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From Times Online

August 29, 2008

Signs of the times 2008

We're reached the end of the trail to find the funniest travel signs - view the winning gallery and finalists

Thanks to Nancy Carson for this all-users message from the USA

Gareth Scurlock

It lasted nearly three months and you sent us nearly 300 entries for our Signs of the Times competition for 2008. Thank you, one and all.

And the funiest sign, according to your votes, is from Nancy Carson for this all-users message from the USA.

Is it photoshopped? We tried to strip out the obvious imposters but think this genuine - we'd be interested to hear any evidence to the contrary!

But the point is that from a gallery of 30 finalists, this is the one you selected the funniest, with 140 votes out of nearly 800. The runner-up was 20 votes adrfit.

For your pleasure, we've put together the 12 funniest that you voted for in order of voting.

Plus, we've the 30 finalists and an epic gallery of the 86 photos featured since the beginning of June.

And you can compare this year's selection with that of 2007 - watch out, as in September we'll be inviting your votes for the 2007v2008 galleries!

It was another vintage year, and follows on from 2007, when we asked you to send us funny, silly and extraordinary signs snapped from the farthest reaches of the globe.

Amusing village names around rural Britain were joined by side-splittingly bizarre translations, abstract anomolies, visual warnings and graphical gaffes.

We enjoyed your contributions so much which is why we again searched far and wide for more weird and wonderful signage.

This year we also kicked off again with a gallery from Lonely Planet's Signspotting 2 book, a compendium of the best discovered by the guidebook publisher's photographers and contributors. You can view the 20 new images in the gallery to the left.

The five most popular photos as voted by you will win a copy of Signspotting 2, and the winner will also receive a copy of the first Signspotting book.

Our 2007 selection is crammed full of nearly 100 reader entries and more pictures from Signspotting 2.

For even more inspiration, take a look at the new website set up by Doug Lansky, picture editor and author of the Signspotting books. Let the phenomenon continue . . .

I saw a moving truck today (oh, how I wished I had my camera) proudly announcing the company: Hernia Movers. Wonder if they get a lot of business.

MSC, Chicago, USA

Incredible, but very clever! Owners will remember the laughter!!! Hope they'll adopt it in Italy too!
Alessandra, Rome Italy, conscious owner of two wonderful dogs

Alessandra, Rome, Italy

The sign is real, there are lots like that all around the bike paths and parks in South Burlington.

Ally Jones, Burlington, Vermont,

It's the real deal! I remember seeing and laughing at it last time I visited Burlington!!!

Pete Scarvelis, Cleveland, USA

The City of South Burlington dog sign is for real! There are several around town and on our recreation trails - one more reason we love our beautiful little City.

J.B. Hinds, South Burlington, Vermont, USA