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Burma-Shave’s roadside signs

In June, a “Safety on the Roads” article included 15-20 Burma-Shave roadside signs which were popular in the middle of the last century, before there were interstates and when everyone drove the old two-lane roads.

These signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers’ fields. They were typically small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing one line of a four-line couplet … and the obligatory fifth sign advertising Burma-Shave, a popular shaving cream.

I got some positive feedback, mostly from older drivers that remembered the Burma-Shave road signs. Since many, if not most of them, promoted driving safety, I am providing some additional phrases, sent to me by my cousin in Rochester, Ted Voll, as they do contain humorous points of traffic safety. Enjoy!

¯ Don’t stick your elbow / Out so far / It may go home / In another car / Burma-Shave

¯ Trains don’t wander / All over the map / Cause nobody sits / In the engineer’s lap / Burma-Shave

¯ Don’t lose your head / To gain a minute / You need your head / Your brains are in it / Burma-Shave

¯ Brother speeder / Let’s rehearse / All together / Good morning, nurse / Burma-Shave

¯ Speed was high / Weather was not / Tires were thin / X marks the spot / Burma-Shave

¯ No matter the price / No matter how new / The best safety device / In the car is you / Burma-Shave

¯ A guy who drives / A car wide open / Is not thinkin’ / He’s just hopin’ / Burma-Shave

¯ At intersections /Look each way / A harp sounds nice / But it’s hard to play / Burma-Shave

¯ Both hands on the wheel / Eyes on the road / That’s the skillful / Driver’s code / Burma-Shave

¯ The one who drives / When he’s been drinking / Depends on you / To do his thinking / Burma-Shave

¯ Car in ditch / Driver in tree / The moon was full / And so was he / Burma-Shave

Today these signs would likely not be allowed, at least within the highway right-of-way. They could be viewed as a driver distraction, which I would agree with. But back when these signs were prolific, there weren’t the number of vehicles and the speeds were much slower, so it wasn’t as much a safety issue as it would be today. At any rate, picture these signs along the rural roadways and enjoy the nostalgia for what it’s worth.

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