In North America, where most locals and visitors can read basic English, we aren’t often exposed to the kind of creative iconography that is required for signs in Asia and Europe. Sign makers in those regions must be a little more creative, especially when it comes to warning signs. No one wants visitors walking right into danger because they can’t read the local words so sign makers are forced to use graphics to depict the potential dangers ahead. As it’s often difficult to convey the magnitude of potential danger without words, warning signs can often be somewhat frightening.

Below are a selection of my favorite warning signs from my recent trips to Hong Kong:

This first sign is a quick an dirty print out at the bottom floor of a shopping and restaurant tower that was under construction. The construction explains the falling tools, but not the pill shaped object that seems to have been knocked off of our victim. I hope he didn’t bite his tongue off. Being Hong Kong, falling tools really won’t stop anyone from shopping or eating but losing one’s tongue would really make the locals think twice.

In this sign, also at a mall, the red person seems to have stepped in a pink puddle of some sort and is about to do an amazing half back flip. Either that or they are just freaked out by the big green cloud that has appeared, blocking out the sky.

Just outside the Burger King at the top of Victoria Peak they have a set of steps that people must usually miss as they rush to get their fill of Whopper goodness. Or are they are supposed to dodge the violently ill patrons exiting the store? Either way, the person in the sign seems seriously freaked out so I would suggest avoiding this entire area just in case.

This sign warns you of giant eggs that seem to be raining down from the sky. This must be how the pigs feel in Angry Birds.