Last week I was in Port Douglas (eclipse watching, of course). There are warning signs everywhere – mostly about crocodiles and marine stingers.
This warning sign, at Mossman Gorge, grabbed my attention:
I like the way that the sign acknowledges that people will swim and acknowledges the ability of people to make decisions about their safety.
So often, in places like this, you come across simple statements like ‘don’t swim here’ or ‘swimming here is dangerous’.
Instead, this sign clearly explains what is dangerous about the gorge, and acknowledges that deaths and injuries have occurred here in the past. I feel that it sets a professional and empathetic tone with the statement ‘your safety is our concern, but your responsibility’.
I always appreciate it when signage give me a rationale for the directive being given. This goes one step further: it asks me to think for myself.