[bitwize]

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!"

[seabass-labrax]

For comparison, the standard text in Great Britain is exactly as follows:

  Warning
  Do not trespass on the Railway
  Penalty £1000

[brainwad]

The actual signs in Sydney look like

  Danger
  Don't cross the tracks
  - use the bridge.
  Fines up to $5,500 apply.

(https://railgallery.wongm.com/cache/sydney-suburban/F121_540...)

[seabass-labrax]

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.

[1]: https://www.deviantart.com/rlkitterman/art/NER-Public-Warnin...