Signs and portents

I've always been somewhat attuned to highway hazard signs, I guess ever since my parents used to play "find the snake in the road" with us on our trips in the Montana mountains.

But I wonder if I've been remiss in noticing a new trend in these signs, or if it really is a recent development. I'm referring to a new variety, especially when it comes to wildlife cautions.

(Perhaps I'm newly sensitized after noting the difference between US and Canadian deer on signs north and south of the border?)

At any rate, on my last driving trip, it seems that there was a lot more wildlife to look out for than ever!

These signs on both sides of IH-25 South near Raton, New Mexico, are great examples. Apparently there are a lot of bears in these Rocky foothills!

On the same road, I saw not only a sign featuring this handsome elk (?)...

...but (if you can; sorry for the blurriness of the photo) also check out the cute sign designed for the safety of two-legged creatures: it says "Slow Down! My Mommy works here!"

Earlier, on one of our [many] trips to and from Denver in August, I snapped this warning about bighorn sheep...

You might notice, a bit further down the road, a fire engine warning sign, too. Yes, there also seems to be a proliferation of what one might call cultural/technological hazards. Like this one near Westcliffe, Colorado, on the gorgeous short-cut state highway 69:

So I'm looking for new signs all the time now, and, as often happens when you really look for something, you find them everywhere.

I know this specific warning hasn't always been displayed at this railroad crossing here in San Antonio:

But it's very appropriate! I've scraped bottom more than once on the little hill supporting the train tracks here. 

If there are other sign connoisseurs among my readers, you might enjoy these posts from my London blog. Now, British signs are really different and fun!