I Saw This Bathroom Sign and Immediately Understood the Story
Some explanations aren’t necessary
I’m sure there’s a story behind this graphic in the women’s bathroom. This was Switzerland. Pristine. Gorgeous. Water so clear it looked photoshopped. Tourists from around the globe were…everywhere.
The sign is polite. There’s no judgment, and it’s not accusatory. I’d say it is almost tender with its “Dear guest, please.”
And then it leads with that image.
The red one.
The one at the top.
A person standing on the toilet seat like they are waiting to jump off a helicopter to drop into powder for some gnarly skiing.
Or like they were waiting for a hole in the ground to appear. A posture, perhaps, borrowed from places where the plumbing works differently. A stance that did not belong there. And yet, here it was. Elevated. First. In red.
Not recycling.
Not sanitary product disposal.
Not flushing or conservation.
This.
Which raises the only reasonable question. How many times did this happen?
Once is an accident. Twice is an unfortunate happenstance. I guess three plus times earns a trip to the nearest graphic designer.
There must have been meetings.
I cannot believe that this would be the number one rule AND graphic unless it had been violated frequently and with absolute commitment.
Maybe I’m wrong. This could be a stock image placed hovering above that toilet. But it feels very specific. Personal. Intentional.
Resigned.
This sign was not created to educate the guests. It was created to prevent a repeat performance.
Get LearningCurves&Luggage’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
And somewhere there is a person — or handful — nearby who remembers exactly why.
m sure there’s a story behind this graphic in the women’s bathroom. This was Switzerland. Pristine. Gorgeous. Water so clear it looked photoshopped. Tourists from around the globe were…everywhere.
The sign is polite. There’s no judgment, and it’s not accusatory. I’d say it is almost tender with its “Dear guest, please.”
And then it leads with that image.
The red one.
The one at the top.
A person standing on the toilet seat like they are waiting to jump off a helicopter to drop into powder for some gnarly skiing.
Or like they were waiting for a hole in the ground to appear. A posture, perhaps, borrowed from places where the plumbing works differently. A stance that did not belong there. And yet, here it was. Elevated. First. In red.
Not recycling.
Not sanitary product disposal.
Not flushing or conservation.
This.
Which raises the only reasonable question. How many times did this happen?
Once is an accident. Twice is an unfortunate happenstance. I guess three plus times earns a trip to the nearest graphic designer.
There must have been meetings.
I cannot believe that this would be the number one rule AND graphic unless it had been violated frequently and with absolute commitment.
Maybe I’m wrong. This could be a stock image placed hovering above that toilet. But it feels very specific. Personal. Intentional.
Resigned.
This sign was not created to educate the guests. It was created to prevent a repeat performance.
And somewhere there is a person — or handful — nearby who remembers exactly why.
Author’s Note: Briefcase highlights the small moments that quietly explain human behavior. This one is simple: no one designs a sign like this without a backstory. You don’t need to know it to understand it.
