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> You would have to shake that sign pretty damn hard to do damage. You don't know that. There are at least thousands, perhaps millions, of stop signs across Am
by cryptoz 9y ago
> You would have to shake that sign pretty damn hard to do damage.
You don't know that. There are at least thousands, perhaps millions, of stop signs across America that are not securely placed into the ground. Sidewalks are cracking, some stop signs are old and getting older in the elements, etc.
If everyone in the US went out and shook a stop sign hard, we've be faced with millions of dollars in repairs and a very dangerous interim period without full stop sign coverage.
I'm obviously taking the extreme angle here. But America is laced with heavy regulation in the safety of its infrastructure to avoid simple failures like falling stop signs. Obviously there's no great effort to tear down all the top signs that would require a law against it - but I guarantee you that these signs are protected against vandalism and for good reason.
- Clubber 9y agoShaking a stop sign isn't vandalism.
- cryptoz 9y agoSure it is, if you weaken the sign and make it lean, or even worse, fall. Adults brains are wired to not take those risks, even if they are unlikely, because they are dangerous and bad. The kid has weaker arms, doesn't know the importance of the sign, and is vastly less likely to do damage. That's why we generally let them do it if they want to. But if 10 million adults all started doing it, you can bet there would be arrests. It's not a bad thing that adults are less likely to go to town shaking stop signs uncontrollably. That would be risky and it's a-okay our brains know that.
- Clubber 9y agoThere's a difference between shaking a sign and breaking a sign. The wind shakes them all the time. If someone was ever arrested for shaking a sign, I would seriously question (even more so) whether our society's good intentions paved our road to hell.
- cryptoz 9y agoYes, I know - you're missing the point I'm making. Adults brains are less likely to go shake the sign, as it might break and that would have major consequences. The kid doesn't know this, and it's also less likely for major issues to arise, so the situation is different and we generally don't get upset at kids for shaking the sign. The OP said that the sign in their story was shaking "uncontrollably". That word means something here - it means the sign was really shaking. Adults don't normally do that because it carries a real, physical risk both in damaging the property but also harming another person. It's not just innocent play for an adult to go shaking stop signs on the street - it's downright dangerous. My point is that it is a good thing that adults don't go around shaking signs. We shouldn't be concerned about not being kids anymore just because we have the maturity to know about risk and health. It's not a bad thing that we know it's not acceptable to go around shaking signs uncontrollably.
- Clubber 9y ago>the sign in their story was shaking "uncontrollably" Well, as uncontrollably as a kid could shake it. >We shouldn't be concerned about not being kids anymore just because we have the maturity to know about risk and health. It's not a bad thing that we know it's not acceptable to go around shaking signs uncontrollably. I think someone worried about the dangers and health risks of shaking a sign might be a little anxious. I don't shake signs because it would be boring, but this conversation has reinvigorated my interest in shaking stop signs! Next time I go for a walk and walk by a stop sign, my brain will make me shake it, and I will smile. Thanks!
- icantdrive55 9y agoAmerica has way too many stop sign. I sometomes think most are there for Revenue Collection. That said--I'm old and tired, and can't drink like I used to.
- Clubber 9y agoDifferent point of view than mine, but well thought out none the less. Shouldn't be down voted.