Stick men - an international comparison

Today's post is an international comparison of stick people on street signs. An area so far neglected by academic research (I assume - I have to admit I didn't bother checking; if there are actually genuine studies into this that have received funding, I can only say: I see why we now have an economic crisis). It lacks a Monegasque Striding Man, but that will be remedied on my next trip.

We start with Paris:

By the banks of the Seine. A sign that could usefully be posted in every tunnel in France. And most walls. And pretty much anywhere even vaguely sheltered. And parks. And trees.

Next, no diving in Villefranche:

This is, I think, supposed to be a stick man, from Villefranche sur Mer. But it could be a seal. Or a jaguar. It appears to lack a skeleton, amongst other major organs and body parts.

A rare stick child depiction from Prague:

A rare stick life portrait, from Prague, with house and car and stick child playing in the road. They have very small houses in stick-Prague, obviously. And no hands.

Maltese stick man on a boat:

In Malta, stick men apparently throw coffee mugs off ferry boats, if not told not to.

Italian stick men:

This stick man appears to have a dislocated shoulder. And no knees, of course.


This is how stick men walk in Italy. (Compare, when I get the pic up, with how stick men walk in Monaco.)

Traffic light stick men in Nice:

Men wearing hats may cross the road now...


Men wearing hats must stand in the middle of the road. Waiting for cars to drive at them.