St Nicholas's Day, 2012, Driving Eastward

[steepholm]

When I drive into Wiltshire from the west, somewhere near Dead Maids, I always see a friendly sign proclaiming "Wiltshire Welcomes You!" Glancing in my rear view mirror, it is hard not to imagine a ghostly retort on its reverse: "Somerset Says 'Sod Off!'" Nor do we stop there, though further back the cries of the counties grow fainter: "Devon Says 'Get Off Moy Laand!'" drawls dimly across the winter fields. And beyond Dartmoor, tumbled in Tamar's tide, I hear a drowned mermaid lisping, "Emmets Go Home!"

Comments

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

This has made us both laugh a lot.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

In the US it's state license plate mottos. New Hampshire's says LIVE FREE OR DIE, a rather alarming conundrum. I once participated in a game to create equivalents for other states. Wisconsin's would be EAT CHEESE OR DIE, for instance. Then there's the long-running battle between Ohio and North Carolina over which state gave birth to powered flight. (The Wright Brothers were from Ohio but they did their test flights in North Carolina.)

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I'm always amused by signs reading "[Town name] welcomes careful drivers." I always like imagining the hideous fate that they have prepared for the more rash and careless members of the motorist fraternity, who enter their bounds, and are Never Seen Again.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Such places are guarded well by elemental spirits of great power. In ordinary times they are chained to the land, but woe to the driver who hears the fatal cry: "The sleeping policeman hath awaked..."