol was designed to complement the typical man/woman toilet sign at a time when most wheelchairs probably had arm-rests.
Yes, it would be good if new signage used a more updated, possibly more independent, dynamic wheelchair user graphic. But the reality is that most of the people who access disabled facilities are not wheelchair users.
At least half of them are impatient people, or people who want to smoke/read the paper/have sex/get changed, etc. No, that's not what I mean, rather that the wheelchair is a cipher for disability, when wheelchair users only account for 5% of people with disabilities.
Now imagine the confusion if it turns out that 5% of the population owns a space hopper.
My guess:
IN THE EVENT OF FIRE, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING YOUR SPACE HOPPER INSIDE YOUR TENT.
Alternatively, it could be something to do with safety measures upon re-entry after a moon landing.
Signage does move with the times, although the wheelchair symbol has stayed resolutely the same since its' inception. I do understand why many disabled people get annoyed by it. It does look passive, as if the wheelchair user is bowed, with arms in a fixed position as if being pushed. But the main issue is one of history- the symbol was designed to complement the typical man/woman toilet sign at a time when most wheelchairs probably had arm-rests.
Yes, it would be good if new signage used a more updated, possibly more independent, dynamic wheelchair user graphic. But the reality is that most of the people who access disabled facilities are not wheelchair users.
At least half of them are impatient people, or people who want to smoke/read the paper/have sex/get changed, etc. No, that's not what I mean, rather that the wheelchair is a cipher for disability, when wheelchair users only account for 5% of people with disabilities.
Now imagine the confusion if it turns out that 5% of the population owns a space hopper.
May I point you to this excellent piece on man/woman toilet signs?
http://hystericalmarissa.blogspot.com/2010/08/go-where-sex-gender-and-toilets.html