Her Chariot | Raced at 80 per | THey Hauled Away | What Had | Ben Hur

September 23, 2006 7:58 AM

Ben | Met Anna | Made a Hit | Neglected Beard | Ben-Anna Split : At their height of popularity there were 7,000 Burma-Shave signs stretching across America. The familiar white on red signs, grouped by four, fives and sixes, were as much a part of a family trip as irritating your kid brother in the back seat of the car.
posted by of strange foe (23 comments total)

NPR story; wiki.
posted by of strange foe at 8:02 AM on September 23, 2006

Previously opn Metafilter: Burma-Shave signs
posted by y2karl at 8:17 AM on September 23, 2006

Previously on...
posted by y2karl at 8:18 AM on September 23, 2006

On-site Google Search Results for Burma Shave
posted by y2karl at 8:19 AM on September 23, 2006

*coughs* Ahem...
posted by y2karl at 8:20 AM on September 23, 2006

Isn't it Myanmar now?
posted by wfc123 at 8:23 AM on September 23, 2006

In order to avoid
The royal schtup
Always make sure to
Look it up
Burma Shave
posted by y2karl at 8:25 AM on September 23, 2006

Look your best
When facing trouble
Always shave
Before
A double
Burma Shave
posted by cortex at 8:29 AM on September 23, 2006

I know it's a double, but I'll say thanks for the post anyway. For someone born well after these signs were retired, in a completely different country to boot, I've always loved Burma Shave signs to an inordinate degree.
posted by chudmonkey at 8:45 AM on September 23, 2006

Send the snarks
Off their perch.
Post in blue?
Do a search.
Burma Shave
posted by The White Hat at 8:52 AM on September 23, 2006

A simple search
It’s diligence due
Nobody likes
Blue déjà vu
Burma Shave
posted by found missing at 9:01 AM on September 23, 2006

To keep the hair
Out of her mouth
Burma Shave
Used down south
posted by furtive at 9:02 AM on September 23, 2006

Considering how much everyone loves these, I wonder why they don't resurrect them?
posted by Malor at 9:04 AM on September 23, 2006

wfc123 wins by a hair.
posted by shoepal at 9:07 AM on September 23, 2006

The only road signs I ever get to drive by are McDonalds ads and church bulletins telling me about the hell that awaits me.
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 9:21 AM on September 23, 2006

Actually, a McDonalds ad telling you about the hell that awaits you would be pretty neat.
posted by yhbc at 9:28 AM on September 23, 2006

Actually, a McDonalds ad telling you about the hell that awaits you would be pretty neat.

I think it is implicit.
posted by found missing at 9:32 AM on September 23, 2006

One of my culture shocks when I first moved to San Jose was the type of billboard, advertising for things like verilog simulators and server hosting.
posted by BrotherCaine at 9:34 AM on September 23, 2006

Malor: "Considering how much everyone loves these, I wonder why they don't resurrect them?"

Because there's money to be made by selling each and every slot to the highest bidder.
posted by koeselitz at 9:34 AM on September 23, 2006

Don't know how
to do this poety thing
so I'll mess
it up with stange cadence.
IM IN Burma SHAVIN' UR FACE!
Burma Shave
posted by blue_beetle at 9:34 AM on September 23, 2006

Some of these are pretty morbid:

Spring
Has sprung
The grass has riz
Where last year's
Careless drivers is
Burma-Shave
posted by kenko at 9:44 AM on September 23, 2006

Actually, a McDonalds ad telling you about the hell that awaits you would be pretty neat.

Ever read Douglas Coupland's jPod? Ronald McDonald makes a cameo as a virtual-reality serial killer: "You shall beg for death, but instead shall receive only laughter and choking hazards disguised as plastic toys. I ONLY MAKE YOU FAT SO THAT YOU'LL SIZZLE WHEN YOU BURN!"
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 9:57 AM on September 23, 2006

I once saw a series of these written in adjacent public bathroom stalls.
posted by danb at 10:08 AM on September 23, 2006