Tests for tourists: symbols part 2

The tourists have added a new annoyance to their tooting and barging: stabbing with their poles. Twice in as many days last week I was inadvertently (hopefully) whacked with skiers’ poles as they sat themselves down at the start of the chairlift ride or télécabin/bubble/gondola ride. One got me in the head, but that’s okay becuase I wear a helmet. The other one got me in the chest, then again half way through the journey up. When I asked him to mind his poles he looked completely surprised, as if he’d just noticed that he was holding onto them. Off the piste, the tooting cars continue. Oh, and special points to the Parisian car that tooted at a bus because it had stopped at the bus stop by the bus station. How dare that bus stop!

So, here’s the next symbol test from the La Balme cabin. It could mean:

• Keep your poles down here to prevent poking people in the head or chest.
• Exit to the left or right upon arrival (as opposed to blocking the exit while you adjust your goggles).
• The doors open outwards (what other way could they open?).

Actually, this sign means: “Caution: automatic doors”, because if you hadn’t noticed that they closed by themselves, you might try to open them when you arrive, and imagine how disastrous that could be! The doors might actually open seconds earlier than they should! Okay, there’s a chance that if they’re opened too early, people could fall to their deaths before the cabin has made it to the station, but if they’re stupid enough to try to push these purposely stiff doors open before the station,  I’m not sure a sign for automatic doors is going to help them anyway. I just hope they don’t whack me with their poles on the way out.