I once saw a sign in Australia warning about crossing train tracks. In the land of the free, the sign would have all the coziness of a Secret Service agent:
KEEP OFF TRAIN TRACKS - $100 FINE PER VIOLATION
But this was Australia. So it actually read something like this: "Cross tracks safely and only at the provided walkways. Or cop a $100 fine. Don't say we didn't warn you, mate!"
That's arguably a lot better than the British ones:
- They give an safe, alternative action, which might not be obvious to some people.
- They state the authority by which the fine is issued (too small to read fully from the photograph, but something like "...Regulation 2003"). Interestingly, a historical railway sign preserved at Beamish has the name of the officer by whose authority the fine would have been issued at that time[1].
- The fine is given as 'up to' the maximum. As I understand it, the British fine is only £1000 if it can be proved that the violation was made wilfully, and non-wilful trespassing is usually (perhaps always?) only subject to a fine if done subsequent to having received a warning.
