~Thursday~ I remember the first time I saw this sign, during a previous visit to New York City, and thinking for a time that it meant I couldn’t stand in that area. I wondered why they didn’t just use a “No Loitering” sign.
For those of you who might not know it, it’s actually referring to cars.
Sign indicates that vehicles may NOT stand at this location. You may not wait or stop to load/unload packages or merchandise at curbside. You may stop to expeditiously drop off or pick up passengers.
I think “standing” is a poor metaphor to associate with cars, which is why it’s confusing to me.
On this trip, I came across this sign, which appears not to be working, which I had trouble parsing:
At first I thought it meant to curb your dog from using the bathroom.
But, evidently, according to dogboynyc, it means to make your dog do its duty out by the curb, since “many homeowners consider the sidewalk in front of their buildings to be part of their home.”
And my most recent parsing challenge was a verbal one, and from someone whose English is a second language, which added to my initial confusion.
I’d ordered my bagel and he said, “Stay or Take?” He said it very quickly, and I had already anticipated the “Cash or credit,” question, so I was caught completely off guard.
“Here, or to go?” of course would have parsed quickly and easily.