What insult ?
Posted by Big John on August 22, 2008
At the top of my left hand sidebar under the ‘Warning’, is an illustration of the road sign warning drivers about elderly pedestrians, which I think is rather amusing: but now it would seem that UK pensioners’ groups think that it is .. “insulting”.
What a load of politically correct old bollocks ! … It’s a bloody good clear warning sign which I believe was designed by a child in a competition about thirty years ago, and regulations introduced in 2003 did away with the caption ‘elderly people’ underneath the sign because it was considered to be ”ageist”.
The sign is there to draw attention to those who may cross the road with difficulty, hesitantly, slowly, and perhaps with reduced hearing or vision. It’s not supposed to show a pair of sprightly old gits out jogging or represent today’s ‘silver surfers’ etc.
Now I know that such organisations as ’Age Concern’ and ‘Help the Aged’ do a wonderful and vital job, but aren’t there worse things to get your knickers in a twist over ? … Like lousey pensions, abuse, neglect, fuel poverty, isolation, ageism and a general attitude that we old people are unattractive and a pain in the arse !
If some fitter old codgers think this sign is insulting, all I can say is … I know that it’s a bit late, but .. ’get a life’ ! .. and anyway, many people think that the sign means …
… beware of pickpockets !
Longrider said
Ah, another bit of identity politics in action. Where will it stop, I wonder?
Betty said
John, you always give me a laugh. It does look like she is picking his pocket, now that you point it out.
Ginnie said
I’ve always loved the use of that sign and your take on it “Warning. Elderly person blogging”. What a dull, humorless world we live in now, John.
frisby said
I always thought it looked like she was groping his bum!
Darlene said
I concur that getting your knickers in a twist over the sign is overkill and taking political correctness to the nth degree. As they say, “Don’t sweat the little things.” To which some wag added, “Don’t pet the sweaty things.”